The following is the full text of the speech delivered on August 25, 2004 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with President Khatami and cabinet members.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I would like to welcome the dear brothers and sisters, Mr. President, ministers, deputies, officials and high-ranking managers. On this occasion, it is customary for us to both commemorate the memory of the dear martyrs of this week – in fact by repeating the names of Shahid Rajai and Shahid Bahonar, we place these banners that clarify the path of the government and the Islamic Republic, in front of our eyes in a clearer and more transparent way so that we do not forget what path we should take and where we want to reach – and to congratulate our honorable and diligent administrations on the occasion of the termination of a year and the arrival of a new year.
This year, the events that are occurring in Najaf and in all the areas of our neighboring country – Iraq – have imposed such a deep sorrow on our hearts that we are no more enthusiastic to make and to hear congratulatory statements. Today, what the occupying forces are doing in Iraq - in Najaf in particular - is among those dark points that will be recorded in history forever and that will never be forgotten.
Najaf is a university, not only an ordinary city. It is a thousand years now that this city has continued to be the center of knowledge and the cultivation and export of great, outstanding, pious and religious ulama to all the regions of the world of Islam. More importantly, the Commander of the Faithful’s (a.s.) holy shrine exists in this city and Najaf is a place where Muslims’ – particularly Shia’s – hearts are drawn to. By ignoring all these matters, these occupying forces are easily invading such dear, historical and eternal memories of our people. They want to implement in Najaf a policy that is condemned in the eyes of the public opinion in the world and on the basis of all human standards.
The American policy in Iraq – particularly in the recent events in Najaf – is the policy of moving things forward by force and with suppression. It is evident that a measure that is adopted by using force and by suppressing others will undoubtedly not be a permanent and successful measure. They will surely be defeated. It is a wonder that these naïve, drunk and foolish politicians in America and their supporters do not understand what grave mistake they are making. They persist in pursing their wrong policy. Without a doubt, not only will this policy deliver fatal blows to the American government, it will also create a deep vale of hatred between the Americans and occupiers, and the Islamic Ummah and the world of Islam. We want to show our sympathy to the innocent people of Iraq. We condemn what the occupiers are doing and we hope that Allah the Exalted will apply His eternal tradition in supporting the truth.
These days, you want to begin the last year of this administration’s term. Of course, the last year of this administration is not different in any way from its first year. All years, all months and all days are days of work and service. This is why when you take a look at all the efforts that you have made at the end of a four-year, eight-year term, you will be satisfied with yourselves and you will be sure that Allah the Exalted is pleased with your product and you will also know that the people feel the results of your work in their own lives. If – God forbid – there is a shortcoming and a flaw, you will not be satisfied with yourselves deep in your hearts and you will not be confident about divine satisfaction and the satisfaction of the people.
We have certain responsibilities. We come and go. Different officials come, become busy working, play their part in the Islamic Republic and then go. However, our active and competent system should not undergo any change other than becoming strong. This is like a team. One goes and one comes, but the team is carrying out its duties and making the efforts that it should. However, according to its interests, someone comes and someone goes. Our procedure should be based on the continuation of the general policies that the system has drawn up for its future. Of course, the term of each of us has in fact covered part of the life of this system. For example, when an administration works for two terms – for eight years – this has in fact occupied one third of the system’s life in the current circumstances. Its work and efforts have occupied this amount of time. These things should constitute the standards for the evaluation of our work.
The first point that I would like to raise with you senior managers is that your motivation in the beginning and in the end of your term should not be different in any way. When a writer writes a book, he writes the last page with the same determination and motivation that he wrote the first page. If you do not write the last page, if you do not write it with precision and if you do not use good handwriting, the book will be flawed. In my opinion, the most important issue in the last year of this administration’s responsibility and service is that our friends, brothers and managers in the administration should work with the same motivation and diligence that they did when they entered the arena of rendering services. God forbid, you should not allow your motivation to decrease.
Another point is that all of us are responsible for the tasks that we carry out. However, on most occasions, our responsibilities do not come to an end with the termination of our term of responsibility. This is because our measures influence the measures that individuals after us adopt. As we began completing the structures that others before us built, others too will work on our structure. Therefore, foundations should be laid in a firm way and the structure should be built efficiently so that others after us can build on it the way they want.
And this honor will belong to you. Today, if you formulate and implement good policies – these policies will be benefitted from in the future as well – then anyone who works on the basis of these policies will know that the honor and the thawab belongs to you. This will be the case if you – God forbid – show negligence as well: Anyone who begins a good tradition and makes people follow it will both receive the reward for what they did and for what others do after them and of course, the rewards of the latter will not be anything less than the former. And anyone who begins a bad tradition will receive punishment for what they did and for what others after him do [from a hadith by the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.)]. The tasks that we carry out will influence the future. We should adopt such an outlook towards all of our tasks and measures.
