Imam Khamenei described the Assembly of Experts as an exceptional and unique assembly in terms of structure, performance, and responsibilities, stressing: "As well as its current responsibilities, this Assembly should adopt a fundamental and strategic outlook towards the path and movement of the Islamic Revolution." Expanding on this responsibility and the regulations for fulfilling it, the Leader said: The three branches of government are in charge of managing the country in a revolutionary manner, but by forming an intellectual committee, the Assembly of Experts should examine the extent of achievements and setbacks on the path of moving towards the goals of the Revolution; and, only then it should present its demands to the organization in charge."
Highlighting the demands that the Assembly of Experts should make,Imam Khamenei mentioned: "One of our revolutionary slogans was, 'Neither easterners nor westerners.' Today, although the eastern pole does not exist, the west – the US and European governments – are there with complete power and strength."
Imam Khamenei added: "The part of the slogan, '...nor westerners' means that we should not be mesmerized, submerged, enslaved or influenced by the west; we should not move in the direction of their demands; we should cleanse the country of a process of assimilation into the decadent western culture. The Assembly of Experts should examine this issue and it should put forward its demands."
His Eminence referred to economic power as the one of the pillars of the country's power and stated: "One of the main elements of economic power is 'power of national currency and the people's power to purchase.' Therefore, if the value of national power decreases, as a result of negligence and wrong policies, and if we retrogress in this area, the Assembly of Experts should make demands from the administration, the parliament, and other organizations in charge."
Justice, fighting against poverty, and proper distribution of wealth were other issues thatImam Khamenei discussed, as a list of demands that should be put forward by the Assembly of Experts: "Justice and the proper distribution of power in the country have both been stressed by Islam, and this is different from erroneous Marxist notions. The country should be managed in a way that the gap between the poor and the rich --known as the Gini coefficient in the world -- will be narrowed."
Imam Khamenei stated that preservation of the revolutionary spirit and guarding revolutionary motives are prerequisites for the continuation of the Islamic Revolution. "Without the revolutionary spirit, the endeavors, self-sacrifices and blood that the people offered on the path of reviving Islam will be destroyed. Under such circumstances, even if a certain government holds power, it will not be the Islamic Republic.
Therefore, the Assembly of Experts should evaluate the extent of revolutionary motivation in society and the factors which threaten this motivation; then, it should put forward its demands."
Imam Khamenei reiterated that his emphasis on helping and supporting revolutionary forces is an example of these demands on the basis of an outlook towards the revolutionary movement of the country. He added, "Of course, it is evident that the country has made progress in this area, and it has not moved backwards."
Describing the issue of the people's piety as an important issue,Imam Khamenei pointed to the idea that the people cannot be forced into heaven – an idea that has been put forward by certain individuals – and said, "This idea is misleading and exaggerated, because no one wants to take the people to heaven by force, but the path of paradise should be open to all people, appropriately; we should encourage them to move in that direction (towards heaven)," additionally stating, "The idea behind sending the prophets (pbut--to earth) was to guide people towards heaven, helping them to drift away from hell. Of course, the claim that there is 'compulsion in Islam' is an incorrect idea, and there are some religious limitations in certain cases."
Imam Khamenei ontinued: "The intellectual committee that makes up the Assembly of Experts should evaluate these issues and other related issues, finally on the basis of achievements or setbacks, they should present their demands to the organizations in charge. It should turn these important matters into issues of public discourse and demands, because attending to these matters is within the remit of the Assembly of Experts' responsibilities. "
Elsewhere in his statements,Imam Khamenei touched on certain domestic matters and said, "The masses of the people and the officials of the country should know that solving problems – including economic and cultural problems – is only possible with the help of the people and with reliance on domestic capabilities and capacities, not with reliance on foreigners." He further stressed, "This issue should be repeated, time and time again, until it turns into a common and well-established discourse, because the country has many motivated and capable youth who offer new thoughts and ideas that are creative in various productive, scientific and educational sectors. The country should benefit from these youthful minds."
Stressing that foreigners cannot solve the problems of the country,Imam Khamenei stated: "I am not saying that we should break off our relations with the world. From the beginning of the Revolution and until today, I have been stressing that we should have extensive relations with the world, but I want to say that we should not exchange our powerful legs for the foreigners' cane."
