The following is the full text of the speech delivered on February 25, 2010 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with the chairman and members of the Assembly of Experts.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
First of all, I would like to thank you honorable gentlemen, who are the foundations of the country, for taking the trouble to be present in this important meeting and for making these statements. I hope that Allah the Exalted bestows success on you. I hope that He makes all of us succeed in carrying out our responsibilities.
I would like to express my condolences to all you dear brothers and colleagues of Mr. Faker on his demise. I express regret for losing a diligent, zealous, energetic and hard-working personality. I have witnessed his activities and his endurance of prison since the year 1342. In the year 1342, Mr. Faker and I were co-prisoners in Mashhad. I hope that God raises his position.
As it has been pointed out many times, the issue of experts and Assembly of Experts is a very important and exceptional issue. It is one of the privileges of the Islamic Republic. The experts of this Assembly are considered to be a group of well-known ulama who are respected and trusted by the people on all issues, particularly on the very important issue of Leadership, choosing Leadership and other issues which are related to it.
This influential and sensitive presence among the people has had and continues to have its own results and blessings. The people do not show their presence in great and important events and they do not adopt a position if ulama and the people's spiritual guides, who are trusted by them, do not attract their hearts to the truths of this Revolution. An example of the presence of the people in such events is the 22nd of Bahman rallies. Considering these conditions and circumstances, it is really a great event in the history of the Revolution. Another example is the presence of all the people throughout the country on the 9th of Dey which is an event before the 22nd of Bahman.
The role of religious scholars in guiding the people is not confined to peripheral, personal and other such issues. Their most important role is guiding the people on great social issues and on the issue of government and the Islamic Republic. Besides, the issue of government involves certain responsibilities in the face of global events. Without a doubt, if the role of religious scholars and guides had been omitted and if it had not existed, then this Revolution would not have been conducted, this system would not have been formed and it would not have survived considering all the problems that the enemies created for this Revolution. Therefore, religious scholars - the best of whom are members of the Assembly of Experts - have a permanent and everlasting role in the events and fate of society. Thankfully, we are witnessing the results of their role.
The Islamic government is based on obeying God. This is the main distinction: "Obey Allah and obey the Messenger" [The Holy Quran, 4: 59] and "If you love Allah, then follow me. Allah will love you and forgive you your faults" [The Holy Quran, 3: 31]. Therefore, the basis of the Islamic government is obeying Allah the Exalted.
Obeying Allah the Exalted has certain levels and stages: one case is obedience. In certain cases, Allah the Exalted says that we should carry out certain tasks although they may be related to personal issues such as saying prayers, fasting, paying zakat and other such tasks. This is one kind of obedience in which one obeys the divine commands to do or not to do something.
Another kind of obedience which is more important than this is linear obedience. It means that a group of people should obey the guidelines and the roadmap that Allah the Exalted specifies so that this roadmap can be implemented. It cannot be implemented with individual actions. This is a different and more important matter. It requires collaborative work so that this divine roadmap and this divine plan can be implemented in Islamic society.
For example, the Muslims in Makkah used to carry out their responsibilities, but Islamic society in Makkah was different from Islamic society in Madina in which the Islamic government was formed. In this government, a new measure was adopted and a supra-personal movement was launched. Such measures and movements are necessary. If this is achieved, then the people will eat "from above them, and from beneath their feet there is a party of them keeping to the moderate course" [The Holy Quran, 5: 66]. If this is achieved, then we will have a good and happy life and we will witness the positive results of obeying divine commands.
The Islamic government offers happiness to human beings. The Islamic government means a government which is based on divine plans and roadmaps in society. If this roadmap is implemented, many individual, personal and unimportant wrongdoings can be forgiven. There is a well-known narration which quotes a qudsi hadith: "I will punish any group of Muslims who follow an oppressive ruler who has not been sanctioned by God even if they are pious and do good deeds". And the opposite situation is: "And I will forgive any group of Muslims who follow a ruler who guides them under God's order even if they are oppressive and commit sins" [Bihar al-Anwar, Volume 25, page 110]. This means that individual sins and wrongdoings can be forgiven - or more exactly - corrected in a great social system in which the general movement moves in the right direction because this system can help individuals reach their goals.
On the contrary, if individuals adopt the right course of action, but social relations and the social system are wrong, oppressive, non-divine, satanic and based on selfishness, then individual actions cannot help this society to achieve its goals. In such circumstances, individual actions cannot help society to achieve what brings about happiness on the basis of divine sharia. Therefore, the issue of obeying, pursuing, finding and following up the divine line has great significance.
