Statements of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Meeting with Officials and Servants of the System

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds. And peace and blessings be upon our master and prophet, Abu al-Qasim Muhammad, and upon his pure and virtuous family, especially the Awaited Savior among the people of the earth. "O you who have believed, fear God and speak words of appropriate justice. He will make [your] deeds sound and will forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys God and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment."

This is a very significant and high-quality meeting. The days and hours we are in are truly to be valued; the blessed month of Ramadan and at the table of divine grace and the merciful banquet. The present gathering consists of the employees and senior officials of the country, in a system that has set its goal to serve and strive for the elevation of goodness, the expansion of the good things of the world - "He has made lawful for you the good things" - and to prohibit, limit, and reduce evils, wickedness, and corruption.

The fundamental and important point in our gathering is that we must reflect on our responsibilities, which are very serious, heavy, and at the same time valuable. We must honor them and fulfill them. Our effort should be to achieve this, and this is only possible by observing divine piety. If we observe piety, our work will be done correctly and will progress under the necessary conditions, free from the ambiguities and disruptions that arise from the corruption of any work, and will reach its results. Piety enables us to understand well and correctly, and to express and act rightly. When a person understands correctly and acts and explains correctly, success is certain and inevitable. This is why the greatest recommendation in the Quran and traditions to the believers is the recommendation to piety. We need piety more than anyone else, because our responsibility is heavy and part of national authority is in our hands. If there is no piety, this authority, which belongs to the nation and a portion of which is in the hands of each of the individuals present, may not be utilized in its proper way and place. Therefore, the most important issue for us is piety.

When we recommend piety, it does not mean that piety does not exist; no, rather the recommendation is that if this spiritual achievement exists within us, it should be preserved; if it is incomplete, it should be completed, and if it is absent, it should be secured. It is also not the case that the recommender of piety - who is myself in this assembly and in Friday prayers and in sermons and in admonishing statements - has less need for piety than the one being advised; no, rather sometimes the recommender himself is in greater need of the recommendation; however, admonition, speaking, and recommending are necessary. Thus, in the sacred Sharia of Islam, "tawasi" (mutual advising) is emphasized. We must all advise and recommend each other to the truth, patience, and to maintain the straight path of God so that we do not deviate from it.

If we want to manifest piety in our lives - because claiming piety and merely speaking it is not enough; one must truly be pious and God-fearing - the most important arena for us officials is to seriously pursue social responsibilities and the goals of the revolution. The Islamic Revolution has goals and slogans for which pure lives and blood have been sacrificed. These goals include spiritual and material growth, building the world and the hereafter for the people, influencing them, moral elevation, reaching a point worthy of human dignity, and creating an environment for the growth of talents and for individuals to benefit from divine blessings - both material and spiritual blessings - among which freedom, knowledge, and moral virtues can be mentioned.

The system was not established to take power from a group and hand it over to another group, which may be you and me, without this group that takes power having any commitment to this great movement of the people. The people, this great wave and roaring sea that brought about the revolution and preserved it through various crises and safely guided this system through dangerous turns, have expectations. We believers in Islam summarize these expectations in the name of Islam, which is indeed the truth. However, since Islam may be misrepresented and misunderstood through incorrect interpretations and explanations, the "Islamic Republic" has specific slogans: independence, freedom, spiritual growth, and material elevation, creating a safe and dignified environment for humans. We must pursue these demands and move towards them.

The senior officials of the country and various sectors must demonstrate their greatest manifestation of piety by fulfilling the responsibilities they have taken on according to the law in the best way and without any deficiency. Of course, at intermediate levels or within the broad body of officials of the country, it may not be possible to present these expectations to them at this level; however, regarding the senior officials and high-ranking managers of the system - members of parliament, officials of the judiciary, members of the government, armed forces, revolutionary institutions, and responsible religious sectors in the field of the revolution - it is possible. These officials - who, thanks be to God, most of them are gathered here - must exert the greatest effort and work to ensure that the responsibilities entrusted to them are fulfilled in the best manner. If this is achieved, the lives of the people will prosper, and the backwardness of the country will be compensated; just as we have seen the effects of our work in society.

