In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
The fifth inauguration of the Assembly of Experts, which is concurrent with the days marking the birthday anniversary of the Imam of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for his sake), is a blessed coincidence that should be considered as a good sign.
This occasion should increase and eternalize the trust of the believers in divine power and approval, in the satisfaction of God’s Wali and in the truth of divine promises.
The coincidence of this occasion with the third of Khordad – which is a symbol of the victory of resistance, a symbol of the raising of the flag of victory and of divine assistance – should be appreciated. We should learn lessons from that amazing phenomenon.
I thank Allah the Mighty and the Omniscient, with all my heart, who bestowed on the pious, courageous and loyal people the blessing to form this Assembly and who once more honored the Islamic Republic with a public pledge of allegiance.
I congratulate you elected members on winning the people’s trust and votes and I ask Allah the Wise and the Discerning to bestow on you the blessing to offer valuable services to the country and to the people.
The significance of this assembly lies in the greatness of the responsibility that has fallen on the shoulders of the elected members. Briefly, this responsibility is:
Thorough and comprehensive protection of the Islamic and revolutionary identity that is prevailing in the country and guiding the interconnected organizations of this system towards its lofty and valuable goals. Fulfilling this responsibility requires certain qualifications that have been specified in the Constitution.
The duty to recognize whether or not these qualifications exist and whether or not they will prevail falls on this great assembly. This will create more responsibilities for this assembly including: familiarity with the position of the Islamic Republic in today’s world, attention to the attractive phenomenon of religious democracy amid a plethora of government forms and methods in which spirituality, religion and the people have been sacrificed, attention to the singular role of faith and the beliefs originating from Islamic teachings in the people’s votes and choices, and attention to the effect of the Leader’s individual and political piety in preserving the people’s trust and the health, strength and solidity of the system.
These chapters remind this great assembly – which has been formed of influential fuqaha from among the people – of its responsibilities and demand that it fulfills them. Each of the above-mentioned chapters includes responsibilities whose fulfillment guides the country and the system towards salvation and good and helps the Leader to carry out that great and unique responsibility.
I ask Allah the Generous to bestow on you honorable gentlemen and on myself the blessing to tread this auspicious path which was the path of our late Imam (r.a.) and which constituted his great and vital goal.
Sayyid Ali Khamenei
