Statements of the Supreme Leader in Meeting with Representatives of the Sixth Islamic Consultative Assembly

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

Dear brothers and sisters! Honorable representatives and esteemed new colleagues in managing this great country and this magnificent revolution, and in achieving the goals and ideals that the Almighty God has promised for the Muslim nation and the warriors on His path! You are very welcome.

The first matter that every official in the Islamic system - including you dear brothers and sisters - should keep in mind is gratitude to the Almighty God for this great responsibility. It is not the case that whenever a person wishes to serve the people, serve Islam, and serve lofty goals, this task is possible for them. Times and conditions vary, and opportunities are not always available. It is a great honor for a committed and faithful person to feel that they are in a position where they can strive for the people, for the country, for Islam, and for the lofty goals whose greatness is beyond doubt.

My dear ones! If the Almighty God does not assist, no step can be taken. Divine assistance is not a random, illogical, or uncalculated matter; divine assistance is contingent upon the fact that a person asks God, strives, seeks help, and calls upon Him for support.

Our great Prophet - who is honored by the name of that great one these days and whose blessed birth is celebrated, and who is a role model for all believers and all Muslims - in times of hardship, did not consider that his supplication to God and seeking help from Him might give the impression to the audience and observers that he is inherently powerless. He explicitly stated that he is powerless by himself and that without God's help, he cannot accomplish anything. In the Battle of the Confederates, while all enemies surrounded Medina and the Prophet and the group of believers with the intention of uprooting Islam and the Quran and the new message, the Prophet of Islam, alongside military arrangements, alongside very intelligent measures he employed there, alongside encouraging the people to resist, knelt on the ground before the eyes of the people! This act was repeated many times, as recorded in the books of biography. The Prophet raised his hands, supplicated, shed tears, and said: "O Lord! Help us and grant us Your victory and give us success."

Without divine assistance, we cannot accomplish anything; and divine help and mercy can only be achieved through attention and seeking refuge in Him, through cleansing the heart, through purifying intentions, and through setting aside petty and trivial personal goals; and this revolution succeeded with this spirit and this state; and this Islamic Consultative Assembly - which is an honor for the Islamic Republic and a golden leaf in the identity of our revolution and system - came about in this manner.

Before the revolution, we had experienced something called the Consultative Assembly in this country. Anyone who has seen that assembly and that situation and that history, or has touched it, or has read about it, knows the value of this assembly and this revolution; they know the value of the struggles that ensured that for twenty-one years, not a single day was the Islamic Consultative Assembly suspended. Of course, that assembly was also a product of Islam. If it were not for the Islamic struggles of the faithful believers and the great scholars, that assembly would not have begun; however, that assembly went astray. Two afflictions dominated that assembly: one was suspension and stoppage, and the other was deviation. The deviation of the assembly was that the representatives did not fulfill their representative duties. After the third and fourth assemblies, four or five two-year assemblies were formed that were almost based on the people's election; but after that, there was no election and selection, and the people were not present! No one knows the value of this Islamic Consultative Assembly and this environment of free legislation and this genuine popular selection as much as those who saw, touched, heard, and understood that situation. Thank God that He has placed you among those who can occupy such an important and lofty position; think for it, decide, and work and strive to fulfill your duties. This country needs effort and struggle very much.

The Islamic revolution is a new experience and a new discourse in the world. The Islamic system is a fresh discourse in the political environment of the world. This is not something that the systems whose major interests are dependent on the established and dominating powers of the world would easily overlook. Therefore, they confront, oppose, obstruct, and threaten; in order to bring this new experience to failure. Thus, the problems are imposed. In addition to the weaknesses, shortcomings, thoughtlessness, and backwardness that have been imposed on our nation and country over time, the pressures from the enemy are also significant. In this truly partisan environment, the officials of the system have the duty to utilize all their capabilities; in order to take a step forward, accomplish something, solve one of the problems, and untie the knots; and this is possible with sincerity, purity, cooperation, and preserving the principles upon which this revolution was founded.

