The Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei received members of the Guardian Council of the Constitution and officials in charge of the council's supervisory boards throughout the country on Wednesday, July 11.
In an address to the audience, the Leader referred to the high status and momentous duties of this state organ and pointed out that the Guardian Council ensures the Islamic character of the system.
"The country's law should be the only criterion by which the Guardian Council expresses its views and makes its decisions, and this criterion should by no means be replaced by expediency," the Leader stated.
Ayatollah Khamenei noted that the enshrinement of the Guardian Council in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic and its formation was a very appropriate and wise and well-meditated measure. He also touched on the council's important duties such as ensuring that the legislation approved by the Majlis conforms to the Islamic law and the Constitution, interpreting the Constitution and supervising and ensuring the soundness of elections in the country.
"Under all stable and legitimate governments in the world, there is always a supervisory organ in charge of overseeing the observance of established rules and principles of those systems. Under the Islamic system also which has some noble values and objectives, the Guardian Council is of great significance with respect to its role in ensuring that the system does not deviate from the path of Islamic values and principles," Ayatollah Khamenei observed.
Further in his statements, the Leader of the Islamic Republic expressed his gratitude to members of the Guardian Council, including the six theologians and the six jurists, for the timely performance of their duties, their firmness of purpose in the handling of various affairs and their well-reasoned decisions. He also referred to the supervisory duties of the Guardian Council.
"It is a very important duty to determine the qualification of those who are expected to make decisions about the country and the nation as the people's representatives in the Experts Assembly or in the Islamic Consultative Assembly or as President of the Islamic Republic, since it is not wise to entrust the task of administering the country and sealing the nation's fate to an individual without considering his behavior and character and beliefs and knowledge and capabilities," the Leader remarked.
He also stated, "How is it possible to allow an individual who has no faith in the foundations of the Islamic system and who is politically less concerned about the issues of his country than about the interests of the aliens to become a legislator or head the Executive?"
Ayatollah Khamenei further hinted at the negative propaganda disseminated by the aliens and certain domestic factions which are not so pleased with the Islamic system against the Guardian Council of the Constitution. He added that the Guardian Council and its supervisory boards are expected to perform their duties in an appropriate manner and in line with the established criteria irrespective of this negative propaganda campaign.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader of the Islamic Republic stated that the country's law is the main criterion by which the Guardian Council is expected to perform its duties. He emphasized that this criterion should not be violated or disregarded.
"Besides, the council's supervisory duties should by no means be influenced by political or factional leanings or recommendations or expediency," the Leader told the audience.
Ayatollah Khamenei further stressed that modifying a jurisprudential view or a legal deduction is different from expediency. He pointed out that there is nothing wrong with a change of views on the part of the Guardian Council due to new jurisprudential or legal deductions, but he added that such a change of views should be in conformity with the law.
At the beginning of the meeting, the secretary of the Guardian Council of the Constitution Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati presented a report about the council's performance and the activities of its jurisprudential and legal consultative assembly as well as its supervisory boards.
Ayatollah Jannati further said that the Guardian Council is determined as before to carry out its duties in compliance with the law and without being influenced by the wishes and demands of others.