The reports that we delivered today were very good reports, but it is a pity that they were brief, that not all the friends had the time to deliver a report and that they could not report about everything that has been done in every division of the administration. This meeting is not enough for delivering reports. You should dedicate part of your time in this year to delivering reports to the people. When we said that this year is “The Year of Responsiveness” the manifestation of such responsiveness is the reports that you will deliver to the people. Many people are not aware of the many measures that have been adopted in your divisions. Of course, I am aware of them, but you did not mention them in these short reports. These good and important tasks have been carried out and you did not have the time to mention them.
You should formulate plans in order to portray and express what has been done. I have said this to Mr. President before as well: you should make two columns, one for the tasks and the services that you have carried out and rendered and one for those that you have not done or failed to do. Then, you should discuss it with the people and you should know that the people appreciate the value of good service and diligence. We should sincerely discuss with the people both the tasks that we have carried out and the tasks that have failed to carry out or the ones that we have not been carried out in the proper manner.
Without a doubt, those efforts and endeavors that have been carried out in the column of the positives will be a good excuse for the column of the unaccomplished because the unaccomplished have not remained unaccomplished on purpose, rather they have remained unaccomplished because of lack of resources, opportunities and sometimes because of the late arrival of thoughts and ideas in our minds. You should discuss such matters with the people and I insist that you do so.
Your performance is not separate from the performance of the system. It cannot be said that we have a good system, but that we have a bad administration. After all, the administration is formed from among the system. Every task that you have carried out efficiently is for the system and every task that you have failed to carry out or you have carried out in an inefficient manner will belong to the system as well. We insist that every task that has been carried out and every effort that has been made is announced to the people in a sincere, appropriate and clear way.
You should make it clear what you got from the previous administration and what you will give to the next one. As engineers prepare a list when they want to submit a project, you too should really prepare a list of your measures and you should do your best to be as precise as possible when preparing it. When we face the people, we can really win their complete trust with honesty and by expressing the truth. It should not be thought that honesty and dishonesty will not be noticed by the people. Eventually, they will know it.
Another point is that you should pay attention to the priorities during the time that is left. When you have a wide scope of activities ahead of you, you can have many choices, but when you have a limited scope of activities, your time for continuing your tasks will become short and you will have few choices. Priorities should be taken into account. In my opinion, one of the priorities in the last year of the life of this administration is that you should try to finish the tasks that you have started. The report delivered by Mr. President about half-finished tasks is very important. We should see how many half-finished projects – the ones that were begun two, three years ago – existed in the past and how many exist today.
When you take a look and see that these projects have been carried out, you feel successful. In my opinion, one of the most important tasks that should be carried out in the remaining time is that you should try to finish half-finished tasks. The second point on the issue of priorities is that this does not mean that you should forget about newly-grown saplings. This is not what I mean. You should pay attention to the issue of research, knowledge production, the relationship between industries and science, science and technology parks and the research centers that are among new projects and newly-grown saplings – this is not a task that is limited and finite in scope – so that this tree becomes strong. You should attend to such issues as much as you can. This will be among your best legacies.
Another point is that you should cleanse the scene, of corruption as much as you can. I have placed great emphasis on the issue of corruption and some people might think that this is a repetitive issue and that there is no point in repeating it so many times. We should not think like this. I firmly believe that as long as we do not empty our executive organizations – including the divisions of executive and judiciary branches – of financial corruption and deviation from legal and proper methods, all of our measures will be wasted.
This is like our consumption of water. It was reported in this meeting that we do not use the water resources of the country in the proper manner by using wrong irrigation systems. Or it is like the subsidies that the administration distributes, the main part of which is wasted. Only a small part of it reaches where it should reach – this was reported in the meeting. I have given this example many times: corruption in the executive branch is like a pool that we want to water with several thick pipes. However, the pool is not filled. All these efforts are being made, but one sees many shortcomings the main part of which is related to financial corruption and the moral rifts that exist in the entire administration at different levels. You should confront and fight against these things. As long as serious and firm determination for confronting these phenomena does not exist – thankfully, such determination exists in the present time and one can see it – and as long as this determination is not accompanied by action, activeness, follow-up and sincerity, corruption will not be uprooted and it will continue to affect all the sincere efforts that are being done in the entire administration.
The friends in the meeting referred to the issue of reducing the size of the administration and privatization. I agree with all these issues. I would like to add that on the issue of all different economic and productive activities of the country and other related issues, we should pay attention that we are both progress-oriented and justice-oriented. We do not act according to the policies that are common in today’s world and that have many advocates so much so that we only think about the growth of our products and our wealth in the country without thinking about justice. This is not our logic.
The innovation that our system has introduced is that we want to have economic progress and growth, and justice together and these things are not incompatible with one another. We do not agree with the viewpoint that says that these two things do not get along with each other and that we can only choose one of them. This point should be observed in all areas including in the area of reducing the size of the administration, on the issue of privatization, in our outlook towards economic matters and in the division of resources between the private sector and the public and state sector.
Where are we consuming most of our financial resources? Of course, this is a correct measure: the friends in the meeting stressed that they have injected some amount of money - from our sovereign wealth fund or from governmental resources - into the private sector. This is a correct philosophy and policy. However, you should also pay attention that we should make up for our backwardness by doing so and that we should not act in an extremist manner in this regard. We should strengthen the public sector, we should preserve governmental funds, assets and property for the sake of public interests and we should take care not to let governmental funds and assets be destroyed within this framework and mold.