In regards to the issue of reliance on foreigners, His Eminence referred to the nuclear negotiations as an example when stating: "The problem that we had and continue to have with the nuclear negotiations – I have discussed this in several meetings with officials – is that although there was nothing wrong with negotiating, those negotiations should have been conducted with care and precision, so much so that every wrong move by Iran will not be considered as a violation of the JCPOA; while, this is not the case for every wrong move that the other side makes."
Imam Khamenei assuredly reiterated,"We should work with the world; we accept its requirements; but, we should not glue our eyes on foreigners either."
Furthermore,Imam Khamenei spoke on a front of enemies set against the Islamic Republic, to this he added, "By Allah's favor, the Islamic government has delivered powerful strikes against the enemy; this has kept it at bay for now; and this will be the case in the future too; however, we should realize that we are not faced with a meager speck of enemies, rather we are faced with a front of enemies."
Imam Khamenei remarked that one of the main reasons behind the anger, expressed by the Iranian nation's ill-intentioned enemies, is an increase of achievements by the Islamic government on regional and global issues. As an example, he pointed to the statements of the US President, at the recent United Nations General Assembly, and held, "The reason behind the ignorant, derogatory, and thoughtless speech delivered by the US President – rife with gang like rhetoric and cowboy fantasies, and filled with much falsehood and confusion – is due to his anger, desperation, and witlessness," further stating, "The statements of the US President were not a source of pride for the American nation; personalities representing USA should feel embarrassed by these statements and their President. Of course, they have expressed this embarrassment before."
Further elaborating on the subject of the US government's anguish,Imam Khamenei mentioned: "Beginning decades ago, the Americans (USA) had a plan for West Asia, they called this plan, 'The New Middle East' or 'The Greater Middle East.' The three main axes of this plan were Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, but they faced defeat in all of these three countries." He continued, "On the basis of this plan, Iraq – with its ancient history and civilization – Syria, as the Center of Resistance, and Lebanon with its special position, were supposed to fall under the influence and domination of the US and the Zionist regime. Today, however, the realities of the region are so different, because they (US and Zionists) have not managed to accomplish anything in Lebanon; and, in Iraq, what has happened is the exact opposite of what they set out to do; in Syria, too, despite the countless crimes of the US and its allies, the massacre of the people in that country, and the USA's overwhelming support of terrorist and takfiri [those who excommunicate others in religion] groups, DAESH has now reached its end game, and takfiri groups, such as the al-Nusra Front, have become isolated."
Imam Khamenei highlighted the influence of the Islamic Republic on the region, saying, "The presence and influence of the Islamic Republic have caused plans and desires of the US and the Zionist regime to fail in the region, and that is why they are angry." -- "Some people should not make mistakes in their analyses, because US positions are not owed to their power and capability against Iran; rather it is because of their complete weakness, failure, and rage," said the Ayatollah Khamenei.
Imam Khamenei underlined the successful and glorious presence of the Islamic Republic on regional and global matters, stating, "This dignity should be preserved with wisdom, acumen, and correct thinking; and also by avoiding mistakes in our relations, decisions and positions." He also stressed that this dignity has been achieved because of the people's endeavors, the youth, and martyrs' blood: "The dear martyr – Mohsen Hojjaji – was an example, and we have many such examples among our youth. For certain reasons, Allah the Exalted made this example prominent, so that everyone surrenders to this holy truth. Therefore, by Allah's favor, revolutionary motivation is increasing among our youth on a daily basis."
Referring to the countless letters and messages of youth, asking for permission to be present in the arena of defending the Imams' holy shrines and fighting against the enemy,Imam Khamenei upheld: "These objectives are the increasing revolutionary motives among our youth. Considering the existence of preventative and tempting factors--like cyberspace--such motives are signs of divine miracles and divine grace."
Imam Khamenei went on to discuss the nearing month of Muharram, describing it as 'the month of Imam Hussein (pbuh)' and 'the month of all values which are embodied in the holy existence of the third Imam' -- values such as jihad, martyrdom, purity, loyalty, forgiveness, persistence in preserving God's religion, and resistance in the face of all the opponents of religion. "This event has become livelier, over the course of time and with every year, the commemoration of this meaningful occasion is more enthusiastic and popular than in previous years. This issue contains a special message and meaning and by Allah's favor, this phenomenon will move forward in the world with the leadership of Imam Hussein (pbuh)," stressed Ayatollah Khamenei.
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