The Islamic government is based on monotheism. The main basis is monotheism. Another important basis is the issue of justice. Another important basis is the issue of respecting people, their dignity, their votes and the like. Well, if we look at our own Islamic government with such an outlook, we will see that the Islamic Republic has managed to launch a great movement in the world of Islam for this exceptional group of people. It was not possible to launch this movement with any individual move. That is to say, when we look at today's world of Islam, we will see that the society which has been established on the basis of divine plans is the Islamic Republic.
Therefore, the basis is the divine basis. Of course, there are certain shortcomings and weaknesses. These weaknesses should be made up for, corrected and improved. This is like a train on a railroad which is moving towards a particular destination. It is evident that inside this train, there are some people who carry out their responsibilities and there are some people who do not. Inside this train, some people make the floor dirty and produce waste. Some people take care of their responsibilities and some do not. However, this train is moving towards the destination and it will undoubtedly reach it.
The trivial issues inside society can be resolved. When I say "trivial", it does not mean that such issues are insignificant. They are significant, but what I mean is that individual, personal and peripheral issues which are related to individuals can be resolved. The basis for us is to preserve the system. This has been the main challenge of the Islamic government from the first day until today. From the first day, the basis has been to preserve the Islamic government, this system and those borders and characteristics which distinguish this system from other systems in the world.
We have certain similarities with others. We have certain common points with them, but what forms the main identity of this system - which is obeying Allah the Exalted and moving on the divine path - should be preserved. This has been the main and the real challenge of our system from the beginning. Opponents do not tolerate the Islamic Republic - this movement which is based on divine obligations and the divine religion. Why do they not tolerate it? Some people know with their deep and careful look that the Islamic Republic is a challenge to all materialistic systems. This is why they confront it.
Besides, some people look at the performance of the Islamic Republic. As Imam (r.a.) said, Hezbollah nuclei should be formed throughout the world of Islam. They see that these nuclei have been formed. They see that hearts have been attracted towards Islam. They see that a feeling of Islamic identity has been engendered in each and every Muslim in many parts of the world of Islam and this threatens their materialistic interests. In any case, they know that this identity originates in our country and therefore, they confront and oppose it. We really know no other political system which is faced with such serious hostility and against which the camp of arrogance has formed such union. This has existed from the beginning of the Revolution until today.
Therefore, we should make efforts to strengthen and preserve this system. The bases of the Islamic Republic are clear and known. Everyone should move forward according to these bases and everyone should make efforts, move forward, take action and show innovation in order to strengthen them.
One of the issues is the role and the presence of the people. This is a very important issue. One of the manifestations of this issue is elections. In the Islamic Republic, elections is a real and genuine issue. It is not merely a formality and a nominal process. It is not the case that we want to copy others through elections. It is not the case that we want to have elections just because others have it in the name of democracy. This is not the case. Elections is a real process for seeking the people's opinions and gaining their satisfaction. This is the same as the Commander of the Faithful's (God's peace and greetings be upon him) command to Malik al-Ashtar: "Prefer the satisfaction of the masses of the people to the anger of aristocrats and do not be afraid of their anger for the sake of gaining the satisfaction of the masses of the people".
We should look and see what the people say and what they want. The presence of our people has certain blessings. One of the blessings is that when the enemies look and see that the people are behind the Islamic Republic, they will feel that they cannot confront this system because it is not possible to confront a people. It is possible to weaken or uproot a system with different kinds of pressures such as economic pressures, different propaganda tools and psychological warfare. But when the people form the root and when this system and its officials are connected to the people, then the enemy's job will be difficult, as it has already become difficult and you can see it.
Enmities have become deeper, more complex and broader in scope compared to the beginning of the Revolution. However, the enemy's hope to break the Revolution has decreased. That is to say, today the enemies of the Islamic Republic do not have the same hope that they had 20, 30 years ago for destroying this system or weakening it in a way that it cannot continue its movement. One can clearly understand this from their statements, their measures and their behavior. Therefore, the issue of the presence of the people is important and one of the most important sign of the presence of the people is elections.
