Statements in Meeting with Members of the Government

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

We hope that the Almighty God, by the blessing of these fragrant and illuminated hours, enlightens the hearts of all of you dear brothers and sisters with the light of certainty, faith, and sincerity, and grants us all a portion of His mercy, blessings, and kindness from Ramadan and these days and hours; God willing, if this happens, all these desires, wishes, and heartfelt aspirations and goals that we outline will easily come to fruition.

This meeting of ours is, in fact, a dual and twofold session. We have had a Ramadan meeting with the esteemed officials of the government every year, and we continue to do so. This is one aspect of this meeting. Another aspect is the commemoration of Government Week; since we usually have a meeting during Government Week, and this meeting could not be held, we are now conducting it as a matter of course - the esteemed officials of the government and the President were occupied with the parliament and these matters - therefore, we honor the memory of our dear martyrs, Martyr Rajai and Martyr Bahonar; we pray for their elevated ranks and cherish the fact that the names of these two great, wise, and sincere martyrs are associated with our governments on the occasion of Government Week; may the government commence its work each year in their memory.

Thanks be to God, the government has been established and stabilized; this is a very important and significant opportunity; it is a great favor that the Almighty God has bestowed upon our nation and our country. Firstly, with that enthusiastic and unforgettable election, it was demonstrated that the Iranian nation feels a sense of responsibility for managing the country and steps into the arena with its own will and choice to determine the officials of the country; this is a very important opportunity for the system and for the revolution. In fact, our great nation, with an eighty-five percent presence in the scene, made a renewed allegiance to the revolution, and then elected a president with nearly twenty-five million votes, which was a new benchmark for the government and for our presidents. These have messages; both that eighty-five percent presence - forty million - carries messages within it, and this nearly twenty-five million election does as well. These messages must be understood. If a government and its officials correctly comprehend these messages, and if the political elites and distinguished individuals of society reflect on these messages, many of their knots will be untied; their problems will be resolved.

One of the fundamental statements made by our nation in this election - and it must be said, by our revolution - was that it strongly affirmed its republic. In fact, this eighty-five percent presence was a hammer of the republic on the heads of the enemies who constantly spoke against the revolution, spoke against Islam, and thought they could undermine the foundations of the republic of the system. That strong presence indicated this meaning. You also observed that in the statements of the esteemed candidates who entered this arena, they often spoke of following the line of Imam and their attachment to values; although in some cases, statements were made that did not align with this overall sentiment, everything they said and presented aimed to show that there is an attachment to the path of Imam, to the line of Imam, to the revolution, and to the foundations of the revolution. This is a very important statement. It indicates that everyone felt that the Iranian nation is inclined in this direction. This overall direction of the movement of the Iranian nation indicated the direction of Islam, the direction of being absorbed and obedient to the divine command that our great Imam represented. Therefore, both the republic of the system and the Islam of the system were affirmed by this election; both were confirmed. These are important messages; they must be understood and comprehended.

