Statements of the Supreme Leader in the Gathering of 'Islamic Consultative Assembly Representatives'

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

Dear brothers and sisters; welcome. We are pleased that, thanks be to God, another year has passed for our honorable Islamic Assembly, carrying more pride and honor. I had presented some remarks to the honorable representatives from the beginning of this term until now, and as I followed and pursued the issues of the Assembly and gained information, I am grateful to God that we witnessed those brotherly and sincere recommendations being diligently pursued in the Assembly. The first result is that today, thanks be to God, the people feel at ease with the Islamic Consultative Assembly. How good it is that when they turn on the radio or read the newspapers and become informed of the discussions, they find nothing that would cause distress to sincere hearts. This is one of the blessings of the Fourth Assembly. We hope, God willing, that the situation of the Assembly will improve and become more complete in this direction day by day.

As I feel as an observer of the country's issues, if the Islamic Consultative Assembly possesses four characteristics, it will be in its true position. Thanks be to God, today, as far as we can see, the Assembly has these characteristics. However, it is possible to add more to these characteristics and be vigilant. These four characteristics are, firstly, a sense of responsibility. Secondly, independence. Thirdly, courage. Fourthly, wisdom and the application of thought, knowledge, and expertise.

In this country, for decades, the name of constitutionalism existed; however, during the reigns of the disgraceful, harmful, and humiliating Pahlavi dynasty over Iran, the Assembly was virtually non-existent, except for that brief period when the late Ayatollah Kashani and the national movement made a move and the Assembly revived. Otherwise, for the rest of those fifty years, whatever it was, it was a name without substance; an appearance without essence and meaning.

This is from that fifty-year period. Nearly twenty years before that fifty-year period, in this country, there was constitutionalism which, altogether, with closures, blockades, bombardments, and so on, approximately four terms, the National Consultative Assembly established at the beginning of constitutionalism, functioned. The history of those assemblies is very instructive, and indeed, every single Iranian nation, to know what the Islamic Republic and the Islamic Revolution have given to this country and this nation, must read that past. Until we know how we were, we will not know what we have today. In those early years, as long as the Assembly was not yet under the influence of the Sultan, the commander, the state, the kingdom, and the foreign embassy, it was an Assembly that, despite being primitive, had its impact on the country's affairs. Wherever there was a slight sign of foreign domination, that Assembly stood with full power. There was the Russian ultimatum, the Assembly stood. There was borrowing from foreigners, the Assembly stood. There was the Vosough-od-Dowleh treaty, the Assembly stood. People like Modarres were more or less present in that Assembly. Those who, over time, showed they could not always remain like Modarres and be like Modarres, under the shadow of the presence of independent, faithful men like Modarres, Khiabani, and others, gave a real popular state to that Assembly.

This is from those first two periods where the situation was like this. After the influence of foreign policies in the same Assembly, with the same people, the situation reached the point where the Prime Minister after the coup - Hassan Moshir-od-Dowleh Pirnia - when he presented his cabinet to the National Consultative Assembly and the Assembly rejected one or two of his ministers, he told the Assembly: 'Our southern neighbor [meaning England!] wishes these two to be in the cabinet,' and the Assembly voted! Merely because of the false desire of the southern neighbor, two initially rejected ministers gained the Assembly's vote. However, because England was the usurper of India and Bahrain and had a presence in the Persian Gulf, it was called the 'southern neighbor,' and even during the Pahlavi era, England was called the southern neighbor! That country, located in Europe and thousands of kilometers away from Iran, was called a 'neighbor'! Because this false, uninvited neighbor wished that two of its desired individuals be in the mentioned cabinet, neither Moshir-od-Dowleh was ashamed to tell the Assembly that 'the southern neighbor wishes these two to be,' nor was the Assembly ashamed to accept the presence of two ministers it did not want because of the southern neighbor's desire. The same Assembly that had previously stood against the Russian ultimatum and the Vosough-od-Dowleh treaty and other matters, reached this point!

I have noted the instances where the first and second Assemblies stood firm, which probably reach ten or close to ten instances. That Assembly was one that stood firm; it invigorated the nation and also strengthened the governments. Although the governments of that day were inherently weak and sickly, and many of them had a mental structure that was essentially structured to pay tribute to the Western bullies; however, ultimately, this Assembly preserved them as much as possible. This Assembly, which remained proud in history because of those early periods, gradually reached the point where some of its representatives dared not oppose! Some did not attend sessions they thought were problematic. Unless when you did not attend, does your responsibility disappear?! You are a representative and must feel responsible.

Some of them boasted that they were not present in the session where the Iranian monarchy was given to the corrupt and disgraceful Pahlavi family! While they should have been there and opposed. Some were dependent and lacked independence. They had courage; but they used that courage in the wrong and unjust direction. Their pockets and bellies were filled with unlawful wealth. The greed for bribes, the greed for reaching positions, the greed for the help of someone who might take power or is in power today, confused them so much that they did not understand what responsibility was. There was no sense of responsibility, no independence, no courage, no awareness, and wisdom, and it reached that point. Otherwise, if constitutionalism at the beginning had aligned with the desires of the real, sincere, and faithful leaders of that movement - who undoubtedly the greatest of them were the great scholars - and anyone who denies this truth denies the necessities and obvious facts. As some deny and today write history for our past and deny the truths - had progressed, our country would not have lagged behind the caravan for fifty years in the most sensitive junctures of world history. We lost fifty years. We, the Iranian nation, suffered due to the dominance of that ignorant bully and his family, children, relatives, and companions; that is, the dominance of the dominant powers over this country - which in the last half-century before the victory of the revolution were the British and then the Americans - and also due to the shortcomings of the Assembly, we suffered and incurred losses.

The Assembly could have prevented this loss from the beginning. When you look at the history of the constitutional period, you see that wherever the Assembly showed power, everyone was forced to correct their ways and methods in the face of that power. Therefore, the enemy infiltrated the Assembly of that time: 'That is a nation that has passed away; it will have what it earned, and you will have what you earned.' These are lessons.

Today, our Assembly, thanks be to God, is an exemplary Assembly in the world. When one looks among the representatives of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, one sees pure, virtuous, popular faces, people of piety, people of knowledge, people of awareness, people of expertise, people of struggle, with eloquent language and courage. Today, our Assembly, thanks be to God, does not create any concern or anxiety in anyone who is fair. But you must be vigilant; because this is a trust in your hands. The continuation of events must be correct: 'And if they had remained on the right way, We would have given them abundant water.' Perseverance on the path is necessary. The path must be followed correctly and continuously. Otherwise, if we walked well and correctly for a few days, but then abandoned it, it is of no use. Today, the responsibility of the Assembly is to establish a foundation, to do something, and to show a manner that if in the future, a representative or representatives want to act contrary to this manner, like a healthy temperament that expels a foreign body in some way, the Assembly also expels that inappropriate and unsuitable member. You must lay this foundation today. The enemies are awake, and we must also be awake; just as, thanks be to God, we have been awake until today. Today, our nation is awake, our government is awake, our Assembly is awake, and the judicial officials of the country are awake. Today, everyone, thanks be to God, is alert; but today's alertness is not enough. You must ensure that this alertness and this divine service continue. In 'Dua Kumayl,' the phrases we read are lessons for us: 'Strengthen my limbs in Your service, and fortify my determination in Your service, and grant me earnestness in Your fear and continuity in connection with Your service.' This continuity is necessary, and the connection to the service of the Lord must be continuous. This is a lesson for us. Thanks be to God, the Assembly has had a good manner. What I consider necessary at this juncture is that no slight action that might give hope to the enemy should emanate from the centers of responsibility.

We do not concern ourselves with irresponsible people. The government and the Assembly must move shoulder to shoulder. The Assembly must assist the government, and this is not specific to today. In all periods, it is such that if the representatives of the people do not assist the governments, the governments cannot function. The Assembly is the center of legislation. The reins are in the hands of the Assembly. The brake is under the feet of the Assembly. If a government is moving and you apply the brake, naturally, it cannot move. If there is negligence in guiding the government, a good result will not be achieved. Guidance must be carried out, and the independence previously mentioned must exist. Of course, the enemy may magnify anything small tenfold and sometimes a hundredfold. But, thanks be to God, the Assembly supports the government; the government is also moving in the direction of the Assembly's legislation.

Administering the country is a difficult task. I had seen people come to Imam, may God's mercy be upon him, and complain about some situations. One would say taxes are like this, another would say in such and such a place, the municipality acted in such a way, the governorship did such and such, and similar matters. I often saw Imam ponder and then say to that person: 'Sir! Administering the country is hard.'

The point is that in the realm of imagination, description, and speaking, many things can be done; but when you enter, the difficulties reveal themselves. We must be fair. We must see if the work the doer is engaged in, if we had it before us, would we have done it better, more smoothly, and without problems or not? This must always be considered. Of course, mistakes and errors that often occur in the second and third levels of government should not be defended at all. If someone has made a mistake, it must be pointed out to them, and no one should defend it.

Thanks be to God, our President is a knowledgeable, aware, and time-conscious scholar, skilled in administering the country, possessing some exceptional abilities - among those we know - and attentive to affairs. The representatives' reminders will also help. The tools that the law has given you, such as reminders, questions, and the like, are at your disposal. These are the most important legislative tools that tell the government 'go this way, don't go that way,' and the government is obliged to obey. With these tools, you can completely prevent mistakes and errors.

Today, when it is the turn of one of the most difficult tasks, namely construction, the situation is very sensitive. Destroying is much easier than building. There is a difference between someone who wants to demolish a crooked building and someone who wants to establish a sound and stable structure. Destroying is a two-day task; but establishing and building may not be achieved even in two years. Therefore, it is a difficult time and a difficult task. The enmities of foreign enemies are also serious. You see a corner of those enmities in the enemy's propaganda.

Of course, you honorable representatives may also have access to confidential news. In this case, you see how much the enemy tries to prevent the Islamic Republic from achieving its set goals. In such conditions, thanks be to God, this lively, faithful, committed, aware, duty-conscious, and courageous Assembly; that capable, powerful government, skilled in the country's affairs, and that experienced President in all fields, have shown their presence in numerous areas of work. We must, God willing, move forward with speed and power.

Nothing should hinder a correct movement. The people of the country are also, indeed, very good people. Truly, awareness, forbearance, patience, wisdom, and depth in our people are extraordinary characteristics. The people see all the enmities, understand all the responsibilities, comprehend all the services that the devoted individuals perform, and endure the difficulties. These are very valuable. With these people, with this country, with this government, and with this Assembly, God willing, things should become smoother and without problems day by day.

Thanks be to God, the internal situation of the Assembly and its administration is very good. Truly, I have, on numerous occasions, out of satisfaction, thanked the Almighty Lord that, thanks be to God, the internal situation of the Assembly, its management, and the quality of its work, while there is effort, activity, discussion, and exchange of views and ideas - just as Imam, may God's mercy be upon him, always wished and said: like scholarly debates - and rigor in reaching the right matters exists, but thanks be to God, there is no rivalry, entrapment, and effort to undermine individuals and groups in the Assembly. This is very valuable.

We hope, God willing, that all of you brothers and sisters will be successful. God willing, the honorable Speaker of the Assembly - who, thanks be to God, has been re-elected as this luminous figure - and the rest of the honorable gentlemen who bear responsibilities in the Assembly, all of you will be successful and supported, and may God increase His blessings upon you day by day. God willing, you will be under the blessed prayers of the Remainder of God, may our souls be sacrificed for him, and may God hasten his noble reappearance, and be pleasing to the view of our honorable Imam and his pure soul.

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