Statements of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Meeting with the Board of Directors and Representatives of the Islamic Consultative Assembly

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

I also congratulate you dear ones and the esteemed representatives of the people on these blessed days and the birth of the Noble Prophet and Imam Sadiq (peace be upon them) and I welcome you for your presence in this sincere and amiable gathering. I hope that the Almighty God grants us and you the grace to walk the path of God in all our movements and actions and to act for the sake of God and fulfill our duties.

We thank Mr. Karroubi for his remarks; they were good and useful statements. It is necessary that this data reaches the people and instills in their hearts the assurance and peace that their representatives are sincerely pursuing the resolution of their problems. Therefore, consider it necessary to express these matters and do not hesitate in presenting these reports to the people; this is very effective and beneficial for the atmosphere of society and the peace of people's hearts. I also find it necessary to thank the friends in the Assembly and especially the exhausting efforts of the esteemed Speaker of the Assembly - Mr. Karroubi. We witness heavy and exhausting burdens that lie on his shoulders and those of the other friends in the Assembly.

Service is very hard; it is also very sweet. The more difficult the service, the greater the spiritual and mental comfort of a person after performing that service will be. God willing, as much as you strive and work hard and endure the burdens and pressures that naturally exist for officials - wherever they may be - we hope that the Almighty God rewards you and brightens your hearts and eyes with His grace.

This year has also passed. Like all other things, the lifespan of services and our lives is short, and these opportunities pass like lightning and wind. In whatever responsibility we are, what should be important to us is to strive to ensure that the passage of time and days of responsibility serves as a reserve for us; otherwise, when a person crosses this border, they have nothing in their hands from these credits and dignities. Life is a thing of no value; one cannot be assured that we will be here until tomorrow, until the end of the term, and until another term. At the beginning of the formation of this Assembly, when we visited you dear brothers and sisters in this Hosseiniyeh, there were some among us who are no longer here. They are present with their deeds; they are present with their intentions; they are in the presence of the Almighty God. We hope that the Almighty God treats them with utmost mercy, forgiveness, and grace and elevates their ranks, God willing. In any case, we have both the opportunity for repentance and the opportunity for action. Those who have gone no longer have these opportunities: "And in the Hereafter is a severe punishment and forgiveness from God and pleasure"; one must aim for one of these two; there is no other state. Either it is divine forgiveness and pleasure, or, God forbid, divine wrath and anger. The only provider is ourselves. If divine grace is to include us, or if divine mercy and forgiveness are to reach us, it is still by our own will; we must seek that mercy ourselves: "Nothing repels Your anger except Your forbearance, and nothing repels Your wrath except Your forgiveness, and nothing saves from Your punishment except Your mercy, and nothing can save me from You except my supplication to You". We must turn to the Almighty God in supplication and humility.

Dear brothers and sisters! We who are engaged in service in the Islamic Republic, beyond all thoughts, tastes, inclinations, motivations, and differences that inevitably exist, must all share in one thing and be concerned about it, and that is to maintain our relationship with God; to remember the divine blessings; to keep in mind the grace and favor of the Lord for the opportunity He has given us. This is not related to the differences in tastes, political views, and various political and factional inclinations; it concerns everyone. The more responsibility one has, the more they need this. I, a weak and incapable person whose responsibility is heavy, need it more than you. The primary audience of this admonition is myself. Hearts must be kept familiar with God. What is important in this path is the intention to serve and the effort to serve. This intention must be preserved; it is a sacred intention. A person can understand well where, which position, which statement, which submission, and which rejection - for example, in the Assembly - is for the sake of God and works for God or has another motivation. Others may not recognize our intention; for others, realities and inner truths can be presented differently; however, a person cannot do this for themselves. If one looks carefully and thoughtfully, everything is clear and revealed before them. What is important is to maintain the intention of service and movement in the path of fulfilling duties; then all actions will have reward. There may be completely opposing positions on a particular issue; however, both can be included in divine grace and forgiveness and acceptance, provided that the intention is good and the action is performed according to what one feels is their duty. This opportunity is very available to you; because your role is important.

As Mr. Karroubi pointed out, both the issue of legislation and the issue of oversight are important; of course, the issue of legislation is more fundamental. The law is the road that you open towards the goals that the country and the executive managers and officials must reach. The Constitution has defined goals for us in all its sections; both in the section of people's rights, in the section of governmental organization, and in other sections. Each principle of the Constitution is, in fact, a goal and a destination that must be reached. To go in this direction, it is absolutely necessary to have a road; without a road, one cannot move. The executive apparatus of the country must move towards these goals. The executive apparatus, including the executive branch, the judiciary, the armed forces, and all the institutions that are governmental bodies and part of the administration of the country, must move towards these goals; you determine the correct paths with legislation and prevent the progressive institutions from slipping into dangerous pitfalls. The greatness and importance of the law become evident in this way. Therefore, legislation is very, very important, and the more the law is accompanied by a more informed and expert perspective and a better understanding of the issues and interests of the country, the stronger it will be. When the strength of the law increases, its effectiveness will also increase, and it can be utilized for a longer period. Therefore, the role of the law is very important.