Well, thanks be to God, this opened a new page in our revolution, in our system. Now, some of the reactions to this great movement of the people were, honestly and fairly, not moral reactions; they were not noble and chivalrous, but these are "And as for the foam, it goes away as scum, but what benefits the people remains on the earth". This authentic movement of the people, this great current of the revolution, is what will remain for this country, for this nation, and for this history. We must all be grateful. Anyone who cares for this country, anyone who cares for Islam and the greatness of Islam, anyone who is attached to our great Imam must be grateful for this great blessing that the Almighty God has given us. You all, of course, should be even more grateful since the responsibility is on your shoulders; especially the President should be more grateful than others. And be grateful. Also, consider it valuable and, as a result of this gratitude, increase your humility. Be proud of the people's vote, be supported by the people's vote; but do not become arrogant, for if, God forbid, arrogance comes upon us, then we will see various deviations and downfalls before us. Be cautious; this is one of the great traps of Satan. Usually, after great victories, great dangers exist. Look, when Khorramshahr was liberated, it was a very great victory - those who remember correctly, in the year 61 - it was a tremendous achievement; it was politically significant, militarily very complex and important, and socially and in terms of public perception and the hearts of the people, how important and impactful it was. It was a great achievement from all aspects. Everyone came from various places. At that time, I was the President. Several presidents from different countries - five or six, seven countries - came here to meet with us and explicitly told us that now your situation is different from the past; after this great victory that has been achieved. This means that the internal and external dimensions of this great event were so significant. Imam was truly a teacher. Imam was a teacher of ethics. Until this great event occurred, with this magnitude, its effect was felt in the spirit of the people from the very first hour in the streets; Imam immediately felt the pain and provided the remedy right away: "Khorramshahr was liberated by God". This meant that the armed commanders who had endured so much hardship, who had suffered so much, who had shed so many tears, how many of our good and great martyrs we lost in this liberation of Jerusalem, due to all this struggle, now this great work has been accomplished, they should not become arrogant. Politicians who are seated in the seats of power should not become arrogant due to this great political victory that has come to them as a result of this event: "And you did not throw when you threw, but it was God who threw"; I and you are not significant; it is the hand of divine power. I and you are instruments that if we use our intellect, if we exercise our choice, if we step into the arena, we will be used for achieving this goal, and the honor and dignity of it will remain for us. But if we are not there: "God will bring forth a people whom He loves and who love Him". It is not the case that God's burden remains on the ground; it will progress; it is a natural movement, a law of nature, a law of history. "This is the law of God that has passed before". In various expressions in different places in the Quran: "And you will not find any change in the law of God". This is the divine tradition. "And if those who disbelieve fight you, they will turn their backs, and they will find neither protector nor helper; this is the law of God that has passed before". This is one place. "And you will not find any change in the law of God"; meaning if you come into the arena, you will be victorious over your enemy; this is the divine tradition; now this victory may not be immediate or within a year, but ultimately it is victory. This victory will certainly be achieved. Defeat and failure in the realm of truth have no meaning; except when the people of truth do not come into the arena; when they do not do what is necessary; that is the case. Therefore, the work is God's work: "And you did not throw when you threw". It is the same here. Day by day, you officials, you esteemed President, all those who are attached to this movement, your appreciation for the divine favor, for the power that guides the hearts of the people in this direction, must increase.

Thanks be to God, the ninth government was also a very hardworking and diligent government. Just as the President stated, I truly feel it is necessary to thank each and every member of the ninth government; they worked hard, they made great efforts; in various sectors; honestly and fairly. We welcome those who have formed the tenth government; God willing, may you be successful and may God assist you and grant you success; God willing. After all, this era is a sensitive and demanding time. It has both delicacy in today’s work, quality, and quantity; it is substantial and high-quality. If we slack off, we will fall behind; if we overlook the subtleties and intricacies of the work, we will also fall behind. Quantity and quality must go hand in hand. This must be given serious attention. We hope, God willing, that God will assist.

Our President, who, thanks be to God, is truly energetic and tireless; keeping pace with him is very difficult. May God help you to be able to keep pace with him and reach your goals; it is truly a difficult task. He works very hard, makes great efforts, and, thanks be to God, is energetic; we thank God for that. On the surface, it does not seem like it. Thanks be to God. May God, God willing, assist more, grant more energy, and provide more strength. Of course, we constantly pray; there is not a day or night that I do not pray for the President and some other officials.

The recommendations we have, I will briefly mention. One recommendation is the issue of reliance and attention to the Almighty God, so that you can keep your inner self and heart strong and firm. This is the first condition. Truly, if we have a strong inner structure, no external problem will be able to overcome us. We must strengthen the heart and inner self so that it can overcome all the apparent and physical shortcomings and deficiencies. This will be achieved through reliance on the Almighty God and attention to the Almighty God, know that. I would like to mention two points regarding reliance on God and hope for the future:

One is that you should know that there will be many problems along the way, many conspiracies will arise; against you, against this government, and essentially against this system. There are many thoughts, many efforts, and conspiracies, and be prepared to face various forms of ill-will, malice, and skepticism that will manifest externally. This is the first point.

