Khamenei.ir

Within Islamic democracy, relations between people and officials are emotional and religious

One of the characteristics of such democracy is that the relationship between the people and officials is not only based solely on a legal process. Rather, as well as a legal relationship, there is an emotional and religious relationship between them which results from the people's beliefs and religious outlook and their commitment to the principles of the Revolution. This is something which has no equal in the world. We do not know any country in which the relationship between the people and officials is based on such an emotional and religious relationship and on such commitment to principles. This is the thing which guides officials. The honorable president who was formally entrusted today with the heavy and glorious responsibility of presidency should pay attention to the point that the people consider the dear country of Iran as an Islamic country which is based on Islamic principles and teachings. This is why they stand up for it.

People taste democracy in the Islamic Republic

The people tasted democracy in the Islamic Republic. Since the victory of the Islamic Revolution until today, it was the people who played a role in all important events and in all major responsibilities of the country. Eleven presidential elections, nine parliamentary elections and several Assembly of Experts elections and city and village council elections were held. That is to say, during the past 34 years, almost one election was held per year. The people feel that it is they who make decisions about their own fate and about the management and the macro policies of the country. They feel that it is they who supervise and do these things. This is religious democracy.

Our nation did not have a taste of democracy before Islamic victory

Our nation had not tasted democracy before the victory of the Islamic Revolution. From the Constitutional Movement to the victory of the Islamic Revolution, 75 years passed. Out of these 75 years, 55 years belonged to the dictatorship of the Pahlavi dynasty. It was a violent dictatorship which was dependent first on England and then on America , which did not consider what the people wanted. In these 55 years, the country was in the hands of the people who neither paid attention to the fate and interests of our nation nor to the magnificence, greatness and dignity of this country. They only cared about their own interests and the interests of the powers which supported them... since the beginning of the Constitutional Movement until the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the country was under the domination of dictatorship and autocracy, except for a two-year period of time during which a weak national government was formed and that was destroyed by the mutual plots of England and US

Islamic democracy: It's the people who choose, everything pivots around Islam

The fact that in the holy Islamic Republic, executive power is transferred from one servant to another servant of the Revolution with tranquility, peace and friendliness is a very valuable and significant phenomenon. This phenomenon results from Islamic democracy which our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) made the basis for the Islamic Republic with his acumen and wisdom. Everything is in the hands of the people. It is the people who choose and everything pivots around our dear Islam. This is Islamic democracy.

Leader's Speech to Students

Leader Meets with Students

The issue is that the Islamic Republic is standing on its own feet

They are hostile towards a nation that refuses to surrender to their rule, a nation that refuses to act the way they want, a nation whose actions are against their will. Similarly, if governments submit to them and act in an obedient way, they gain their approval. Neither democracy, nor human rights, nor the nuclear issue are important to them. The issue is that the Islamic Republic is standing on its own feet, is relying on its own power, is standing firm by relying on Allah the Exalted and is making progress in different areas. They do not like this, and so be it.

Leader's Speech to Poets

Leader's Speech to Government Officials

`

Leader Meets with Government Officials

Religious democracy is healthy democracy

We have also made progress in political arenas. In the arena of domestic politics, the new model of religious democracy which we have introduced to the world, our elections and the transition of executive and legislative power in the country are among the greatest achievements. Religious democracy is a healthy democracy, without the deceptive measures which are common in the world. I am sorry that many of our youth do not know about the common methods in the world - In America and in Europe - which are used in the arena of elections. These methods are seemingly democratic, but they are non-democratic in nature. Good books have been written in this regard. They have been written by westerners themselves. Our youth should take a look at these books and read them to see how a mayor and a governor in such and such a state is elected, how they become a senator and a president after that and how they are pushed into these arenas. They can see with what tricks these things are done.

Leader Meets with Government Officials

Ayatollah Khamenei the Leader of the Islamic Revolution met Saturday evening with President Ahmadinejad and cabinet members. Speaking at the meeting, His Eminence described the government's effort to give prominence to the slogans of the Revolution in domestic and international arenas as one of the praiseworthy characteristics of the current administration. He expressed his gratitude for the efforts of President Ahmadinejad and his colleagues.

Leader's Speech in Meeting with President Ahmadinejad and Cabinet Members

Leader's Speech at a Quranic Meeting

Leader's Speech in Meeting with Officials of Moshfeq Kashani Commemoration Congress

Leader's Speech in Meeting with Officials of Martyrs of Najafabad National Congress

Leader’s Speech to Judiciary Officials

The following is the full text of the speech delivered on June 26, 2013 by Ayatollah Khamenei the Leader of the Islamic Revolution in a meeting with judiciary officials. The meeting was held on the occasion of the bombing on the 7th of Tir 1360, which led to the martyrdom of Shahid Beheshti and 72 of his companions.

