Statements in Meeting with Representatives of the Islamic Consultative Assembly

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

First, I extend my greetings to all dear brothers and sisters, esteemed representatives. I pray that this first year of your representation, God willing, will be pleasing to God and a good deed in your record of actions. I also pray for the esteemed Speaker of the Parliament and the Board of Directors, who have once again gained your trust and accepted responsibility, that the Almighty God may grant them and you all good.

The main point in our work, dear brothers and sisters, is this! These apparent positions, titles, leadership, management, representation, and public credibility will pass; what remains for us is our actions. If we have performed good deeds with a sincere and correct intention during these years, with these titles and characteristics, we have not suffered loss. If, God forbid, this period of responsibility, mission, name, and title has not yielded any achievement for us, or if it has negatively impacted us and made us indebted, this is the worst fate that could befall people like us in these responsibilities. We must always pay attention to this matter.

Of course, this opportunity—the opportunity to represent the people—is a precious one. Anyone in the Islamic community and the Islamic system who can obtain a mission and carry it out correctly should truly be grateful to God; but it must be noted that this opportunity is also a great test. We are in a state of examination. It is during the highlights of life that difficult tests arise. In the normal course of life, there are tests, but the prominent and breath-taking tests usually occur when one enters sensitive phases; among them are our responsibilities. Sometimes a person spends many years of their life with trust and purity, then reaches a testing phase; if they cannot demonstrate their ability to control their desires during this testing phase, they will slip. This sensitive phase is the representation in Parliament; it is the responsibilities of governments; it is responsibilities like that of this humble servant. These are the sensitive phases of our lives; we must be careful here. Sometimes a person lives well in the normal course of life; however, when they reach the precipice, when they reach a sensitive point, when they reach a dangerous turn, they cannot control themselves properly. We must remember this. "In the fluctuations of circumstances, the true nature of men is revealed"; we can test ourselves in such phases. Generally, a person is optimistic about themselves. We do not see our flaws; we usually see our merits as greater than they are. In such moments, when we are alone with God, we can identify our weaknesses and shortcomings. There is money in one place, power in another, prestige in another, and sexual desires in another; these are hard tests. What is important for the esteemed representatives of Parliament, for government officials, for judicial authorities, for armed forces, for clergy, and for those who have a combination of these roles, is to recognize the moments of testing and the positions of examination with their keen insight; to know that this point is a point of testing; let us not be heedless. If we can safely pass through this dangerous turn, this sensitive point, this edge of the precipice, let us be grateful to God. This is the main point and the main message I have for you, dear brothers and sisters. Primarily, this advice is also for myself; I say it to you so that, God willing, my humble heart may be influenced by these words and we may be admonished; on one hand, let us appreciate the opportunity that allows us to serve the people, serve Islam, serve the country, and serve the system, and consider it a great blessing from God; on the other hand, let us be aware that having this opportunity also carries risks. A clean, well-functioning, fast car under one’s feet is certainly a success, leading one to their goals; but it also carries dangers; one must be cautious. This is the main point I want to convey to you, dear brothers and sisters. We hope, God willing, that these words will be effective for all of us.

Regarding the Parliament, in this one year that has passed, we can say that, thanks be to God, the presence of diverse expertise—as I have been informed—has helped in maturing and bringing to fruition various plans and programs and bills presented by the government, leading to better results. The essence of expertise is just this; when there is knowledge, capability, and a sense of duty behind it, the product of the work will naturally be better. This is a cause for joy and gratitude that, thanks be to God, the Parliament possesses such capability.

The political positions of the Parliament during this time— as has been evident—have been good in various fields; correct and appropriate stances have been taken. You represent the collective will of the nation; their desires and heartfelt words manifest in your actions. Thanks be to God, what has been observed has been very good.

What is important for the brothers and sisters representing the people to pay attention to, and I have always reminded esteemed representatives in all or most of the periods I have had the opportunity to converse with them, is that you should know you are like a peak; what flows from the heart of this peak cascades down its slopes and body. The behavior, manners, and ethics, and the way of interaction in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, like other peaks in the country, will affect the behavior, manners, ethics, and character of the entire society; this is a natural and constant matter. If reason, thought, tranquility, calmness, and love prevail in the Parliament, and this is reflected in the society through the loudspeakers of the Parliament, these characteristics will gradually influence society. If there is tension, animosity, or negligence in the Parliament, this will also reflect in the behavior of the people; this influence is natural. This influence is not immediate or prominent, but gradually shows its effects; this increases the responsibility of the esteemed officials. Therefore, in my opinion, dear friends and esteemed representatives should maintain complete vigilance over their demeanor and behavior from this perspective.