The second point is that you should know that our opportunities and hopes are greater than these problems. I mean, truly, both capabilities and opportunities, and the doors of divine openings are far greater than the problems I mentioned; their volume is also very large. Therefore, with reliance on the Almighty God, make these problems easy for yourselves. This is the first recommendation.

Secondly, continue the fundamental approaches of this government; because this government is a continuation of the previous government. You had a justice-oriented approach. Do not abandon the issue of justice; pursue this matter of justice. And the issue of fighting corruption, supporting the weak classes, simplicity in living, looking at remote and deprived areas, and paying attention to the various problems of the people. These are principles that if adhered to and emphasized, will please God and will make the people satisfied and happy with every official and every system. Continue these.

Of course, regarding justice - justice is a very important issue - we have said a lot and it is in our minds. Now let me say this sentence. Justice must first be defined - I think I should write this separately here - and specify what this justice we want to achieve is. First, justice is not only about economic issues; a major part of it is economic matters. In judgments, in evaluations, in perspectives, in opinions, in statements, in positions, we must always consider the index of justice. Most pressing is the issue of economic justice and the unequal distribution of public wealth and national income among the members of society, which has many examples, one of which is the subsidies that we ourselves provide; we give less subsidy to the poor and more to the rich! This is how it is now. The subsidies that the government is providing, the public treasury is providing, we are giving less subsidy to the poor and more to the wealthy. This targeting of subsidies that has been proposed is truly an important matter. For years, this has been among our aspirations, among our tasks. I have mentioned this to previous governments two or three times in writing and verbally, but they did not pursue it; it is a difficult task, a troublesome task. They preferred to leave it as it was. Now, this government has pursued this task. Ultimately, you must follow this, which is a delicate task. In this regard, we have recommendations, which I may mention later if time permits.

The point is, regarding justice, one aspect should be considered, and one is that in justice, both rationality must be taken into account, and spirituality. We have previously mentioned this as well. If spirituality is not accompanied by justice, justice becomes an empty slogan. Many people talk about justice, but because there is no spirituality and that spiritual perspective, it becomes more political and superficial. Secondly, rationality. If rationality is not present in justice, sometimes justice can turn against itself; if calculations regarding justice are not done correctly. Many actions have sometimes been taken by some of these radical groups in this country under the banner of justice, which have turned against justice. In fact, now those radical tendencies have caused them to change their inclinations one hundred and eighty degrees! They speak differently, think differently, and act differently. Therefore, in justice, rationality is the first condition; this is the second recommendation.

Our third recommendation is to evaluate the programmatic and operational orientations of the government against the indicators of the Vision Document. This Vision Document is very important; it should not be underestimated. It can be said that after the Constitution, we do not have any document of this importance in the country. It is a macro and long-term perspective. The Vision Document is important. Look and see that now four years have passed since the Vision Document was issued, meaning we have sixteen years until the end of this vision. How much progress have we made? One claim is that we have progressed more than four years; another claim is that no, we have progressed less; we have progressed half of these four years. These must be accurately measured; they must be properly considered. In this Vision Document, a future is envisioned that is necessary and worthy for the Iranian nation. If we do not reach that future, we will fall behind. At that time, we must also know that just as we are moving towards that goal, those around us are not all constants; they are also moving. We must adjust the speed, we must adjust the timelines of the programs; we must adjust this speed in such a way that we can truly reach the goal of the Vision. This means that this government must do its part correctly.