Leader Meets with Judiciary Officials

The nuclear issue would be resolved if the West wasn't so stubborn

The problem with them is that they do not want Iran's nuclear issue to be resolved. If it had not been for their stubbornness, the nuclear issue would have been easily resolved. On many occasions, we came very close to a solution. They signed the agreements. The International Atomic Energy Agency signed the agreements. It admitted that the problems had been eliminated. The documents exist. These things cannot be denied. Well, the issue should have ended. The nuclear file should have been closed. But the Americans immediately created a new problem. They do not want the nuclear issue to end. There are many examples in this regard. Resolving the nuclear issue with the Islamic Republic is an easy and smooth matter due to the nature of the Islamic Republic. However, when the other side does not want this issue to be resolved, the conditions would be no better than they are. Therefore, they should pay attention to this point. In the case of the nuclear issue, the Islamic Republic has acted in a legal and transparent way and it has also been reasonable and logical. However, they believe that the nuclear issue is a good excuse to pressure the Islamic Republic. Even if the nuclear issue were resolved, they would create another issue to pressure the Islamic Republic.

Leader Meets with President-Elect Hassan Rouhani

Leader’s Message on Epic Presence of People in 11th Presidential Elections

The following is the full text of the message issued on June 15, 2013 by Ayatollah Khamenei the Leader of the Islamic Revolution on the occasion of epic presence of the people in the 11th presidential elections.

Leader Votes in Presidential and City and Village Councils Elections

Imam Hussein; a role model for people of all ages

It is a glorious panorama in history which has been presented to the entire humanity. Imam Hussein (a.s.) prepared himself for such a day. Of course, the entire 50-plus-year life of Hussein ibn Ali (a.s.) is a lesson. His childhood is a lesson, his youth is a lesson, his behavior during his imamate is a lesson and his behavior after the martyrdom of Imam Hassan (a.s.) is a lesson. It was not the case that Imam Hussein's (a.s.) responsibility was confined to the last day. However, the event of Karbala enjoys such greatness and brightness that like a sun, it overshadows all the other lights.

Why are the martyrs of Karbala the masters of the martyrs throughout history?

Many people were martyred in the way of God and alongside the Holy Prophet (swa), the Commander of the Faithful (as) and divine prophets But none of these events is comparable to the event of Karbala. There is a difference between a person who enters the arena with the praise and encouragement of friends and companions and with a hope of victory and who is martyred in such conditions... and a person who enters the arena in a dark and gloomy world while not only do all the great personalities of the world of Islam refuse to accompany him, but they also blame him for engaging in battle. The latter enters the arena while there is no hope of assistance from anyone... He enters the arena with a few sincere friends and with his family - including his wife, his sister, his nieces and nephews, his six-month-old son and a few young members of his family - while his friends and supporters in Kufa refuse to accompany him. This is a strange event.

Leader Meets with Ordinary Citizens on Birthday Anniversary of Imam Hussein (a.s.)

Leader's Speech in Meeting with People from Different Social Backgrounds

Leader Meets Participants of 30th International Quran Competitions

Leader's Speech in Meeting with Participants of 30th International Quran Competitions

Great actions face big objections

Be'that was a great and difficult task. The greatness of all tasks depends on the problems and hardships that occur in the middle of the way. Naturally, small tasks and insignificant measures involve minor problems and great tasks involve great problems and challenges. During the auspicious life of the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) - whether when he was in Mecca or when he was in Medina - there were constant and various interferences against this divine invitation. This is not particular to our Holy Prophet (s.w.a.). All prophets and all missions were faced with such confrontations. Of course, for our Holy Prophet (s.w.a.), these confrontations were heavier, more serious and more comprehensive: "And thus did We make for every prophet an enemy, the shaitans from among men and jinn, some of them suggesting to others varnished falsehood to deceive (them)" [the Holy Quran, 6: 112]. "The shaitans from among men and jinn" help one another against the divine invitation and against the path of human happiness: "To such (deceit) let the hearts of those incline, who have no faith in the hereafter: let them delight in it, and let them earn from it what they may" [The Holy Quran, 6: 113]. That is to say, ignorant and simple-minded people, who have no wisdom and no insight, accept these hostile calls and these oppositions against the divine invitation and against prophets. This began since the era of the emergence of be'that and the divine message and it continued, in different forms, until the end of the auspicious life of the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.). After the demise of the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) too, this opposition continued to prevail until the present era. Wherever there is invitation to the Truth, there is the opposition of shaitans as well. Wherever there is the path of prophets, there is opposition to this path as well.

Leader Meets Officials and Ambassadors of Islamic Countries on the Occasion of Mab’ath