Statements of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Following the Inauguration Ceremony of President Mr. Mohammad Khatami

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

This session is very important and indicative of a sensitive point in the history of the Islamic Republic. This assembly and the ceremony that took place today reflect a vibrant and brilliant truth in the Islamic Republic system, which is the religious democracy and the governance of the luminous decrees of Islam, as well as the presence and electoral participation of the entire nation. We beseech the Almighty God that, by the blessing of the name and memory of Hazrat Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her) - whose martyrdom anniversary is approaching - and by the sacrifices and selflessness that have been made over the years for the elevation of the word of Islam and the raising of this flag, may this beginning be a blessed one and a source of blessings and good outcomes; both for our dear people who participated in the elections and fulfilled their duty, and for the esteemed President who has gained the trust of the people and has taken on a new term of responsibility.

In the logic of Islam, the administration of people's affairs and society is guided by the illuminating lights of the Quran and divine decrees. In the heavenly and divine laws of the Quran, a specific status and dignity has been assigned to the people; it is the people who choose and take charge of the destiny of the country. This democracy is the most refined type of democracy that the world witnesses today; because this democracy operates within the framework of divine decrees and guidance. It is the people's choice, but a choice that, with heavenly laws and free from any defect or flaw, has been able to pursue a correct path.

In all that is known in the world as democracy and popular sovereignty, there exists a framework. In Western democracies, the framework consists of the interests and desires of the wealthy and the capitalists who dominate the fate of society. Only within that framework does the people's vote gain validity and become effective. If the people desire something that contradicts the interests of the capitalists and the holders of financial and economic power - and as a result, political power - there is no guarantee that these democratic systems and regimes will yield to the people's wishes. A firm and unbreakable framework governs all these desires and democracies. In the former socialist countries - which also called themselves democratic - this framework was the ruling party. Outside the framework of the desires, policies, and motivations of the ruling party, the people's vote had no power or applicability. In any case, a framework exists.

The advantage of the Islamic system is that this framework consists of the sacred divine decrees and Quranic laws and the light of divine guidance that illuminates the hearts, actions, and minds of the people. The issue of guiding the people is one of the very important matters that has been overlooked in the prevailing political systems of the world - especially in Western systems. The meaning of guiding the people is that through proper education and training and directing the people to the sources of virtue, efforts are made so that the people's desires align with moral virtues, and the corrupt desires that sometimes arise in the name of the people's votes are kept away from the horizon of the people's choices. Today, you observe that in many Western democracies, the most disgraceful deviations - sexual deviations and the like - are legitimized and formalized under the pretext of being the people's desires, and efforts are made to promote them. This indicates the absence of the spiritual element and the guidance of faith. In the Islamic system - that is, religious democracy - the people choose, decide, and hold the destiny of the country through their elected representatives; however, this desire and choice and will, under the shade of divine guidance, will never lead them off the path of righteousness and will not deviate from the straight path. This is the main point in religious democracy. This is the gift of the Islamic Revolution to the Iranian nation. This is a new and youthful experience; but it is a thoughtful and followable experience for all those who care for virtues and a pure and clean human society and suffer from crimes and moral vices and the spread of human moral ugliness.

For centuries, the Iranian nation has always witnessed rulers who either themselves or their ancestors seized power by the sword and relied on the grip of the sword and bayonet to leave it for their descendants. The government and the right to govern the people, without the will and desire and choice of the people, passed down like personal property of the rulers to their children and descendants for generations. In recent periods - that is, from the mid-Qajar era and throughout the Pahlavi era - another ugly element entered the realm of governance in the country, and that was foreign interference. The British brought Reza Khan Pahlavi to power with their own selection and support; then they brought his son to power, and after the coup of August 19, the Americans played a role in the issues of Iran and the power of governance in our country, while the nation was completely powerless in this regard. A nation that has no authority over its most fundamental life issues, in its education, in its economy, in its politics, in its global relations, and in its ordinary life, and is governed by those who have never sought permission from the people to assume this responsibility. We had never experienced the presence of the people and their vote - except for a very short period, and that too in a very incomplete manner. It was Islam, the Revolution, the struggles, and the unparalleled personality of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) that paved the way for divine grace and this great gift to the Iranian nation.

This ceremony is the eighth ceremony in which the elected President of the people officially becomes the President and takes charge of the administration of the country and the affairs of the executive branch. This was given to us by the Revolution. Of course, the world’s propaganda apparatus tries with very vile propaganda to portray that the presence of the people and the democracy of the Islamic system has only been since the elections of 1997; that is, they want to negate the past of the Revolution! This is also a continuation of the enmities that have always existed against this Revolution. No; we, the Iranian nation, have gone to the ballot box eight times in these twenty-two years to elect the President with our votes, and we have shown that in our country, thanks to the Islamic system, the axis of decision-making is the people, and the framework of decision-making - both for the people and for the officials - is the decrees and Islamic law. This places heavy responsibilities on all of us.

I thank our dear President for expressing these points - which reflect a sense of responsibility - in his speech. Yes; this is the matter; the President and each member of the decision-making body in this system are responsible. Their credibility lies in fulfilling their duties before God, the people, and the Constitution. In the Islamic system, the credibility of all officials is based on their commitment to the religion of God and their execution of the laws and their commitment to the Constitution. This is what the people want and have chosen. If anyone takes a wrong step and deviates from this path - whether it be the Supreme Leader, the President, or other officials - before any executive mechanism is activated to remove them, they will have disqualified themselves and will have been removed. Therefore, responsibility is heavy.

If we want to secure the happiness of this people, we must strive to implement divine laws. The happiness of the world and the hereafter of the people lies in the implementation of divine and Islamic laws. This is what can lead our country and nation to their lofty and prominent ideals. This is what can protect this country against the ever-increasing ambitions of the great powers. This is what can keep this nation, with the same faith and fervor that it showed during the victory of the Revolution and the imposed war and in all storms, steadfast in the arena. The factor that can keep the Iranian nation - despite the lack of many equipment that the great powers possess - so firm and stable is religious faith. We must preserve the religious faith in the people so that they can maintain their resistance and stand firm and support the officials and shield themselves against dangers. We, the officials, are nothing without the support of the people, and we cannot accomplish anything. Our value, authority, and capability in the international arena and against storms depend on the support of the people, and this system, thanks be to God, is today the most popular system in the world. The relationship between the officials and these people is a relationship of faith, affection, and trust. This connection and this kind of relationship and bond has no parallel in the world. If we want these people to support the governments and officials that come and go and the system that has come to power through these people, we must preserve the faith of the people and prevent any assault on their faith.

I would like to offer two or three recommendations to our dear President. Of course, these are points that I have repeatedly mentioned in private and public settings to him and other officials; therefore, I present these as reminders to myself and to you officials who are present here. One issue is that in the current sensitive situation, the work of the entire government apparatus must begin without interruption and continue with complete seriousness and without any slackness or weakness. The few months that usually see a kind of pause in affairs from the time of elections - or around elections - until the formation of the new government is very detrimental. This time should be shortened as much as possible. We hope, God willing, that the Islamic Consultative Assembly will cooperate fully with the esteemed President and that the cabinet will be formed as soon as possible to address the important tasks that lie ahead.

We are in a sensitive position. In my opinion, the most urgent task today is to seriously address economic issues and the issue of livelihood, with employment being at the forefront. None of these are insurmountable problems or deadlocks that capable hands and efficient minds cannot solve. All of these are possible and manageable tasks; however, effort, seriousness, innovation, and perseverance are necessary for these tasks to be accomplished. Today, if there is any slackness or negligence, it will be too late. The opportunity is short; the opportunities of governments pass like lightning. Four years passed quickly, and this four years will also pass quickly. Therefore, priority must be sought in needs, and with the necessary awareness, speed, and appropriate planning, those needs must be met. Today, this is an essential matter. If you look at global propaganda - which is undoubtedly directed from calculated political and security centers - you will see that one of the points of hope for our enemies to paralyze the Islamic system is precisely this economic issue. We have abundant resources of wealth and income and a large workforce and multiple grounds for economic flourishing. We can accomplish many tasks. We can eradicate the ugly face of poverty from the country. Therefore, government officials must prioritize this issue above all else. The economic sector of the government is, in fact, the largest part of the government apparatus. Both the economic staff officials and the executive officials of various production and service sectors must work together with a unified direction and purpose. In this matter, no delay is permissible. I believe that with the abundant resources we have, officials will be able to convince all segments of the nation in a relatively short time and demonstrate that a transformation has occurred in the livelihood and general economic situation. This good news should be conveyed to the people through actions rather than constantly being spoken about. This is a significant righteous act that the executive officials of the country must engage in. Do not pay attention to the temptations of the enemy. There is no doubt that today the global arrogant apparatus is trying through various means to seize all resources of wealth and facilities everywhere in the world, and if necessary, they will spread false propaganda as temptations in the hearts of some individuals. Look at the realities of your work and, with seriousness and reliance on the principles that the Constitution has established for us - which are based on Islamic laws and regulations - innovate and strive in the areas of finance, production, services, and all that is related to the economy of the people. The Almighty God will bless this effort.

The second issue is attention to the general culture of the country. I have previously mentioned this to friends - including the esteemed President. One of the issues that the enemy is seriously promoting in the country is the issue of licentiousness. Licentiousness, both in belief and practice, means taking away the commitments and attachments that guide a person towards a specific goal and leaving them confused and unsteady. This must be taken seriously. One of the enemies' policies is to take away the faith of the people and to strip them of their belief in the Revolution. For several years, they have started this in their propaganda. I realized this from the very beginning when these advertisements were operationalized by the enemies of the country - about ten or eleven years ago - and I warned everyone, especially the cultural officials, that they want to undermine the very credibility of the Revolution; a Revolution that is one of the glories of human history in our time; a Revolution that a nation, with empty hands and by the blessing of faith, established against an apparently impregnable fortress of arrogance in this region and succeeded; a Revolution in the name of God; a Revolution in the path of Islamic values; a Revolution that has given hope to Muslim nations in their Islam and has encouraged them in their Islamic identity; a Revolution that has instilled self-belief in nations around the world and made them feel that a nation - when it shows determination and will - can overcome the greatest obstacles and prevail. The enemies wanted to ignore the message of freedom, spirituality, value, virtue, and human dignity that was present in this Revolution. This was a task that was pursued in a planned manner and through various forms of propaganda. Unfortunately, a number of oblivious individuals also acted as pawns inside and continue to do so. This is to strip the intellectual backing - which is essentially the foundation of the will and determination of the people - from them and to make the people feel that they are unsupported. Can one continue on a path without faith, belief, and conviction in the way they have embarked upon? Everyone must take cultural issues seriously. The manifestation of this assault is the very licentiousness that arises from undermining beliefs, encouraging immoral currents in society, and promoting various forms of corruption. These are matters that all officials of the country must pay close attention to, and they are not limited to cultural officials alone.

Corruption has various forms, and financial and economic corruption is among them. One of the greatest responsibilities of the officials of the country - including the esteemed President - is to pursue financial and economic corruption, which must be included in the government's agenda. Of course, the judiciary and the legislative branch are also responsible in this regard, and fortunately, they are cooperating. This struggle must become serious and manifest itself in practice. The fight against economic and financial corruption is one of the tasks that will also aid in the economic opening of the country. One of the obstacles to the economic progress of the country is the existence of corruption bottlenecks, which must be severely feared and combated. Of course, it is a difficult task. In the context of that eight-point letter I wrote, I told both the esteemed President, the esteemed head of the judiciary, and the esteemed head of the parliament that you should know that the fight against corruption is a serious and real struggle. The corrupt will attack and exert pressure; hence, it is a tough job. To combat the spread of economic and financial corruption, one must don the garment of struggle.

Another form of corruption is moral corruption and the spread of immoral acts. This must also be confronted and fought against. We know well that it is part of Islamic teachings to educate the people about moral virtues and keep them away from immoral acts through explanation and guidance. This is correct in its own right; however, one must confront the spread of immoral acts and the display of them. Islam advises and guides the perpetrator of immorality; however, it also sets limits for them. Mere words and recommendations will not suffice. The power of the system must prevent the spread of vice and corruption. Do not allow the desires of a small group of individuals within society to lead to the corruption of the minds and thoughts of young men and women who have no motivation for corruption. You must stop such individuals. All officials in various sectors of the country are responsible in this regard. Do not allow a few individuals, under the guise of freedom - for which we must truly mourn the abuses of this name - to spread immorality and licentiousness in society. The reaction to this is that some will become disillusioned with the system; just like in the early days of the Constitutional Revolution.