Our fourth recommendation is the complete implementation of the policies of Article 44. This is also very important. These policies of Article 44, when they were proposed, all economic stakeholders and experts in various management issues of the country acknowledged that if this work is done, a tremendous economic transformation will occur in the country. Well, these policies must be fully implemented. Some work has been done; I have heard reports from both the President and some other officials, but what has been done does not encompass all the capacities of Article 44. I mean, we say that perhaps a significant portion of this capacity is still untapped. Some things should have been delegated to management, but they have not been; some things should have been avoided by the government in terms of management, but they have not; necessary actions have not been taken. Now, we can say, as the President pointed out, that the infrastructure and mechanisms in the economic system of the country do not suffice. Therefore, the economic transformation plan must first be implemented. I do not deny this; it may be the case. However, it is not the case that we should consider the work as a dead end; we should not consider the door as locked. No, we must move forward and progress. Now, this transformation plan will eventually come out of the parliament; it may come with changes; it may have certain characteristics considered; ultimately, the work must be advanced. There are many laws, and the policies of Article 44 must be monitored to see how much progress is truly being made. The government, the presidential office, must do this work.

The fifth recommendation, which follows from these, is to solve the economic problems of the people and the country. The issue of inflation, which was mentioned - the most important being inflation and employment - these are the most important. A very good point in the statements of the President was that I also emphasize; the government must plan in such a way that inflationary pressure does not increase on the people from the government’s side. Sometimes it comes from outside, sometimes it comes from certain laws. Now, the issue of services has been raised. Well, many of the services are provided by the government; many of these services that you say their share in inflation has risen from thirty percent to seventy percent, these services are being provided by the government itself. Therefore, reduce your share in creating inflationary pressure as much as possible. This is one of the fundamental and important tasks.

In economic plans, we must be careful - this follows from the issue of solving the economic problems of the people - that haste does not grip the government. Haste in decision-making or sometimes not properly utilizing economic expert opinions can cause damage. Of course, the government does not claim this. The government denies it, while opponents claim that the government does not utilize economic experts. However, regardless of this uproar, my recommendation to the government is: do this; utilize maximum expert opinions. I do not recommend following all the formulas and economic methods that international economics dictates to countries; no, that is contrary to our views. No, seek the right paths, but the scientific and precise expert opinions must be followed; especially in monetary and banking matters. One cannot be careless. These are very delicate matters. Suddenly, an ill-considered and uncalculated action can create a gaping chasm that will require significant costs and time to fill and correct. Pay close attention to this point.

In economic matters, one must be very wary of recklessness. Of course, recklessness is bad everywhere, but in economic matters, its effects manifest very quickly and can sometimes have heavy consequences. This is a point that must be given serious attention. Of course, in economic matters, although the government is the main axis of economic activity and decision-making, the other branches also play a significant role; the judiciary also has a role, the legislative branch also has a role. They must fulfill their responsibilities in these areas; they must assist. The private sector and institutions related to the private sector, such as chambers of commerce and others, and some foundations that exist, all must cooperate and assist the government in this direction.

