Pres. Rouhani: Deal of century a great historical shame, abhorrent for all Muslims, freedom seekers around world

AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Speaking at the ceremony of renewing allegiance to Imam Khomeini and martyrs’ causes on Sunday, President Hassan Rouhani said, "Imam Khomeini (RA) was not only the father of Islam seeking, but also the father of republic seeking in the history of Iran”.

He added, "Imam knew that justice and a better society is not possible without people’s presence”.

“Election is people’s right and anyone who deprives them of this right and does not let them choose from among different tastes, is definitely far from Imam Khomeini’s path,” he said.

Parts of President Hassan Rouhani’s speech are as follows:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

The 10-day Fajr Celebration of 1979 was a historic day for our beloved country and for all Muslims. During these 10 days, the Late Imam made a very important transition from despotism and colonialism to democracy and independence.

A movement that is accompanied by change settles when it turns into a political system. A movement and revolution that does not end with the establishment of a system is more like chaos, and our dear and honourable Imam was able to bring two great things to our history and country, namely a "republic" and "Islamic" system.

Imam was well aware that with monarchy in place, democracy was not possible. He had the experience of the Constitutional Revolution, after which all the sacrifice and efforts and the formation of the House of Justice and the establishment of the National Consultative Assembly were marked by gradual reduction of people’s presence until the time nothing was left of the Constitutional System with the presence of the monarchy.

The elections in the early days of the Constitutional system was based on people’s vote came to a point where individuals were elected in the court, and then the electoral process took place in the country. Everyone knew who would go to the National Consultative Assembly and the representatives of all constituencies were selected, so Imam came to the conclusion that with monarchy and dictatorship in place, democracy is not possible.

There were many people who suggested Imam to keep a constitutional system with a weak king or a constitutional system without a king, or a military establishment based on the Islamic caliphate, but Imam refused to accept them, and among all suggestions chose “the Islamic Republic”.

Imam Khomeini (RA) was not only the father of Islam seeking, but also the father of republic seeking in the history of Iran. Imam knew that justice and a better society is not possible without people’s presence.

Imam saying “people’s vote is the yardstick” was not a slogan. He knew that if people were present in every stage, the final victory would be there and if the people were absent, we would certainly not succeed, and if we did, it would not last. Election is people’s right and anyone who deprives them of this right and does not let them choose from among different tastes, is definitely far from Imam Khomeini’s path.

We must always respect people’s opinion; whether in our domestic and foreign policy, or in economic and cultural policies, we must not forget people’s opinions and tastes. We must know that establishing the religion and justice is possible with people’s hands.

If we follow the path of Imam, even today when we are under the most difficult conditions of economic and political history, we will overcome this situation. If today, after two years of unprecedented sanctions, our nation has stood strong because it believed that it is the oppressors who are carrying out acts of aggression and that that our Islamic system is on the right track. They have believed that our policy should not be a policy of surrender, even though we do not favour a policy of tension and confrontation. Our people know that today there is no other way than to stand up to the aggressors; aggressors who oppress not only our nation, but also all the Muslims of the world, and especially the oppressed Palestinian nation, and nowadays we see the great shame they have recorded in history as the "Deal of the Century", which is abhorrent to all Muslims and freedom seekers in the world. There is no other way for us to stand before the aggressor than to be persistent and united.

Let us not take hope, unity and vitality from people. We will definitely be the final winner in this scene. Imam was never disappointed with the bright future of the Revolution. It was the hope that Imam had which led us to victory in the Imposed War and in all the ups and downs of the Revolution.

The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran continues to pledge here at the Mausoleum of the Late Imam Khomeini (RA) to do all in its power to carry out Imam's orders and path, with the guidance of the Supreme Leader. Our people have shown very well these days that the Revolution and Imam are alive. The day when people took to the streets to bid farewell to a student of Imam's school, Martyr General Soleimani, they showed that the path of Imam is alive, the path of Imam is high, that Islam is present among the people, and that the republic is there, and when people see someone as a sign of security and dignity of the country, everyone is by his side and he is recognised as a national symbol; Imam’s school and his way is the solution for us today.

I congratulate this day to all the people of Iran, the great family of our dear Imam, and his beloved grandson Ayatollah Sayyid Hassan Khomeini, and I pray to the Almighty to always guide us in his path.

Wassalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh

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