Another point is that our activities may change with innovative measures, new outlooks and enthusiastic and fresh forces. However, our general policies should not witness a tumultuous situation. This means that the continuous political line that has been envisaged in the strategic plan should continue. Of course, when we have a goal, new team, agents and players enter the scene and they use their own innovations and measures. They apply their own viewpoints and opinions and then they may leave the scene and be replaced by others in some of the areas. This is alright. The new individuals adopt their thoughts and they may have a new outlook towards different issues and details. However, we should try not to let political stability and the general policies of the country witness fluctuations and a tumultuous situation. One of the things that guarantees trust in long-term economic and social work in the country is stability in policies. We should pay attention and attach significance to this issue in our statements, in our performance and in the reflection of our measures.
The Islamic Republic’s policy has been to rely on the people. The embodiment of a democratic government is the Islamic Republic in the real sense of the word. Within the framework of Islam, Islamic guidance and Islamic outlook, we rely on the people and we move forward with and for the people. In general, the policy of the Islamic government is to rely on the people and youth, to defend the rights of underprivileged classes – in our country, the motive to defend underprivileged classes is shared among everyone although we hope that the circle of underprivileged classes becomes narrower on a daily basis – and to benefit from investments and those who have capital – one of the dimensions of relying on the people is utilizing their investments and resources. We use the financial, intellectual and mental resources of the people for the progress of the country and by Allah’s favor, we will make the column of achievements for the current administration as long as possible.
Another point that I deem necessary to raise is that everyone who speaks – whether in the press and in different minbars – should take care not to question the genuine services and efforts of the administration because of the shortcomings. We do not deny the existence of shortcomings, weaknesses and some failures in different areas, but the existence of shortcomings and weaknesses should not make us question and deny the sincere and valuable efforts and accomplishments of the administration in any way because this is not fair. And we hope that no one behaves in such an unfair and unjust manner.
I want to firmly request that this last year of our diligent administration’s term of service should not pass with unnecessary disputes whether inside the executive branch, between the executive and legislative branches or in the entire Islamic Republic. Giving warnings, questioning and exercising supervision – which are among the responsibilities of the legislative branch – are unquestionable rights. We have no doubts about this and we believe that fair criticisms and fair answers to criticisms will help the executive branch and the system in general. However, this should not be confused with arguments, heated disputes and verbal quarrels.
You have begun new tasks this year which – in my opinion - are very good tasks. Combating smuggling in an efficient and fundamental manner and attending to the Ministry of Welfare and Social Security and the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization are your tasks in this year. In my opinion, beginning new tasks in the last year of this administration is a good sign that government officials do not feel that the history of the Revolution and the country is supposed to come to an end with a change in administrations. As others planted and we ate, we too will plant so that others eat. We begin building a structure so that others complete and benefit from it.
In my opinion, one of the very good and positive messages of the three tasks that you began this year is that the administration does not feel that just because this is the last year of its term, the Islamic Republic will witness its end as well. This is not the case. The administration begins certain tasks so that – by Allah’s favor – others come and follow them up. The tasks that have begun are very good tasks. The issue of smuggling is really a source of danger for the country and combating smuggling is a very great service. Social welfare and security is completely related to underprivileged classes. Another task is attending to the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization that we have praised so much before. If we speak about more tasks, we fear that they feel a lot of pressure! I hope that by Allah’s favor, all of them will be successful.
I ask Allah the Exalted to bestow success on you and to help you. I hope that by Allah’s favor, you will continue to benefit from the opportunity of rendering services to this system, to the country and to the honorable government of the Islamic Republic until the end of your lives. I hope that you will always be at the service of this system and work for it and that there will be no change in your motivations and efforts until the last day – that is to say, you should consider the last day of this year as the last day of the first year. I hope that Allah the Exalted and the people will be satisfied with you.
I want to stress that you should definitely make those two columns. I have spoken to Mr. Khatami about this issue two, three times in “The Year of Responsiveness” – both before and after Farvardin of this year. There is nothing wrong if the administration identifies its positive and negative parts of its performance. The part which is negative in general does not mean that the administration has had a bad performance. It is possible that lack of resources, amenities and infrastructures has affected its performance. And this is completely possible. The least that is expected is that they make a column of achievements together with a column of failures in every area and then, they show it to the people so that they draw a conclusion. I believe that their evaluation will be a positive one. Their conclusion will be a positive one. The people should not think that we only speak about the positive aspects of our work and that we cover up the negative aspects.
It was pointed out to me that the measures adopted for disabled war veterans in the Foundation of Martyrs and Veteran Affairs were good measures in general. I confirm this as well. I had forgotten to mention this. This was another good task that was carried out. I hope that by Allah’s favor, this task too will prove to be a successful one and that it will be accomplished. By Allah’s favor, it will be accomplished successfully and it will be to the advantage of disabled war veterans.
I hope that God will make you successful.