Our sixth recommendation is regarding culture, which has been mentioned that the issue of culture is very important. What do we want to do in the field of culture and addressing cultural issues? First, let’s clarify this. There is a time when an institution is indifferent to cultural affairs, and there is a time when an institution is attentive and concerned about cultural affairs, but its cultural goal-setting is disrupted or flawed. These goal-settings are very important; we must not neglect them. What do we want to do with the ethics of the people, with the culture of the people? Can we, as an Islamic government, abandon the cultural guidance of our society? Certainly not; it is among our duties. Now, opponents and professional critics may speak, criticize, sometimes mock, sometimes insult; let them do so; we cannot forget our divine duty because of these things. We have a duty to guide our people; to guide. Leadership in an Islamic society is not merely materialistic; it is the administration of people's lives, along with guidance. As much as we can, we must open the path of guidance for the people and guide them. Many of the tools for guidance are in the hands of governmental institutions; now one example is the media, and there are many other examples; one example is the Ministry of Culture, one example is the Ministry of Science, one example is the Ministry of Education; these are all guiding service institutions. How do we utilize these? We must move in a direction that the people grow up religiously, act religiously, believe in religious principles, and become practically committed; our orientation in all areas must be this. Now, in the Ministry of Culture, there is the issue of books, the issue of visual arts, the issue of various audio and visual arts; in all these orientations, we must ensure that the people move towards religion, towards God. Otherwise, if we intend to look and see what foreigners criticize us for - if we want to adhere to this - many works will not be done. The beard you grow, the world does not accept. The tie you do not wear, the world does not accept. Many of the foods and drinks you refuse to consume, the world does not accept. The hijab that your women wear, the world does not accept. What do these words mean? Once, someone asked me about a certain issue in these student meetings - about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years ago - in this very university, and said: Sir! What defense do you have regarding this issue? I said: We have no defense; we are on the offensive in this matter. What defense? Our position is not a defensive one. In the issue of women, in various other issues, our position is one of aggression; we are demanding from the world. The material world is going astray in this regard. Now, even their own rational people are beginning to understand; they are acknowledging the ugly consequences of their actions. They are gradually realizing, and some are subtly acknowledging it. Now, we should be ashamed of them for saying these things. Put all these words aside regarding culture and focus on what is essential. Of course, I do not accept baseless and unfounded radical tendencies. I have never recommended them, nor will I; but those things that have a religious and legal basis, stand firm on them, take pride in them, and act upon them.

The seventh point I want to recommend is that the government should pay attention to the law. Yes, what the President said that everyone must observe the law is certainly true; the parliament, the judiciary, various institutions must observe the law; we also recommend this to them, and we recommend it to you. Pay close attention to the law. Now, some critics of the government have said that the government does not observe the law. The President also responded that no, this government is the most law-abiding government. These two claims have been made; both sides of the issue. Again, I do not want to get into which side has preference, which side does not. I want to strongly advise you as the executive officials of the country to pay attention to the law. If we break the law in a specific matter and do not act accordingly, it is not merely that a law has been violated; rather, it means that a path, a line has been opened that will have consequences. This is how law-breaking works. When the law is violated here, the violation of the law creates a new opportunity that can be carried out by others. Therefore, pay great attention to the issue of the law.

The next point. Be open-hearted and receptive to criticism. You will not suffer from being criticized. Of course, not all criticisms are the same. Some are not aimed at reform but at destruction; we see this from both our own media and their backing. Dozens of foreign radios and televisions and public and international media are at the disposal of words and thoughts that are based on destruction; meaning they have no intention of reform. What they convey and mention is for destruction. Therefore, there is a mix of reality and unreality, falsehood and anti-reality, everything is in it. Sometimes they exaggerate a small thing, sometimes they present something that did not exist as an established fact. These certainly exist. This is destruction. However, alongside these, there is also constructive criticism; benevolent criticism. Sometimes it comes from your friends, sometimes even from those who are not your friends and supporters; sometimes it is like this. A criticism is made of you; a fault is pointed out; a criticism is made, which the other side is not even a friend of yours, so you cannot say, well, we will listen because they are our friends. No, they are not friends, but they are not enemies either; their enmity has not been established. However, it is criticism; it is constructive criticism. That too should be listened to. Perhaps amidst these criticisms, there is something useful for us, and in any case, we must approach it with an open heart.

