Message on the Occasion of the Opening of the Fourth Islamic Consultative Assembly

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

Thanks be to God, who granted the Iranian nation success in another stage of its revolutionary struggle, and the fourth Islamic Consultative Assembly, like its previous sessions, was formed from the true representatives and elected individuals of this noble nation. Once again, the enthusiastic presence of the people in the election scene and their conscious will, stemming from a deep attachment and faith in Islam, overcame the malice of the arrogant enemies and their political and propaganda deceptions. The divine help and grace of the Supreme Guardian (may my soul be sacrificed for him) supported this faithful nation, and the elections were held in a manner that increased the prestige and dignity of the system, indicated the stability and steadiness of the country, and was a sign of the nation's determination and vitality.

The nation, representatives, and officials of the country must be grateful for this great blessing and act in accordance with the requirements of gratitude and appreciation. I, while expressing my gratitude once again to our dear people who took this significant step at a critical stage, and with heartfelt greetings to the exalted Imam, who laid the foundation for this presence and these epics, remind the honorable representatives of the following points:

1- The Assembly in the Islamic system has a real role in the administration and guidance of the country, and fulfilling this role correctly leaves a profound and decisive impact on the fate, path, and main orientations of the country. It is incumbent upon each of the honorable representatives to enable the Assembly to fulfill such a duty and to organize their presence and decision-making with attention to this sensitive and decisive role.

2- The Islamic Consultative Assembly, in the true sense of the word, is the manifestation of the will and sovereignty of the people, and just as its formation is with the will of the nation, its decisions and general orientations must also be according to the will of the people and in line with their needs. The honorable representatives, in order to fulfill this purpose, must be in contact and communication with the masses of people and their electors, and correctly and closely understand their genuine needs and rightful demands and consider them in the Assembly's resolutions.

3- The legitimacy of the Assembly lies in adhering to divine laws, and in the Islamic system, all pillars and components of the system are such. The honorable representatives must ensure that the Assembly's resolutions are free from opposition to religious regulations with due diligence and care, and for this purpose, they should benefit from the knowledge of religious scholars, the experiences of representatives from previous sessions, and above all, the opinions of the esteemed Guardian Council during the stages of approving bills and proposals.

4- In organizing the country's programs, the main issue is to eliminate poverty and deprivation and rescue the oppressed and deprived classes and the barefooted from the consequences of the tyrannical era and the effects of foreign domination. All economic, productive, and constructive programs must be directed towards this goal, and only in this case are these programs correct and acceptable. The honorable representatives must consider this as a principle in the enacted laws and in their interactions with the country's executive officials, and prioritize the duty of helping the deprived in their representative responsibilities.

5- The revolutionary Assembly must always be the herald of the fundamental slogans of the revolution and the guardian of the path and line drawn by the architect and founder of the revolution, Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified). This is the only way that leads to the salvation and prosperity of our dear country from the effects of the dark era of foreign domination and heals the old wounds of the tyrannical era and completely unties the disgraceful bonds of dependency and deprivation that foreigners, especially Britain and America and their mercenaries, had woven around the hands and feet of this great nation in the past. In the past thirteen years, the intervening powers that have been slapped by the revolution and expelled from Iran have always tried to dissuade the nation and the government from following this path and have always failed. The fourth Assembly, which has been the focus of the poisonous propaganda of the arrogant media and the target of their tumultuous deceptions, is especially obliged to declare its allegiance to its ever-vocal Imam and its adherence to the path and line of the Imam, and its aversion to American domination, in every opportunity and situation, both in words and actions.

6- The Islamic Consultative Assembly, with its resolutions, outlines the path that the Islamic government must take to administer the country and oversees this decisive movement. Fulfilling this duty is only possible with support for the government and cooperation and unity with it. And today, when the serving government, under the presidency of one of the prominent companions of the Imam and one of the distinguished elements of the revolution who has spent his life and youth in this path, is engaged in service, this cooperation and assistance is a clearer and more immediate duty than ever. This statement does not mean that the representatives should not fulfill their duty of critique, review, and sincere criticism and provide correct solutions. The Assembly must always maintain its freedom, frankness, truthfulness, and independence and guide the executors of affairs on the right path and oversee its pursuit. The representatives must be accountable for the vote of confidence they give to the members of the government. However, obstruction and sedition and incitement to ignorance are not acceptable from anyone.

7- The Assembly is formed from the sacred blood of martyrs and the result of the great struggles of this nation and is one of the bright points of hope for all people. Every minute of this Assembly's time has high material and spiritual value, and no one has the right to waste this precious national asset or spend it on trivial matters and discussions. Therefore, in presenting bills and proposals, priorities must be observed as much as possible, and more important and urgent issues should be given precedence. Today, seeking ways that lead to economic relief for low-income classes and also laws that lead to cultural growth and the purification of the cultural and moral atmosphere of society are among the issues that have priority and it is appropriate for the honorable representatives to seriously address them.

8- The Islamic Consultative Assembly is a public scene in the view of all the people of Iran and indeed all the people of the world. The live broadcast of the Assembly's debates is one of the prides of the Islamic system and a clear sign of freedom of thought and expression, and all the people's representatives, with any political and economic inclination, are able to speak to all the people of Iran from the Assembly's podium thanks to this unparalleled freedom. This great opportunity and possibility, on the other hand, makes your duty, honorable representatives, very heavy and critical. If a representative, God forbid, from the Assembly's podium, speaks something contrary to reality or causes anxiety and disturbance of public minds, or contains insult and slander to others, or is accompanied by the disclosure of the country's secrets, or causes despair and disillusionment among the people, the sin resulting from it is as great and extensive as the reach of this important media, and the people will not forgive such a person. How good it is that the honorable Assembly, with the necessary legal foresight, takes the initiative and brings such an irresponsible person out of negligence. Also, observing piety and Islamic ethics and manners in discussions and debates is among the important and noteworthy issues for the representatives and the honorable Assembly. The dear representatives must pay attention that every action and word of theirs is reflected in society and has a special political and moral impact on the country's atmosphere. Undoubtedly, when signs of piety, truthfulness, adherence to moral values, and a sense of responsibility are observed in the Assembly's debates, the country's atmosphere will be perfumed with the fragrance of these commendable qualities.

9- The more precision, deliberation, and application of knowledge and information in legislation, the more progress, success, and problem-solving in execution will be possible, and this clear truth makes the responsibility of the honorable representatives heavier. It is obvious that correct and wise legislation requires that the representatives spend all the time that the Islamic Consultative Assembly needs, and in addition to attending public sessions and commissions where discussion and exchange of views take place, they should also spend hours on study, reflection, and consultation with experts and also use the presence of trustworthy experts in the commissions. Unjustified absences from the Assembly's working hours are an infringement on the people's rights and disregard for the trust that the people have placed in their elected representative.

10- I recommend the brother and sister representatives to observe piety, trust in God, attention to spirituality and ethics and worship, disregard for excessive formalities and extravagant luxuries, avoidance of factionalism, prioritizing the interests of the country and people over personal and group interests, submission to the truth, avoidance of private and personal recommendations, and avoidance of improper use of public funds, and friendship and kindness with election period rivals, and to be wary of the devil's temptations and the incitement of the commanding self. I also thank and appreciate the brother and sister representatives in the third Assembly who had the opportunity to serve in this sacred bastion at a very critical juncture, especially the honorable president of that Assembly, and I hope their efforts and all the servants of Islam and Muslims will be considered by the presence of the Guardian of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for him).

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings

Seyyed Ali Khamenei

1371/3/7