Statements of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution at the Inauguration Ceremony of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

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

Today, by the grace and favor of God, is a blessed day for the Iranian nation. The mercy of the Lord is the worthy reward for the struggles of the Iranian people. Our dear nation has once again, like in previous instances, powerfully demonstrated its presence at the necessary time and moment of need. As a servant of the nation, I feel it is my duty to sincerely thank all the individuals of this dear and great nation once again and to express my gratitude to the Almighty God and His gracious favors for the success granted to our nation, and I bow in gratitude at the threshold of the Lord.

The great blessing of the people's presence is a gift of the revolution to us. Centuries passed in our country; governments came and went without the people having the slightest role in determining these governments and choosing them. The revolution opened the field for our people. Democracy in our country is a true democracy based on faith. It is out of a sense of religious duty that people enter the electoral arena and choose according to their own judgment, casting their votes into the ballot box.

The ninth election, like previous elections, was, thanks be to God, held with enthusiasm, integrity, and pride. Of course, the enemies of our nation - who must be called the enemies of Islam - are unwilling to acknowledge the existence of this healthy democracy. They have tried in every way to make the elections lackluster. The propagandists affiliated with centers of power filled the atmosphere with various tones of opposition to the elections long before the elections; they tried to discourage the people; they sought to dissuade the people from participating in this arena of honor and pride. The latest of these was the audacious and foolish move by the President of the United States, who explicitly advised our people not to participate in the elections the day before the elections! Our nation demonstrated its independence, intelligence, courage, compassion, and commitment to national interests once again, just as in previous instances.

Truly and justly, in the face of the vigilance and timeliness of this nation, one feels humility and submission. This nation is a brave, awake, faithful, and motivated nation; let the enemies of this nation say whatever they want. This nation has found its path and is advancing with high determination. The leaders of global arrogance did not cease their efforts to tarnish the image of the elections in Iran even after the elections. An American official said, "We do not accept Iranian democracy!" This kind of issuing decisions about nations is a despicable and vile arrogant trait that, unfortunately, today the Great Satan is afflicted with. The Iranian nation does not accept their democracy either. What honor can there be in a democracy where the money of Zionist capitalists speaks first, and what can it teach the people of the world?

True democracy is a people’s rule that arises from religion and faith. The motivation of the people arises from religion, from a sense of responsibility, and from a sense of national and religious duty; thus, they enter the field and choose their option among various candidates. The President who comes to power with such votes owes nothing to anyone except God and the people; this is the meaning of democracy. Our dear nation should appreciate this divine blessing; they should stand firm on it and maintain their influence and presence in various arenas of determining the policies of the country and selecting high-ranking managers.

Our esteemed President today expressed good words. Emphasis on justice is the most fundamental and central principle of a divine movement; it is the continuation of the work of all the prophets and great reformers in history. Of course, justice has its enemies. All those whose bread is in injustice are enemies of justice. All those who are nourished by bullying and tyranny - whether in the national arena or the international arena - oppose justice. Justice has been and remains the main slogan and great goal of the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic system.

Some want to accuse and condemn justice under the guise of extremism. Justice is not extremism; it is truth-seeking; it is attention to the rights of all people; it is preventing favoritism; it is preventing the violation and transgression of the rights of the oppressed. In a country, many people can be found who, if the responsible legal apparatus does not assist them, will be trampled in the waves of various conflicts. The duty of a just government is to pay special attention to the deprived classes. Justice should not be considered extremism or opposition to scientific methods. By using all scientific methods and with prudence, justice can be established in society.

The goals that have been raised are lofty goals. These goals are achievable through continuous movement, through constant work and effort, by employing all the capable and enthusiastic forces that, thanks be to God, are abundant in our country. However, one should not rush. I advise the esteemed President to avoid haste; ideals should be pursued with seriousness, but no kind of haste should be created; I also advise our dear people not to apply haste in their requests. The esteemed and serving government should move in the direction of the quality that has been approved in the twenty-year vision document and the policies that have been announced - which aim for justice, public welfare, scientific and technical development, and comprehensive justice - in this direction. Achieving these lofty goals is not out of reach. With effort, with reliance on God, with dependence on the people, and by utilizing the enthusiastic forces that, thanks be to God, are abundant in our young society, these goals can be achieved.

Utilizing scientific methods is necessary. Of course, science should not be confused with imported prescriptions, most of which are outdated; whether in the field of economics, cultural issues, or various fields. Some wish that today we consider the outdated and obsolete Western prescriptions as our remedy. No, advanced methods, new methods, and relying on understanding and the needs of Iranians, utilizing science, and paying attention to domestic needs and the requirements of the country can show us the right path and advance us. We must seriously pursue our movement in the field of science; we must work on the connection between science and industry and technology; we must strive and think about finding equitable distribution methods for resources; we must choose the best, easiest, and most practical methods and enter seriously.