In these years, you have faced many insults, animosity, and disrespect. You have endured these. This endurance has a reward before the Almighty God. However, this should not lead us to become narrow-minded and say we will no longer listen to criticism, or if someone makes a slight criticism of us in some corner, we will take it as enmity; no, not at all; we should listen to criticism; criticism is good. Just as it has been said, this is a gift given to a person; especially the non-malicious criticisms from some elites. I should mention here: value the advice of religious scholars, consider it valuable. Sometimes religious scholars, great scholars, even the authorities give advice regarding issues; cherish these; consider them as expressions of love and concern. We know, gentlemen, the great scholars who are - now there may be some individuals who contradict this meaning, they are not subject to our assessment - and today in various regions, in the centers of major seminaries and in cities, they are all supporters of the Islamic Republic and appreciate the Islamic Republic. They see how much the Islamic Republic has worked towards advancing Islamic goals and is working and striving; they also observe your efforts, your services. Sometimes they give recommendations out of concern; these should be greatly valued. Likewise, university elites are the same. Some university elites are well-meaning; we see this. Sometimes they write letters to me, and I have the opportunity to read many of these letters that the elites and scholars of the seminary and university write to me. Although there are many letters, and one cannot read all of them, I have had the opportunity to read many of these specific letters; I have looked at them and see. They have criticisms; of me, of you, of a certain action, of a certain decision. They may have objections. That objection may not even be valid in our view. I mean, sometimes when one reads a letter, they see that no, this objection is not valid; due to ignorance of, for example, a certain issue, this objection has been made, and if they had known, they would not have made this objection. But sometimes, amidst the words, one sees that no, there is a clear point, a good word, and one can benefit from it. This active mind of this elite should be kept for oneself. When you welcome their criticism, their reminders, you are actually keeping their mind and thought as a support for yourself. They feel that they can be a source of intellectual assistance for you. This is the path we have always said to open between yourselves and the elites.

Another point is that - as I previously mentioned - the design and formulation of the model of Islamic Iranian progress, in my opinion, exists nowhere but in the government. Wherever one thinks about where this work can be done, it seems that the only place that can do this is the governmental institutions. Truly, thinkers should be utilized, and they should sit down to design the model of progress. Because this decade is the decade of progress and justice. We have brought progress together with justice; meaning it is precisely the opposite of what is proposed in today’s material world. They say that if we want to observe these justice issues in progress, that progress will not be achieved, therefore we will set justice aside until after we achieve progress. Then, with compensatory measures like these insurances and aids, to the extent possible - which often is not possible - we will compensate. We say no, progress must be accompanied by justice. In the essence of this progress, justice must be taken into account. Well, this model is necessary; sit down and outline its model. This will be a macro perspective towards the future of the country. And you have four years; these four years can lay a foundation that anyone who comes after you can use your foundation as a guide.

And the last point is that - just as we mentioned - justice is not merely in economics; in all matters, one must ask the Almighty God to act justly; one must behave justly with oneself; behave justly with your close ones; behave justly with your wife and children. Sometimes we see that some officials become so engrossed in work that they forget about their spouses and children; and this creates losses. It is not the case that we should be polite and say: Sir! Please take care of yourself more, and you should say no, it is okay. It is not like that. This is a duty that one must protect their spouse, children, and family. "Protect yourselves and your families from a fire whose fuel is people and stones"; protect yourselves and your family. This means that the individual is mentioned alongside oneself. The Almighty God commanded His Prophet: "And do not let your hand be tied to your neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost"; do not bind your hands to your neck - meaning excessive restraint. This means excessive restraint - nor do this; and do not "stretch it forth to its utmost"; do not open it completely. Sometimes a person gathers their hands tightly, sometimes they open them wide; neither should be the case. The point is that in material, financial, and economic matters, do not have a clenched fist, nor be extravagant. The Almighty God advises His Prophet in this manner. "And those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor stingy, but are in between that" - at the end of Surah Al-Furqan - meaning moderation in all matters. One must avoid extremes.

God willing, what we have said will be for God, and the Almighty God will accept it by His grace and kindness, and may what we have presented, God willing, be utilized and benefited by our friends, our brothers, and our sisters, so that we can witness a stronger movement; just as in the past, thanks be to God, you moved well, you moved strongly, may you have an even stronger movement than before, in all areas, and may God assist you and grant you progress day by day.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.