Of course, I believe that today the main issues of the country go beyond the issues within the factions and groups of the country. There are factional, line-based, taste-based, and inclination-based discussions that cannot be completely halted nor can they be entirely deemed harmful. Some of these disagreements and discussions help in the search for knowledge and awareness and intellectual inquiry of society and the people. If done healthily, there is no problem; however, not all of the country's issues are these. The fundamental issues of the country go beyond what can be confined within the framework of inclinations, desires, and group and factional determinations. It seems that anyone who is caring and aware can see the fundamental issues of the country.

There is no doubt that today there is a strong motivation in a powerful part of the world that is focused on seizing and conquering all global resources and lands. The existence of superpowers has always meant this. The monopoly of superpower in one superpower naturally intensifies this inclination. The collection of economic apparatuses and centers and active enterprises in shaping the economies of countries and the world, which seek to increase wealth and acquire wealth, naturally necessitates this and follows it, and there is a state of conquest-seeking that is being expressed today and is not something that can remain hidden. The fact that the dominating powers in the world are seeking to secure their interests in every corner of the world is not something that anyone can deny today. The interests that are to be secured and pertain to a certain superpower - of course, I do not want to mention only America; America is the foremost and most demanding among them; there is a collection of them with America at the head - are interests that do not conflict with the interests of countries and nations and landowners; no such condition has been mentioned; they say our interests. What if these interests conflict with the interests of a certain nation or country or region? They do not say that if there is a conflict, we will forgo our interests; no. Interests are interests; they want them.

Today, the necessity of this arrogant demand - which is truly where the term arrogance fits - has become that a rapid and vigorous movement for seizing various grounds - primarily in three areas: economy, politics, and culture - begins from above; like a devastating flood that comes down the slope. This flood has surged; it is not related to this year or last year. However, depending on the various conditions of the world, it intensifies. Some believe that in the face of this flood, there is no choice but to surrender! Today, one observes this. Some in developing countries or, in other words, the third world - countries that are not at the peak, but at lower slopes - explicitly say there is no choice, we must be submerged and assimilated. Some do not explicitly say this, but they act accordingly. Is this really the reality? That today, in the face of a flood that has started to seize all resources and economic efforts of the world from a specific point, no resistance can be made? Is it really impossible to resist against a flood that has surged and aims to transform the political identities of countries into a collective identity - at the head of which are the centers of international power? Must we really be assimilated in the insatiable appetite and greed of the dominating culture? Is this really the fate of humanity? Some think so.

We believe that no; this is not the inevitable fate of countries, and there are multiple reasons: the capabilities and capacities of the arrogant and powerful and dominating forces of the world are limited. It is not the case that we should think that whatever the world’s powerful want will inevitably come to pass; no. It is conceivable that they may fail; as they have failed in many instances; they will fail today as well.

What duty do we have in the Islamic Republic as those who are responsible and committed to a task and duty? When I say we are committed and obliged, it is because the Islamic Republic has come into existence based on a thought, a great and noble and sacred ideal. Those who believe in the Islamic Republic and the message of the revolution, I do not think they deviate from this meaning. We believe we are fulfilling a divine duty and responsibility. For this reason, I believe that if the officials - whether you who are in the Assembly or those who are in the executive apparatus of the country - perform the tasks assigned to them, the reward before the Almighty God is greater than many acts of worship; because this foundation has been established for the exaltation of the word of truth and the revival of the word of monotheism. As those who have such a duty in this collective and feel this responsibility, we must resist against this global flood. Of course, the reality of globalization is also one of the important and prominent parts of this flood. Currently, the issue of economy is at the forefront; however, it is said and unsaid, written and unwritten, globalization certainly exists in the fields of politics and culture as well and is being acted upon. Can we resist against this flood? We believe yes, we can resist; this is our main duty.

Resistance is only achieved by strengthening the foundations. Every devastating flood, when it reaches a solid rock, cannot affect it. We must make ourselves solid and strong and strengthen our cultural, economic, and political foundations. Every action that is aimed at strengthening is sacred and good and has divine reward. Anything that aims at destabilizing these foundations is bad; this has nothing to do with factions, parties, and groups. In my opinion, the criterion and standard is this.