The expectation of the people from the government and the elected President is that they strive and work diligently. My impression - based on the understanding I have gained over this time of the feelings of the people - is that the people wish to see effort, work, decisiveness, and seriousness in the actions of the officials.

Sometimes results take time to materialize. Some goals are not achieved in one or two years; continuous effort is required. As long as the people see that the high-ranking official of the country and other officials are working and striving, they will be pleased and satisfied. The people need work from us; they demand service and have expectations; and their right is justified.

In the field of international politics, as previous governments have announced and will continue to do so, the Iranian nation is a peace-seeking nation. The Iranian nation has no intention of hostility with any nation. You can see that in the history of the Islamic Republic and even in the past history of the Iranian nation, the wars that have occurred have always been in defense of their borders, their rights, and their independence. We have not attacked any country or nation; we have powerfully defended our rights and will continue to do so. All the powerful and arrogant forces of the world - especially the Great Satan, America - should know that the Iranian nation will not pay tribute to any power. The officials of the country have no right to disregard the rights of the nation. We do not have such a right. Our position is to defend the rights of the nation; therefore, we must defend their political and economic rights; we must maintain their rightful place in today’s world and in international relations. Thanks be to God, the Islamic Republic system has shown that it has this capability. Our nation today has a distinguished and rightful position both in the international arena and in the global scene, and this will only increase day by day.

We respect our neighbors and advocate for brotherly and sincere relations with neighboring countries as well as with brotherly and Muslim countries and friendly countries in this region and other regions. The Iranian nation will not use its power and authority to weaken other nations and countries; it will use it to preserve its own interests and, by the grace and favor of God, will act powerfully in this regard.

I advise the esteemed President brotherly; in all situations, maintain the same feeling of service to the people that you expressed today. Power, if aimed at serving the people, is worship. Perhaps there is no worship greater than the worship of an official who, for the sake of striving and serving the people, gives up his own comfort, peace, and security. This spirit of service, humility, and recognition of the greatness of the people should be preserved, for it is a great blessing. Do not be heedless of God for a moment. These successes are granted to us by the grace and mercy of God. We must make ourselves worthy of the mercy and increasing favors of God. By remembering God, relying on God, and with sincerity in action, we must be able to attract divine mercy. If divine mercy is attracted, all problems will become easy, and obstacles will be removed from the path. If we work sincerely for the sake of God, the Almighty God will help us.

If the aim of power becomes material interests, power will be the greatest burden and calamity for a person. Those who seek power, position, and rank for their own benefit, to fill their own pockets and their own worldly desires, when their interests conflict with the interests of the people, cannot work for the benefit of the people. Power, in itself, is neither a blessing nor a curse; if it is for God and for service, it is a blessing; if it is for material gains and the satisfaction of human desires, it becomes a curse.

The Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) said to Ibn Abbas: "The intrinsic value of government for me is less than this patched shoe - except that I establish a right." Only then does power gain value. The Commander of the Faithful rises to fight against the opponents of this power. Power that is for justice and truth is valuable; it is a blessing from God; however, Satan must not lead us into the delusion of our desires. We must not mistakenly place our desires in the place of ideals and justify ourselves. We should listen to the criticisms and faults that are pointed out to us and correct ourselves so that when we meet the Almighty God, we can have an excuse - we who are not free from faults and shortcomings - to say, "O Lord! We strived and struggled, and we did what we could; this was the result." If the intention is pure, this will be possible. If the intention is not pure, it is difficult for a person to answer for the many injustices that occur in a society, and the high-ranking officials of the country - myself and other officials - inevitably share in the responsibility.

I feel it is necessary to sincerely thank our previous President - our dear Mr. Khatami - and his colleagues. In these eight years, Mr. Khatami and his colleagues made valuable efforts and provided services. All previous governments also made efforts. Today, our country has many preparations; it has gained abundant capacities; these capacities can be multiplied several times and used for the benefit of the people and to alleviate poverty and deprivation. Work and effort, combating corruption, and continuous service and effort are the secrets that will, God willing, secure all of this for us.

O Lord! Bestow Your successes upon the esteemed President and the officials who will take over the administration of the government. O Lord! Grant victory to the Iranian nation in all arenas. O Lord! Make all that we have said, all that we have done, and all that is in our intentions, for You and in Your way. O Lord! Unite the pure soul of our dear Imam - who was the driving force behind this great movement, that great soul - with Your prophets and saints. O Lord! Unite our dear martyrs with the martyrs of the early Islam and grant their families a worthy reward of honor.

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