One of the factors that led to the failure of the Constitutional Revolution in Iran was that the religious people, after a while, felt that things were heading towards irreligion. The extensive media uproar at that time, where everyone set their motivation to attack religious sanctities - of course, those who opposed the essence of religion and religious manifestations and beliefs and the clergy in public forums were not many, but their uproar was significant - caused the religious people and scholars who were at the forefront of the Constitutional Revolution to gradually become disheartened and withdraw. When this happened, the movement failed; and the Constitutional Revolution was defeated. After fifteen or sixteen years of the Constitutional Revolution, the dictatorship of Reza Khan emerged. This is very instructive. Where is the tyrant Reza Khan in his boots, and where is the slogan of the Constitutional Revolution? How far apart are these! Why did this happen? Because the confidence and trust of the believing people were lost; they withdrew and left the scene. Officials must not allow such a state to arise among the believers.

Of course, this does not justify that some, under the pretext of having their confidence shaken, break the law. Breaking the law is a crime. Deviating from the law and stepping outside the legal framework to confront anything that seems immoral to a person - without the permission of the government - is itself a crime; except for verbal enjoining of good and forbidding of evil, which we have repeatedly stated is obligatory and a duty for all and is not waived under any circumstances; but when it comes to execution and action, everyone must act according to the laws. Nothing justifies saying that because the law enforcement and the judiciary did not act, we took matters into our own hands; no, the day will come when the people will need to act for an incident, the leadership will explicitly tell them.

I also have a recommendation for other officials and political activists; especially for those who have platforms at their disposal - any platform; from pulpits and newspapers to radio and television, the parliament, Friday prayers, and so on - be careful that political agitation is harmful to the country. The atmosphere must be calm and balanced so that the government and officials can fulfill their duties. In a politically agitated and tense environment, even the simplest ongoing tasks will become difficult. No one should contribute to political agitation. One of the worst flaws for political activists is to seek division and separation and to find excuses against each other. Maintain unity of word. One of the worst actions is for the responsible officials of the system to be undermined by others - merely because they have been given a platform. Criticism is different from destruction. Criticism is good and a blessing. If the government or other officials are not criticized, they will not understand their flaws. Criticism is essentially a gift of their flaws to themselves. Sometimes criticism may be correct, and sometimes it may be incorrect; however, criticizing is different from destroying. Do not destroy the executive branch and the government; do not destroy the judiciary; do not destroy the legislative branch; especially those who are part of this collective; undermining them is a double flaw. You must be united; just as your goals and intellectual foundations are one. It makes no sense that if there is a deficiency or weakness in the government's work, the entire government is insulted, or if someone does not trust a judicial ruling, the judiciary is undermined. The worst behavior towards the judiciary of a country is when someone, because they dislike the issuance and execution of one ruling out of hundreds and thousands of rulings, begins to question and insult the entire judiciary and justice system of the country. One person does not accept one ruling, another does not accept a second ruling, and another does not accept a third ruling; this does not justify insult. Insulting and undermining the legislative branch - whether the parliament or the Guardian Council, which is part of the legislative branch - is against the interests of the nation and is ungrateful towards the people's vote. Everyone must be vigilant.

Today, a great responsibility lies on the shoulders of the officials, which is to express gratitude for this great divine blessing that has been bestowed upon them - the blessing of serving the people - and to be aware that the enemy is lurking behind. The future is also a good one; the shrine is ahead and the forbidden is behind! If you move forward, you will reach lofty goals; but if, God forbid, we become lazy, negligent, slow, or act poorly, we will be attacked by the enemy; there is no middle ground. Today, comprehensive effort is a double and great duty that lies on all of us.

We hope that the Almighty God will continue to bestow His grace upon this great nation; may the pure soul of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) - who is the architect of this lofty edifice - be joined with His saints; may our great martyrs and all the self-sacrificers, the disabled veterans, the freed prisoners, and their families - who have the greatest rights over the Iranian nation and especially over the officials - be joined with the Prophet and his family, and God willing, may this day and this new phase of executive responsibility in the country be blessed for our nation and for those who have taken on responsibilities.