In order to strengthen our political, economic, and cultural foundations, our first and definite prerequisite is to create consensus and unity of word. For consensus, everyone must strive. The meaning of consensus is not that groups and organizations and factions must declare dissolution; no, there is no need for that. The meaning of consensus is that they should be optimistic towards each other; they should be "merciful among themselves"; they should tolerate each other; they should help each other in outlining lofty and noble goals and achieving them and avoid creating tension, bad ethics, conflict, insult, and accusations. Today, in my opinion, this is our duty.

The Islamic Consultative Assembly must not be weakened. I oppose those who, for any reason and with any pretext, weaken the Islamic Consultative Assembly. The Assembly is one of the fundamental institutions of the country; it should not be weakened. Just because a point is not accepted by someone, the Assembly and none of the institutions should be weakened. The legislative, judicial, and executive branches, as a power and an institution and a pillar, should not be weakened; no one should weaken them. The institutions must strive to strengthen each other.

I am very optimistic about the future of the country. Of course, the meaning of this statement is not that I do not see the problems, weaknesses, shortcomings, and incapacities that exist and am not aware of them. When I meet with the officials, I tell them many of the problems that are in their sectors. Sometimes my information is not less than theirs; perhaps sometimes it is more. I know the weaknesses; however, the weaknesses are not fundamental. The foundation and political base of the country is solid. Based on our very good, progressive, comprehensive, and all-encompassing Constitution, the political foundation of the country is very solid. The problem lies in the performances and shortcomings; these shortcomings must be addressed.

In my opinion, what is our main duty today is to strengthen the foundations in the three areas - that is, political, economic, and cultural. If the cultural foundations are to be strengthened, the main condition is that the people's faith in their religion and cultural heritage becomes stronger day by day and is not weakened. We do not want to live on an island and do not think that in today’s world it is possible to live on an island. We want the people to be proud of their cultural heritage and not feel inferior. Some efforts are being made to create a sense of grievance and indebtedness against the cultural wealth of the people - which is very immense; this is a mistake. Our cultural wealth is very immense, and a major part of it is faith in God and Islam and reliance on God and Islamic concepts, which, thanks be to God, are completely pervasive and rooted in our people; part of it also pertains to our cultural issues. These must be appreciated and preserved. Laws must be in this direction.

The economic independence of the country, alongside the efficiency of the economic sectors, is also very important. It was mentioned in the report that, thanks be to God, a lot of legislation has been done in the economic sectors. Of course, I do not currently have details of the legislations. The very act of paying attention to this issue is important. Today, this must be considered one of our fundamental issues. The people have many problems in the economic sphere. One of the problems is the economic gap and discrimination in economic matters and unjust benefits against severe and heavy deprivations. This bothers the people. More than poverty, discrimination is painful for the people. In the laws, you must take these into account; with the law, you can largely prevent these. Of course, the law is not everything; good executive management must certainly exist for the law to show its effectiveness; however, the law also has a very large share.

In the political sphere, the same applies: protecting the political foundation of the country - that is, the Islamic Republic - and appreciating this system, which is truly a noble phenomenon in today’s world. The fact that foreign radios and politicians of the world and political tricksters constantly insult and belittle does not diminish the importance of the issue and the greatness of this phenomenon. This great phenomenon has done its work in the world. Our enemies, although they do not want to acknowledge the importance and influence of the Islamic Republic, nevertheless, willingly or unwillingly, they acknowledge it. The fact that today the Islamic world takes pride in its Islamic aspirations; that the youth, university students, and intellectual elites in the Islamic world are like this; that today the issue of Palestine, with this volume and magnitude, has taken on a new state due to the people's attention to Islam, and the issues of the Middle East have undergone a fundamental transformation, is due to this very deep, continuous, and lasting influence. The reason for their enmity with the Islamic Republic is the same. They want to dry up the source; because they know that the source of this awakening in the Islamic world is the rise of the Islamic Republic. The very establishment of the Islamic Republic is important to them. This foundation must be strengthened and preserved, and its truth must be properly explained.

The Almighty God has granted us many blessings. It is obligatory for us to be grateful for these blessings. Gratitude is that wherever we are - I, you, the government, various executive officials, and judicial officials - we act according to our duties and do what we feel is our duty between us and God. "And surely God will help those who help Him"; undoubtedly, divine assistance is behind such movement and motivation; as it has been until today and will continue to be.

We hope that God Almighty grants you all success; supports us and you; encompasses us with His mercy; and includes us in the prayers of the Master of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for him) and also in the satisfaction of that great one.

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