Adherence to the constitution is the fundamental remedy for the pains of this country. And action is contingent upon the fact that the acting elements; whether those who determine the channels for implementing the constitution - such as the legislative bodies - or those who execute it - such as the executive branch - or those who consider justice and violations - such as the judiciary - and all the stakeholders in this country, in practice, should consider sincerity, purity, responsibility, and fulfilling their duties as their criteria. This is the essence of the matter.

This assembly, thank God, is one that, according to the presented statistics, many elements of the self-sacrificers, warriors, and veterans of various fields of the revolution have gathered in it; those who have strived and worked hard and have put their lives at risk for the goals of the revolution. Thank God, the veterans and enthusiasts of the revolution are gathered in this assembly.

The assembly is always a fundamental point of hope for everyone - for the people and for the officials. Your important task is to ensure that this hope does not weaken. Of course, as Mr. Karrubi pointed out, the entirety of the constitution should be your focus and attention. In a long-term and medium-term planning, your effort should be to eliminate any obstacles in the implementation of this law as much as your responsibilities and opportunities allow. The accountability of officials - which was mentioned among the programs of this assembly - is one of the most fundamental tasks. In the selection and evaluation of officials, in the Court of Auditors, in budget preparation, in program formulation, in legislation, consider the essence of the truth. This is the essence of the matter. Many of our laws are good; however, they do not yield results; because they have issues in execution. If the assembly's discerning eye - of course with fairness, justice, and observing divine limits - is attentive to the executors, this problem will be resolved or at least diminished. These are very important matters.

Of course, consider the priorities. In a message I also conveyed to you dear ones on the occasion of the assembly's inauguration, I mentioned this point that not all tasks can be accomplished at once; consider the priorities. Today, in some statements and remarks, discussions are held regarding the dignity, character, and honor of human beings in society. This is undoubtedly one of the Islamic principles; but what greater violation of human dignity is there than that a person, the head of a household, a father in a family, in a society where everything exists, cannot provide the essentials of life for his children?! What humiliation is greater than this?! What violation of personality and honor is greater than this?! Working from morning till night, and in the end writing a letter to me or to you or to that other official that I have not had meat in my home for two months! Sometimes in society, there is no meat and fruit, and neither you nor I eat; sometimes there are no welfare facilities in society, and neither you nor I benefit; sometimes during the holidays, our children do not wear new clothes. In this situation, no one feels humiliated - "when calamity is widespread, it becomes acceptable" - but when everything exists, when some people in society have managed to provide themselves with lavish lives through illegitimate opportunities, when there are classes in society for whom spending money is of no importance, a large number of people, including warriors, military personnel, government employees, teachers, villagers, and people from deprived and remote areas, cannot provide bread and cheese for their children, what greater breaking of personality and human honor is there than this?! You want to answer to whom? You want to please whom? You want to satisfy whom?

Yes, the issue of livelihood is certainly the top priority. Without livelihood, there is no religion; there is no ethics; there is no preservation of chastity and modesty; there is no hope. No one will blame someone who has reached a position for striving and struggling to alleviate disorder and poverty and dedicating their day and night to it. Identify the priorities. These are the fundamental issues of society.

My dear ones! You should know that your enemy, the enemy of this revolution, the enemy of this system, the sharpest weapon they will have is the poverty and economic hardship of the people. This issue must be contemplated. The economic hardships of the people, this very unemployment that is repeated in your words and is indeed correct; these shortages and numerous problems. Of course, various corruptions, various abuses, various discriminations, administrative problems, and judicial problems are also present alongside it. Your first priority is to maintain the hope of the people. The first priority is to fill the stomachs of the people. One can sit and speak in an intellectual manner: if this does not happen, that will not happen; if such does not happen, such will not happen; but one must see what the reality is.