In the post-election fitnas, the basis of the issue was that the people's votes and presence was denied and opposed by some people and this led to rejecting and slandering the Islamic Republic. This was the great sin that they committed. They should have given up. When elections are held according to the criteria which exist in Islam - later on, I will refer to a number of the criteria and standards which are valid to us and which are based on the viewpoints of Islam - one should submit to the law and its judgment. Also, one should submit to the judgment of the person which the law chooses. If the law chooses a judge or a way of judgment on an important issue like the issue of elections, people should submit to it although they may not like it. This is a healthy election.
If elections are held like this - that is to say, according to the standards of the Islamic government - then, theyhave these characteristics: first, elections respect the people's votes, choice and satisfaction. I would tell you that in the elections that are held in the world of democracy - this world raises the flag of democracy - what does not exist is satisfaction of the people. Elections are a formality in this world.
In fact, most of the elections which are held in this world are like this. The elections in America are like this. The same is true of well-known democratic countries in the world. Behind the people who enter the arena of elections and who launch election campaigns, there are certain groups from among the camp of the privileged - that is to say, capitalists, owners of cartels, financial powers and great financial cliques.
It is these people who manage the affairs and channel the people's votes with deceptive propaganda and with different methods. In fact, the issue is about the owners of companies, not about the people's votes. Election is a fantasy in such countries. In fact, the democratic government in these countries is the government of the minorities and the government of the privileged whose privileges and prominence is because of their numerous financial resources. It is these people who formulate policies.
This is not the case in the elections that are held in the Islamic Republic. In our country, it is the people who are making the decisions. It is they who are choosing. It is possible that this decision is correct or wrong in different cases, but the issue is not about this. It is the people who are the decision-makers. There is no powerful and wealthy mob behind the votes of the people. In our elections, it is the people's votes and decisions which are respected and we should give in to their decisions. This is one issue.
Another issue about elections and its significance is the healthy competition and the popular enthusiasm that exist in it. Elections is what makes people feel that they have responsibilities and that they should make a decision and enter the arena. Popular enthusiasm pumps new blood into the veins of the Islamic Republic and it gives it fresh impetus.
Management involves change. One of the greatest advantages of election is that it prevents stagnation. The best form for the continuation of a social system is that it should enjoy change as well as stability. Stagnation is bad, but stability is good. Stability means firm establishment. It means that this framework and this structure manages to stay where it is, preserve itself and remain rooted. As the same time, this framework should enjoy development, competition and challenge.
This is the best form for the Islamic Republic's ark to move in stormy seas without any anxiety. "So the Ark floated with them on the waves towering like mountains" [The Holy Quran, 11: 42]. This is about Noah's Ark. The Ark moves forward amid different waves, but these heavy waves cannot upset its balance and make it topple. This balance and steadiness should exist. Of course, there is change and development in this steadiness and in this framework as well.
Therefore, all changes should occur within this framework. If someone enters the arena of election campaign, but wants to change the framework, they have broken the laws of the Islamic Republic and electoral laws. This is wrong. This is not correct. Everything should be within the framework of the system and this framework is not changeable.
In elections, it is necessary to highlight the borderlines of the Islamic Republic with its opponents and enemies. It is possible that candidates have two different viewpoints about a social or economic issue. There is nothing wrong with this and they can express their viewpoints. However, they should draw borders with the opposing viewpoints. They should determine the border. This is necessary.
We have stressed the necessity of drawing borders many times. This is because if borders are weakened and undermined, this will mislead the people. This is like geographical borders. If our borders are weakened and undermined, some people can enter the country with treacherous intentions and without being recognized. And some people can get out of the country without knowing that they are doing so.
Therefore, great emphasis should be placed on the issue of borders. The big mistake of those people who do not observe the issue of borders during elections is that they cause trouble for the people and shock them. The borders of the Islamic Republic with its opponents and enemies should be drawn and highlighted in a clear way. Besides, everyone should announce their enmity towards the opponents of the Islamic Republic.
In elections, the interests of the Islamic Republic and the country should be preferred to partisan, personal and other such interests. Besides, opinions should be clear and definite. It should be clear what candidates want. If such an election is held, this will undoubtedly be to the advantage of the Islamic Republic, the progress of the country and the people. Such an election keeps the Islamic Republic alive and enthusiastic and it helps it move forward.
I would like to tell you that fortunately today, the general conditions of the Islamic Republic are not at all at a lower level compared to the past. On the contrary, the conditions are much betterin many cases. This should receive attention. This is not a figment of imagination and it is not a mere desire. Rather, it is based on realities.
