During the meeting, while expressing appreciation for the holding of the congress, Imam Khamenei described the late Ayatollah Milani as a multifaceted figure in terms of his “spiritual,” “moral,” “scholarly,” and “social and political” dimensions, and emphasized:
“Ayatollah Milani was truly the reviver of the Mashhad seminary, and the seminary remains indebted to this late figure.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution described Ayatollah Milani, on a personal level, as an outstanding individual possessing dignity and composure, while at the same time marked by humility, loyalty to friends, spiritual refinement, and an appreciation for poetry.
Referring to his active presence in the social and political developments of the time, Imam Khamenei stated:
“During the early stages of the movement [that resulted in the Islamic Revolution] in the early 1960s, Mr. Milani was truly one of the pillars of the Islamic Movement and was present at the heart of events. His journey to Tehran along with a group of other scholars following the arrest of Imam Khomeini is one example of his influential presence in political affairs.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution also cited Ayatollah Milani’s strong, composed, and firm declarations in support of the Islamic Movement as another example of his effective presence in political affairs, and stated:
“His letter in support of Imam Khomeini after the Imam’s exile to Turkey is a historical document.”
At the conclusion of the meeting, he expressed hope that holding this congress would help introduce the various dimensions of Ayatollah Milani’s personality to the public.