Working on bills and plans is a duty as a fulfillment of the rights of the people—this is a clear and definite matter—meaning that when a bill comes to the Parliament or you prepare a plan in the Parliament and want to implement it in a part of the country that can fill the table of the country’s major activities, your diligence, care, attention, research, and study that contribute to the maturation of this plan or bill is a right owed to the people. A bill comes to the Parliament—I myself have been in the Parliament and have experienced these matters up close—when the bill is given to the commission and is presented to the representative, sometimes they treat this bill as a personal matter; they pay attention, study, research, and sit with experts to discuss, and they visualize the matter in their minds more accurately; sometimes, however, the bill comes or a plan is to be approved in the Parliament, and this representative does not know much about the content of the bill or plan, does not feel much responsibility, and does not attend to it; neither in the commission nor in the Parliament. Their vote of "yes" or "no" on such a bill or plan is not free of doubt; their abstention vote is also not free of doubt. We did not come here to sit and give abstention votes; we came to say this should happen, this should not happen. An abstention vote is for when a person has exerted effort, done their work, and ultimately their mind does not reach a conclusion; well, here a person can abstain; like a jurist who exerts their effort, refers to sources, sees the evidences of jurisprudence and legal reasoning, and then their mind does not reach a conclusion; they say, well, here exercise caution; they say I have no vote, I have no fatwa. An abstention vote belongs here; but if we do not study, do not work, and then to avoid being trapped in an unfounded and unsubstantiated "yes" or "no," we say very well, we will abstain! This cannot be. Therefore, one of the very important and necessary tasks in the Parliament is precisely this work on bills; whether the bills sent by the government or the plans that you yourselves organize in the Parliament. Truly, work must be done. Anyone who is capable of independent reasoning in this field should do so independently; and if they themselves do not have an opinion, they should consult with others to reach a definite conclusion; this is one of the very fundamental tasks.

Of course, there is a complaint; I have repeatedly expressed this complaint to the esteemed representatives of the Parliament and to various Speakers in previous periods that sometimes one sees many seats are empty; to the extent that it exceeds the permissible limit! Now, a number of seats naturally always have an excuse, but ultimately there is a limit. Sometimes when one sees it exceeds this limit, they feel that the duty has not been fulfilled. Sometimes there are some in the Parliament—this is also a phenomenon—who do not participate in voting; the gentlemen sit at the back of the Parliament and chat! This is not appropriate. That is, both physical presence in the Parliament and heartfelt presence in the Parliament—meaning being attentive to the matter, listening to both supportive and opposing arguments—are necessary; these are among the duties that constitute the essence of representation and cannot be overlooked; these are very important matters. My real request from dear brothers and sisters in the Parliament is to pay attention to this issue, to be diligent; both for presence in the Parliament, in the sense of physical and material presence; and also in the sense of spiritual and moral presence, meaning heartfelt and mental presence; this is an important matter.

Another issue—as we mentioned—is that the behavior of representatives is influential in educating society and directing society this way or that. If piety, trustworthiness, ethics, a sense of responsibility, and enthusiasm for work are seen in the Parliament, this will affect society; first, it will make the people feel interested, optimistic, and committed to the representatives of the Parliament, and secondly, it will bring their behavior closer to that of these esteemed representatives—who are peaks, figures, and prominent individuals.

If in the expressions used by the esteemed representative of the Parliament; whether in pre-scheduled speeches, statements, or discussions, it is observed that there is decorum, avoidance of insult, and avoidance of inappropriate and vulgar expressions—one feels these; when one is sitting by the radio and listening, they understand that this person could have used an insulting expression here, but they did not—this also affects me as a listener; however, if, God forbid, the opposite is observed; that is, there is a lack of decorum in expression, in speech, in expressions, insulting or disrespectful expressions, or disrespectful behavior, this immediately has an effect. That is, the listener, even though they do not admire this behavior, is nonetheless influenced. People are not like children who are influenced by their father's behavior without understanding the ugliness or goodness of that behavior; no, people understand the ugliness and goodness of behavior; this is the nature of the matter. You observe; in various environments, different groups, someone does something; they express something, they say something; a person may not like it, but at the same time, it facilitates the repetition of that behavior for them; this is the nature of the matter.

Another issue is "justice." Of course, what we are saying here is essentially stating the obvious, and you gentlemen and ladies are aware of these matters; perhaps you yourselves advise the people on these things; but we also have a duty to express these; even though, thanks be to God, you may not need us to say this, it is necessary to say it. Justice must be observed; justice towards the friend who is your colleague in the Parliament, justice towards those outside the Parliament, justice towards the government, justice towards the judiciary. Justice must be observed; "And let not the hatred of a people incite you to act unjustly". Sometimes we may have a grudge against someone, we may dislike someone; well, this can be justified; after all, we have a reason, we do not like someone; but even towards the very person we dislike and have reasoning for disliking, one must exercise justice. Someone has a good point; let us not allow it to be overshadowed by the bad point we have in our minds about them; this is very important. Injustice and inappropriate behavior lead to similar reactions from the other side. We are weak individuals; if you, for instance, act unjustly towards this humble servant, I do not have the power and ability to control myself to say very well, now they acted unjustly, let them do so; I too will be compelled to act unjustly. In this way, in society, the exchange of injustices, instead of the exchange of justice, instead of the exchange of love, becomes prevalent. You see, because you are representatives of the Parliament, this influence exists; otherwise, if you were among the ordinary individuals of society, it would have an effect, but not to this extent. When we are on a platform and people look at us, our behavior has a meaning; when we are lost among the people, in the knowledge of the people, that same behavior has a different meaning.

One issue that I have always mentioned to friends in the Parliament is the interaction with the executive branch. When we sit with the executive branch, whether with the esteemed President, whether with the esteemed ministers, or with all of them, we give them the same advice to interact with the legislative branch. Each has their rights. The Parliament has rights, within a specific scope; the executive branch and the operational hands also have rights, within a specific scope. The boundaries of each other must be respected, and they must interact with each other; this interaction is a two-way street—foreigners and those influenced by foreign ideas say it is a two-way street; this is not a bad expression, it is not a bad term—there must be interaction from both sides. Of course, despite all the goodwill that both sides have, sometimes misunderstandings arise—this is not an issue—but these misunderstandings should not be intensified or create bitterness; these must be monitored.

I tell you; the executive branch stands in the middle of the field—whether this government or any other government—and the tasks are on its shoulders, the blame falls on it, the questions and accountability come from it; therefore, its considerations must be taken into account. We always advise the executive branch; this great right that is observed in the law for the Parliament and for the entire law must be respected by the executors. The law is the basis of work, the law is the rail of this train; you must work to lay this rail, and they must move on this rail. You help ensure that this rail is such that the train can turn at the bend. You have seen the northern train; in some places, it has difficult turns, but ultimately it is such that the train can move. From down here to the top of the mountain, the train moves up and down without any problems because the rails are laid correctly. If the necessary bends had not been created in this way, if, for example, it had been arranged in such a way that the train could not move, you would repeatedly witness the train falling from the top. This must be considered in rail-laying. You lay the rails, and it moves on these rails, and it must appreciate you; but you must also know that ultimately it is intended to move on these rails. Therefore, both sides of the matter are important. I have said this is not specific to this government; in all governments, and in several periods of the Parliament and government, I have repeatedly advised everyone; of course, some have genuinely adhered to it, while some have occasionally been inattentive.

The Parliament is certainly at the head of affairs—as Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) said—but also note that "the Parliament is at the head of affairs" does not mean that every representative is at the head of affairs; "the Parliament" is at the head of affairs; a representative is just a representative. That is, the esteemed and honored representative whom a group of people from a corner of the country have gathered with enthusiasm and fervor to send to the Parliament should not think that they are at the head of affairs; no, "the Parliament" is at the head of affairs; they should compare their approach in this way.

Therefore, let us return to our initial words, dear brothers and sisters! What remains for you and me, and what will make this prayer accepted: "And do not destroy me with grief until You forgive me and have mercy on me and make me aware of the response to my prayer", is our actions today, which must be serious, diligent, sincere, and with a sense of duty. If these are achieved, the Almighty God will overlook some of the shortcomings and negligence; but what is important is that we strive to perform our work cleanly, purely, without pretense, with good intention, and with diligence.

Let me also say a word about the elections. As the esteemed Speaker of the Parliament also pointed out, elections are always important, and now, of course, they hold significant importance due to various occasions. Everyone must strive so that, God willing, these elections are held with enthusiasm and with the public's participation. This will ensure that the country gains both immunity and power and security. The presence of the people eliminates the threats of the enemy. You see that some Western politicians, especially some behind-the-scenes American politicians, make analyses—which are sometimes published and conveyed to the media—and say: the Islamic Republic of Iran will not be shaken easily or soon. Why do they say this? Because they see that this system relies on the people; that is the secret; otherwise, if we think that now there is a Zayd or a ‘Amr at the head of the system, these are nothing in the face of the greatness of the people's presence and the backing of the system; they are like nothing.

When the people in a system are united, cohesive, supportive of the system, and with the system, this system gains immunity, power, and strength, making it impossible to uproot it; it is like a tree that has rooted deeply in the ground; it cannot be uprooted. Some systems have money, have resources, have the praise of the world’s colonial politicians, but they have no roots; they themselves know they have no roots. The Islamic Republic has roots; these roots are the people. The gathering of the people around this system is the source of dignity and blessing for the country, for the system, and for the people themselves. The people help this system gain dignity; this, in turn, is the dignity of the people; this is the immunity and security of the people; this is the means to solve all the problems of the people; this must be understood; this is a general formula. Therefore, the elections, which are a manifestation of the people's presence, must be held with enthusiasm; all efforts and endeavors of the officials must be directed towards this.

Fortunately, the laws that exist are good laws; they are reasonable laws. As we have repeatedly stated, there is no deadlock. Thus, you see that in this election, up to this stage we have reached, the legal process has been followed. When the esteemed candidates were asked if they would comply if the Guardian Council gave an opinion, all of them said: yes, we will comply. They complied. We must truly thank all these candidates; those whose qualifications were not confirmed in some way. They said they would comply with the Guardian Council’s opinion, and they acted according to their word; this demonstrates the importance and priority of the law, showing the applicability of the law; because the law governs the country. It is possible that I or you may be dissatisfied with the law—sometimes it is like this—but when one complies with the law, disputes are resolved, and it becomes the final word; this is a great blessing, a great grace.

The people in our country, thanks be to God, are aware and alert. We do not want to give undue praise; but the truth is that the awareness of our people regarding political issues is above the average of countries worldwide. As far as we are informed about the conditions of countries—reported to us and obtained from both open and hidden sources—whether European countries, American countries, or Asian countries, people have varying degrees of awareness, with an average; however, the awareness of the Iranian people and their insight into political issues is above the global average. We do not claim infallibility for all people, but this is a claim that is acceptable and real; they observe, they are insightful, they discern. Fortunately, today the means of discernment are at the disposal of the people. Well, this is the media; it records programs, broadcasts them, shows speeches, and presents personalities; people can watch and reach a conclusion; this conclusion may be correct or incorrect; one person may reach one conclusion, another may reach another; well, naturally one is correct, and one is wrong; but the Almighty God will reward both. When a person observes, considers, and discerns, and acts based on their discernment solely for the sake of God, the Almighty God will reward them. This is our duty—all of us—to observe and see what conclusion we truly reach and act according to that conclusion.

Of course, the gentlemen who appear on television as candidates and speak have heavy responsibilities; they too must be vigilant. The words that come out of a person’s mouth must be real, sincere, based on correct information, and emanating from a truthful and honest tongue. It should not be that now, to attract the attention of the people, we say whatever comes to our mind; they must be cautious about these matters. Candidates can say what they know to be correct—whether as promises, as programs, or whatever—and strive to confront the people with reality; both the reality of the situation and the reality of themselves. If this happens, God will bless it; if this happens, the Almighty God will help; because the affairs are in God’s hands, everything returns to divine will; "All things return to Him", "The affairs are in His hands, and all are dependent on His support". If we act sincerely, the divine will will also assist us. Sometimes divine assistance for this humble servant is to gain the success of this responsibility; sometimes divine assistance for me is not to gain the success of this responsibility; both are divine assistance. If we act sincerely, the Almighty God will help us and grant us what is good and beneficial. It should not be that now, to attract the attention of the people, we destroy everything that is beyond us; whether it pertains to other candidates or to the realities of society. It must be done correctly. Then we will choose.

Of course, these words that so-and-so, the leader, this humble servant, is in favor of Zayd or ‘Amr are among the statements that have always existed and are not true; most of those who say them know they are not true. How do they know whom I support? The one who does not hear from me; neither in the past have they heard, nor have they heard until now, nor will they hear in the future. They make guesses; these guesses, whether spoken or not, are better left unsaid; they do not know. I have a vote like everyone else. That day, I told the brothers of the Pasdar student corps: you may favor one person, I may favor another; what is the problem? You may prefer one, and I may prefer someone else; there is no problem. You have a recognition of Zayd that I do not have; there is no obstacle. It is not that whatever you understand, I must also understand; or whatever I understand, you must also understand; no, these are discernments. What is a proof between us and God is that we can discern correctly.

In the news from foreign radios and what is reflected in these writings—of course, you see and hear—on the purposes they have, they continuously promote these things, heating up the atmosphere. Well, their goals are clear. Of course, it is not that we do not know what their intentions are with these actions. We do our work. We know what to do. The Islamic community and the Islamic system understand what they are doing. The Islamic system is following its path. The goal is clear, the path is clear, the measures are clear. The system is doing its work; now others can hit their heads against the wall; let them do so; that has no effect on the work of the system; however, awareness and vigilance at these stages are important.

I hope, God willing, that the Almighty God has willed good for this country, for you, for all the people, and may His blessings descend upon you, upon us, upon all, and God willing, the future of this country and this nation will be better than its present and its past.

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