As you can see today, we do not benefit from the warm breath of our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) and the event of the war during which the people were enthusiastic and dynamic. We are 31 years away from the beginning of the Revolution. Nonetheless, you can see that a large number of youth from among our people - of course, those who are not young have a significant role as well -show their presence in different arenas with complete purity and honesty despite the fact thatthey are exposed to moral and intellectual threats and to different deviations. They show their presence in universities, outside universities and in social arenas.
Youth are mostly present in the great rallies which are held. You have witnessed an exceptional example of this on the 22nd of Bahman, whether in Tehran or in other cities. The way we saw it on TV and according to our information from those people who saw these rallies up close, most of the participants were young. Most of the people in these rallies were young. Well, what does this show? It shows that the people have a sense of responsibility and that they enter the arena. This sense of responsibility of the people - particularly of the youth - even after the passage of 31 year is a very great event. It is a very great event.
Why did the people participate in this year's 22nd of Bahman rallies more warmly and in larger numbers than last year? It is because they felt danger. They saw that some people are confronting and attacking the Islamic Republic and that they are damaging its principles with the excuse of elections and post-election issues. Their dangerous behavior was that they sometimes mentioned the name of Imam (r.a.), the Revolution and the Islamic Republic, but their statements, actions, measures and moves were the exact opposite of revolutionary methods, behavior and goals. The people felt this.
The fact that the people understand and feel this shows that they have great foresight. This is very important. And the fact that having felt this, the people had such participation in the arena shows their great determination and willpower. We should see such things, we should appreciate their value and we should know what factors caused this. The factors are the people's piety and the main standard of the Islamic Republic which is obeying the God of the universe. In my opinion, this is the main issue.
Today, we are faced with a great camp of enmity throughout the world of powers. This is a camp which has been formed in centers of international, financial and economic power and it is mostly in the hands of Zionists and great capitalists. This camp uses all tools against the Islamic Republic and unfortunately, some people inside the country react positively to these people. Some people are their trusted agents and echo their statements. However, against this camp, there is the people's awakening, awareness, motivation, presence, piety and interest in the principles and bases of the Islamic Republic. These are truths that exist in the Islamic Republic and through which we moved forward. We thank God that we have managed to move forward over the course of these many years.
Today, our responsibility is to preserve this great structure. This should be preserved. In order to preserve this structure, we should draw borders. These are the areas where we should draw borders. Of course, it is possible that there are certain differences of opinion on other issues - whether issues which are of secondary importance or issues which are at a lower level. These differences of opinion do not harm society. On the contrary, they lead to progress. These differences of opinion are not important. Of course, they may influence election campaigns, but there is nothing wrong with this.
What is important is the basis, the general structure and the comprehensive plan of the Islamic Republic. This should receive attention and we should be sensitive towards it. We should see in what condition the statements that are made and the tasks that are carried out arecompared to this general plan.
Enmities should be known. This is our problem. This is the reason why I repeatedly speak about the issue of foresight for outstanding personalities. Sometimes, there is negligence about the issue ofenmities towards the fundamentals. However, some people connect these enmities to unimportant issues.
Unfortunately, we had the same problem during the time of the Constitutional movement. During the time of the Constitutional movement too, there were a number of great ulama - I do not mention their names, but all of you know them because they are well-known - who did not see the plot that was being hatched. This plot was hatched by westernized individuals and those so-called individuals who were under the influence of the west and who were subdued by western thoughts. These ulama did not pay attention that the statements these westernized individuals made in the national Majlis of those times or in their newspapers were a war against Islam. They did not pay attention to this. On the contrary, they tolerated and surrendered to them.
The result was that someone like the late Sheikh Fazlollah Noori who knew about and understood their intentions was hanged in front of their eyes, but these ulama did not show any sensitivity. After that, even those people who did not show any sensitivity were attacked and harassed by them and they received a slap across their face. Some of them lost their life and some of them lost their dignity and reputation. This was the mistake that was made in those days. We should not make this mistake.
One of the aspects of Imam's (may God bestow paradise on him) character, who had a multi-dimensional personality, was that he was sensitive. For example, as soon as there was a move against the law of qisas - which was a law after all - Imam's (r.a.) sensitivity immediately grasped what the significance of confronting the law of Islamic qisas was. And as you remember, he behaved in an astonishingly determined way. We should be like this. We should be sensitive.