These responsibilities exist today, they will not exist tomorrow. We all are transient. The Islamic Consultative Assembly, by God's grace, has been stable and will remain stable; however, we are not permanent; we are here for a few days and have duties that we must fulfill. First and foremost, we must please God. Of course, we must also satisfy the people and make their hearts happy; but first and foremost, we must consider the thought of divine accountability.

My dear ones! The Almighty God will question you about every hour of your life in the assembly, about every decision you make, about every gathering and interaction you have - which has now become significant. Until recently, you would sit and rise; your actions and words would not have an impact; but today, your one word, your one gathering, your one raised hand and stance is effective. This is an opportunity, and this opportunity brings with it a heavy responsibility. First and foremost, the Almighty God will question us.

In selections, in choosing individuals, and in selecting officials, God must be considered. The selection must be wise, knowledgeable, and precise. These are among the obligatory duties. The person you bring to power, the person you protest against, the person you question, the person you impeach, is an official in the Islamic system who derives their power and capability from you. In deciding who to grant this capability to, how to make decisions, how to discern, you must act precisely, wisely, and without regard to this or that.

Dividing factions into left and right, modern and traditional, etc., is mere talk. These are not truths. The truth is the duty and responsibility you have. That is what matters. That is what grips us. That is what compels us to accountability before God.

Dear brothers! Some actions can be repented for, while others cannot; because their correction is not possible. You see in the Holy Quran after "except for those who repent," it repeatedly states: "and correct yourselves." Sometimes repentance is regarding our personal actions. In individual matters, a mistake or error occurs, and then we say to the Almighty God: O Lord! We made a mistake, we erred. This ends and goes away. There is a time when this action impacts the community; it creates or destroys a reality; the repentance for this is to correct it. But is it always possible to correct? Is it possible to always return the spilled water to the stream? Therefore, one must be very careful.

While I congratulate you dear ones for this heavy responsibility you bear, I must also warn you: be cautious; this is a very heavy responsibility and a very great task. This responsibility is as heavy as the responsibility of others who were in charge before you or will come after you. You must seek help and support from the Almighty God.

You should not be indebted to anyone; only be indebted to the oath you have taken. That oath is a true oath; meaning it is a religious oath that if violated, certainly a sin has been committed, and it carries heavy responsibilities before the Almighty God.

Our duty is to defend the identity of the revolution, the foundation of the revolution, and the foundation of this system, and this will not happen unless we keep in mind what our duties are in this constitution, which, thank God, is progressive and comprehensive - we do not say it is without flaws and defects; but it is certainly among the most comprehensive and complete constitutions that exist in the world today - this constitution has established the assembly as an important pillar of this system. The essence of the matter is that this pillar is dependent on this divine system. There are diligent, hardworking, and active individuals who do not wish for this system to remain intact in its entirety or with its Islamic spirit.

It is our duty to stand firm and powerfully against the domination of the opponents of this revolution and this system. If the Almighty God grants me - who am a servant with responsibilities - success, my duty is the same as yours. Everyone has the duty to stand against those who seek to undermine the foundations of this system - whether its faith-based foundations, its intellectual foundations, or its executive foundations. This is the fundamental duty of all officials of the system; whether the executive branch and at its head the President, or the legislative branch of which you dear brothers and sisters are a part, or the judiciary, and other officials, of which I am also a part. Our happiness lies in standing in this path. We have committed to God to stand firm; God willing, we will fulfill this commitment. We will not allow the counter-revolutionaries and those who have fundamentally opposed this revolution to implement their objectives in influential centers affecting public opinion and the faith of the people. The people also demand this from you; God also demands this from you.

God willing, the Almighty God will assist you and grant you success to pass these four years with the well-being of religion and the world, and to please the Almighty God from yourselves, and when you part from this responsibility, to do so with the feeling that you have done something for this country and this nation.

We ask the Almighty God to grant all of you success and to continuously and perpetually bestow His blessings upon you and this nation. God willing, the blessings of the Awaited Savior, may our souls be sacrificed for him, and the answered prayers of that great one will also encompass all of you and us.

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