One of the most important manifestations of piety in the actions of officials is this: not seeing oneself in the position of fulfilling responsibilities; exactly the opposite of what worldly people consider for responsibilities. Worldly people want governmental responsibilities, etc., for their own worldly interests. If they seek presidency, management, or membership in parliaments and such centers, what matters most to them is personal matters. Thus, during their responsibilities, they burden themselves and perhaps secure their lives for a long time! In the Islamic Republic system, certainly this calculation is a wrong calculation. Anyone who enters into responsibility must absolutely not see their personal interests in accepting this responsibility, and if this work and responsibility do not match their abilities, they should not accept the responsibility; however, once they accept it, what matters most to them - which is above all else - must be the fulfillment of their responsibility, even if it turns out to be detrimental to themselves and contrary to their interests.

We must accept the responsibility with its difficulties and concerns and with the struggle that must be made to fulfill it. If this is done, then a person is honored before God Almighty and the people, and the people understand. It is true that propaganda and speaking and making a fuss and glittering... have effects on the minds of some people; however, these effects are not lasting: "As for the foam, it disappears as scum"; the truth remains; what is right and true becomes entrenched in the minds of the people. If, God forbid, we act contrary to our religious and revolutionary commitments and our commitments based on accepting responsibility, even if for a short period we can show the truth differently, the people will understand.

Another manifestation of piety in the Islamic system is that everyone should pay attention to the fact that the great powers of the world, for various reasons - which you mostly know - are hostile to this system: this system has, for the first time, violated the rules that the imperialist devices and centers of the world had established and based their relations on, and has declared its belief in Islam, justice, and defense of justice in every corner of the world and its belief in defending the oppressed. This system, by raising the flag of Islam, has awakened the desire for Islam and the revival of Islamic life among a wide range of people in one of the most sensitive regions of the world - the Middle East and parts of Asia. It is obvious that the arrogant powers of the world and the greedy ones, who have bad and polluted backgrounds and are deserving of blame, would not be pleased with such a system and would oppose it in every way they can.

Everyone must be careful not to assist the enemy of the Islamic system in any way - whether through alignment, sympathy, or through positioning, speaking, and acting. One of the issues that contradicts piety and God-consciousness is this very issue.

Among the matters that must manifest the piety of officials and the system is the observance of legal limits in all sectors and the non-transgression of what the constitution and valid laws have determined for various sectors and devices. Transgressing these laws, in some cases, creates a major problem of economic corruption and corruption of responsible devices or leads to conflicts between different devices and harmful disputes and controversies.

It is the atmosphere of Ramadan and a spiritual atmosphere. This is also a Hosseiniyeh (a place of mourning for Imam Hussein) and the time is the best time for us to discuss these matters among ourselves. Many of these points are known to you and me; however, admonition does not mean that one should tell the other what they do not know. Admonition means even repeating points that one knows; because there is an effect in hearing that is not in knowing. You and I also need to hear and admonish each other. Our main and important admonition is this issue of piety, and piety for us officials is of utmost importance and its foundation in our case is at a higher level that we cannot suffice with the ordinary level of piety of the general public.

There are one or two other issues that I need to raise. One of them is the issue that our dear and committed President, Mr. Khatami, raised and elaborated on. First, I must say that such incidents in the country should not, under any circumstances, become a means of dispute and disagreement among officials, individuals, or factions of the country; avoid this. He rightly said that criticism and feedback... are not objectionable, and even some of the impatience that one sees in this matter from students, the public, or some media, which have concerns, is good and indicates that there is a high sensitivity regarding national dignity and independence in society; however, none of this should lead to quarrels, disagreements, and conflicts. What is important is that you elites and officials, especially those who have a platform and whose role is very important - whether in parliament, in the media, in Friday prayers, or in other places - should know that when the country faces such an issue - which is one issue among dozens and hundreds of issues that the country faces - the worst method is for this issue to become a means for quarrels internally; this is very bad.

In the early days when Iraq had attacked, the duty of everyone was clear and specified regarding what they should do; however, the Mojahedin (the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization) who were active in Tehran and other cities at that time and moved and spoke freely, constantly said we have no freedom! Just like today when some people say whatever comes to their minds and act however they wish, at that time one of their slogans was that we have no freedom! They do not understand that this very claim makes them a subject of ridicule. It was the same back then, and the Mojahedin puppets stood at intersections holding signs and confused the people regarding the main issue of defense. After they were warned and reprimanded, they gathered their wits. Such incidents that occur in the country must not lead to quarrels, divisions, separating individuals from each other, and factionalizing issues; this is very bad.

Everyone should pay attention that the summary of what happened is that the usurping Zionists of the land of Palestine and the current ruling body of America, who have endless hatred and malice towards the Islamic Republic and are willing to use any vile means to achieve their goals, have created a slogan at the global level that: "Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons!" For this, they have sensitized public opinion and many governments, and after the uproar, their goal was to reach a global consensus that Iran's scientific and technological efforts in nuclear energy have created public concern in the world. What should be done here? Should we allow the Zionists and Americans to repeat their propaganda; or should we show and clarify that no, this is not the case? The respected officials of the system chose the wisdom and prudence to clarify and say no, come and see the matter. What the Islamic Republic has accepted so far is that they come and see the enrichment operations - which are at a specific point - and they came and saw that it exists, and they were also allowed to go wherever else they think enrichment operations are taking place, to see, so that they know that the Zionists' propaganda is false. This is a peaceful way to preserve nuclear technology.

We have no right to lose this technology at any cost. The claim that some people propagate that not much has been achieved is also not correct. Know that what has been achieved is very significant and substantial. If it were not significant, our enemies would not be so sensitive. Experts and knowledgeable individuals have a correct judgment in this regard. We have reached a technology that is indigenous to our country; that is what matters. If today all the devices that the Islamic Republic has were to be destroyed by our enemies - which they certainly will not be able to - this technology would not disappear; because we have not borrowed or taken it from anyone, and our intelligent specialists have been able to achieve it. Of course, if it were up to the Westerners and the centers of global power, they would not have allowed the Islamic Republic to achieve such technology for another hundred years, and this work has been done despite them and in the face of their sanctions. Therefore, what has been achieved is valuable, and this valuable knowledge must not be lost or bargained away by the government, the officials, the Atomic Energy Organization, or any individual in this country; certainly no bargaining has taken place and will not take place. However, if those who entered into discussions with the officials of the Islamic Republic want to challenge the Islamic Republic over this issue and demand more, everything will fall apart, and certainly, the Islamic Republic will not concede any privileges in this regard. We must preserve this technology and what we have achieved, thanks be to God, in various scientific and research advancements in our beloved country. Of course, we still have a long way to go to reach the forefront of technology and science. The reason is that we started from below zero - it cannot be said zero - we started from nothing. They had done such a thing to this country that not only was there no scientific and technological achievement, but even the hope for it was not there. Therefore, we did not start from the point of "nothing"; rather, we started from "nothing accompanied by despair"! The Islamic Revolution entered the field from here, and thanks be to God, it has progressed today.

Now in many of our universities, young people are active, and as informed and knowledgeable individuals have reported to me, the level of scientific and research work in twenty or thirty major universities in the country, in terms of talent, work, effort, and the diligence of professors and having good professors, is on par with the good and advanced universities in the world. Thanks be to God, the advancements are good. These are not facilities that someone has brought for this country; they belong to this country. However, internal tyrants on one side and external exploiters on the other did not allow it. Now that, thanks be to God, the country is both independent and free, this knowledge will gradually become more apparent. What the officials have done is the right thing. It has been done with prudence and without accepting submission and yielding to force, so that the plot devised by the Americans and Zionists against the Islamic Republic is thwarted. Of course, this is the beginning of the matter, and the work is not finished. If the continuation of this work proceeds in the same manner as it has been planned so far, there is no problem; however, if the enemies or centers of power demand more and advance step by step, and we also retreat, this will be submission, which is absolutely not correct, and such a thing will not be allowed.

In my opinion, both types of theories that exist regarding the negotiations that have taken place are not in line with reality. One mindset is that our faithful and zealous individuals think the government has surrendered, which must be said is not the case, and there has been no surrender up to this point. This is a political movement and a diplomatic effort. The other mindset, which is in opposition to the first mindset, is that some think that we should not delay any longer and must give them whatever they want so that they do not make excuses! This is also incorrect and is a form of panic. On the other hand, this thinking that some of the enemies of the Islamic Republic have, believing that the Islamic Republic is now trapped and has no choice, is also incorrect; no, this mindset is also wishful thinking.

Wherever we have made a move that reaches a point where it would harm the interests of the Islamic Republic, we will cut that move without any hesitation. Therefore, we pursue peaceful and dignified paths for the Islamic Republic to preserve the country and this achievement, the red line of which is that they want to interfere in our internal affairs. If they want to say, "We want to ensure our confidence," we have no objection, and the same work that has happened so far will continue to be done to some extent. Of course, the final decision, according to the law, rests with the Islamic Consultative Assembly, and then the Guardian Council, which must evaluate it according to Sharia and law. So far, the government has made no decision and cannot make one; now the respected officials have done the preliminary work. What the respected officials - whether Mr. Rouhani or the President and other officials - have truly worked hard on is that they have worked with care and consideration of the aspects, and they are vigilant that no action contrary to the principles and foundations is taken. I am also aware, and wherever I feel that actions contrary to the regulations, objectives, and national dignity and the direction of the Islamic system are being taken, I will certainly not allow it and will stop it. Of course, such a matter has not arisen so far, and by God's grace, we hope that they can continue this work in all aspects.

The main issue is that the foreign parties involved in these matters - whether this issue or various issues that the Islamic Republic has with foreign parties - must understand that the Islamic Republic is not in a position where they can act on the desires and demands they had in the past with colonial Iran. The Islamic Republic has a different essence and identity. This Islamic Iran is not the colonial Iran divided among powers that they can bully and interfere in its affairs. Today, the Islamic Republic is armed with a weapon that is more powerful and sharper than nuclear weapons, and that is the weapon of the will and faith of the people and their presence and support for the government, which is our great weapon. Of course, they try and propagate and are so brazen that they want even to convince us that we are not armed with this weapon and that the people have turned away from Islam and the revolution! But we know that these claims are false.

Our global counterparts, whether Europeans or non-Europeans - although we have not seen issues like greed from non-Europeans; however, Europeans, even from the past, often have colonial goals in their minds - must know that the Islamic Republic does not accept force, imposition, and interference in its exchanges, contracts, and dealings. They should not be deceived by the fact that some individuals from within, whose influence in the public and political atmosphere of the country is close to zero - if not zero - sometimes give them good news. Those who deal with the Islamic Republic must believe that the people are within the Islamic Republic and that they are the followers and soldiers of the system; they love their Islam and independence and protect it.

Some political bankrupts and the outcasts of Imam and the revolution are happy at the thought that a crisis has arisen for the Islamic Republic: "If a good thing befalls you, it distresses them"; every good that comes to you, they dislike. "But if evil befalls you, they rejoice therein"; they are happy at the prospect of any evil that may befall the Islamic Republic and express their happiness. It has been said: "The audacity has opened its mouth to joy!" These individuals are those who are under the burden of the Islamic Republic and the revolutionary and Muslim people, and the Islamic Republic and these people have granted them freedom and rescued them from heavy and severe hardships; however, they have shown ingratitude towards Imam, the revolution, and the people; they have eaten salt and broken the saltshaker, and now they are happy at the thought of America threatening Iran! These are the individuals who are happy at any pretext and threat that the Americans and Zionists raise against the Islamic Republic; they will also rejoice when human rights are raised against the Islamic Republic. These individuals are nobody, and let not the political centers of the world, especially Europe, be deceived by them! These are the political bankrupts of the Islamic Republic; they are those who are at odds with the people, and the people are also at odds with them and distrust them. Of course, the Islamic Republic will not take action against them as long as it does not see any malice from them; contrary to what they propagate that we confront them because we think differently! These individuals have created a respectful name for themselves called "dissidents." I once said that "dissident" is a wrong term; because in an Islamic society, there are many dissidents, and dissidence does not mean enmity. The Islamic Republic never confronts dissidents. Among the group that is present here, there are also non-Shiite Muslim brothers and non-Muslims who are all members of the Islamic system and work for it. The discussion is about enmity, opposition, and malice, which the Islamic Republic confronts. Of course, if someone shows enmity and malice, the Islamic Republic will undoubtedly strike that person without any hesitation or consideration.

One of the issues that was raised in these global negotiations and was mentioned by some Europeans and others is that we not only have no objection to peaceful nuclear energy in Iran, but we will even build them a power plant and provide them with its fuel. From our perspective, this issue is unacceptable; because the power plant that the Westerners want to build for us and provide its fuel is not useful for Iran; that is hostage-taking of Iran and Iranians! I once said regarding oil that if the oil in the hands of the countries of this region were in the hands of Europeans and they were to sell it to you, the people of Iran and the people of other countries that produce oil today, they would take your life for every drop! Now they buy millions of barrels at a price of a pittance, and the money they pay for it is like not paying at all. If the Westerners want to provide the fuel for our power plant, they will do so under thousands of conditions: Why did you say this? We will not give it; why did you not say that? We will not give it! The Islamic Republic will not accept such terms. We will produce the fuel for the power plant ourselves, which is also permitted under international regulations. Of course, producing fuel involves high technology and a very important, complex, sensitive, and impactful process at a general level and for the technology of the country.

Regarding the elections, I will only say this: everyone should strive for the elections to be conducted well. The fact that some officials and elites - whether in parliament or in the government and other sectors - express opinions and shake their beards, saying that if it goes this way, the people will not participate, is not a duty that an official in the Islamic Republic system has; keep this in mind. The duty of a responsible and trustworthy official who considers themselves part of this system - the one who is an infiltrator within this system has a different discussion - is that they have no right to speak in a way that contradicts the interests of the Islamic Republic. Why should people not participate in the elections?! They participate very well. This election is not the first election. We have been holding elections for twenty-five years since the beginning of the revolution, and to date, we have had twenty-three elections, and I believe the upcoming election, which God willing will be held in a few months, will be the twenty-fourth election. Of course, the people do not pay attention to these words; let me tell you. In elections that some groups have boycotted, the people participated more; we should seek the help of some to boycott the elections! Of course, the elections must be free, fair, and according to the law. The Ministry of Interior is the executor, and the Guardian Council is the overseer. Each has its own duties that they must fulfill and must not transgress their duties. These are preserved in their own right; however, all efforts of officials and various friends and the media should be to encourage the people and show the atmosphere as one of enthusiasm. Of course, the most significant impact will come from our behavior. If we serve the people, work for the people, and respect them - the people are very good - they will participate and appreciate this revolution; especially since our society has a youthful majority, and thanks be to God, the hearts of the youth are more subject to divine grace and mercy.

O God! By Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, in this blessed month of Ramadan, include us in Your mercy and grace and success. O God! Grant victory to the Iranian nation in all fields. O God! Defeat and humiliate the enemies of Iran and the enemies of the Islamic Republic in their goals. O God! Increase the ranks and high spiritual positions of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) - who has this great right over all the Iranian nation and opened this path for us. O God! Unite our dear martyrs with the Prophet; grant the respected officials of the country success in fulfilling their duties day by day; and make what we have said for You and in Your way acceptable and pleasing to You.

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