We should not allow any negligence towards the main issue, the main roadmap and the general principles of the Islamic Republic. There are certain issues which are of secondary importance and which can be resolved. For example, I have seen that a bill which is being studied by the Expediency Council has been highlighted these days. Of course, everything is clear. When the Expediency Council makes its decision about this bill - after all, this Council makes decisions through a consultation process - it will be submitted to us and we will express our opinion about it based on what we believe. Then, it will be announced as a general policy.
There is no doubt that the Guardian Council has certain legal responsibilities. There should be no opposition to these responsibilities which have been clearly specified in the Constitution. These responsibilities are supervising elections, being in charge of the vetting process and other such responsibilities.
Such issues can be resolved. That is to say, such issues should not become a source of contention and argument. These are things which can be resolved. It is possible that some people make a mistake in these organizations, but mistakes can be made up for. These are not the main issues. The main issue is what has been an area of contention between the Islamic Republic, and the camp of kufr and arrogance over the past eight, nine months. And some people inside the country repeated the statements of this camp.
They do not want an Islamic and religious system - which is based on obeying God and His messenger - to exist. Everything which guarantees general obedience to this system is considered to be an enemy for them. Therefore, they take action against it and focus all their efforts on destroying it. So, the other side [the Islamic Republic] should make efforts to preserve these main bases, principles and guidelines. The main issue should not be ignored.
And we should draw borders in a clear and outspoken way. That is to say, those who are committed to the Islamic Republic and the presence of the people with their motivation and faith should draw borders with those who do not want this movement to continue in an Islamic way. These people oppose and show hostility towards the law. Therefore, this border should be a clear and definite one so that the people are not misled. The people look at us. So, we should know what kind of border this is. This is the main issue. Everything which is below the main issue can be forgiven and solved. Even if there is a difference of opinion, this should not lead to hostility, contention and enmity because the enemy benefits from these enmities. This is what we want to say.
Those people who accept the general roadmap which has been specified in the Constitution and the law are among the members of the Islamic system. Those people who reject this are people who are abdicating the right, with their own hands, to be present in the Islamic system. Therefore, they do not deserve to be in the Islamic system.
Those people who are not prepared to accept the law, those who are not prepared to accept the majority, those who question that great, honorable and forty-million election and those who want to turn the Islamic Republic's strong points into weak points are, in fact, throwing themselves out of this ark of salvation - which is the Islamic government. Otherwise, no one likes to throw others out of the ark of salvation.
Hazrat Nuh - God's prophet (peace and greetings be upon our Prophet and upon him) - said to his son, "Oh my son, embark with us, and be not with unbelievers" [The Holy Quran, 11: 42]. Like Hazrat Nuh, the Islamic government says to everyone, "Join us. Come and board this ark and ‘be not with unbelievers'". This is the goal and the basis. We do not throw anyone out of the Islamic Republic, but some people expel themselves and throw themselves out.
I hope that Allah the Exalted helps us succeed in preserving the Islamic government in its entirety and with the same correct orientation that we have thankfully adopted until today. I hope that He helps us succeed in rendering services to the Islamic Republic and the people.
When one takes a look, one sees that the people's awareness, foresight and sense of responsibility towards the Islamic government are really unique. With this sense of responsibility and with this sense of preparedness, if an event like the event of Sacred Defense occurs today in our country, then the number of those people who enter the arena will undoubtedly be more - and not less - than the number of those youth who entered the arena of Sacred Defense in those days. One can see this from our great popular movement.
I hope that Allah the Exalted bestows success on us, on the people and on officials so that all of us can carry out our responsibilities. Officials have many responsibilities. Different officials in the three branches of government have a very heavy responsibility. They should carry out their responsibilities in a more careful, serious and diligent way so that Allah the Exalted bestows His mercy on us and so that He does not take away His blessings from us. What has been achieved is God's work. From now on too, if we benefit from divine guidance and divine mercy, Allah the Exalted will continue to help us.
I express my deep gratitude to the honorable gentlemen and officials in the Assembly of Experts and the honorable head of this Assembly for the efforts that they make, the good measures that they adopt and the valuable statements that they make. I hope that by Allah's favor, all these efforts and endeavors will make the Imam of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for his sake and may God hasten the re-appearance of that holy Imam) satisfied with us. I hope that Allah the Exalted helps us to make the holy heart of that great Imam (a.s.) pleased with us and to benefit from his prayers. I hope that He will make the immaculate soul of our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) and the pure souls of martyrs satisfied and pleased with us.
Greetings be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings