Leadership Experts Assembly Strongly Support Ayatollah Khamenei

Tehran, March 7, IRNA – Peopleˈs representatives in the 4th Leadership Experts Assembly in their 13th Assembly Communiqué considered Supreme Leader of Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei as the guardian of the countryˈs solidarity, axis of unit, and possessor of an exalted status. The communiqué, issued Wednesday night, further emphasized, ˈBased on such facts, paying due attention to the sagacious and wise viewpoints of the Supreme Leader, which are always the last word on every affair, is an absolute duty of the entire officials, in a bid to prove their obedience in practice.ˈ The representatives of Leadership Assembly have in the communiqué also emphasized that the system officials must intensify their supervision over the goodsˈ prices and materializing the Supreme Leaderˈs demands in this respect, thus decreasing the bread earning problems of the people as their major concern. The communiqué notes, ˈThe enthusiastic presence of the people at the Bahman 22nd (Feb 10th) nationwide rallies (marking the glorious victory of the Islamic Revolution) despite the existence of numerous problems (for the people) was a sign of the grandeur, alertness, and patience of this great nation, which necessitates appreciation and puts a heavy duty over the shoulders of the system officials. The communiqué elsewhere asks for full observation of the peopleˈs basic rights, wisely and frankly serving them, observation of balance, interaction, and rules of wisdom, movement in the Right Path, controlling the skyrocketing prices and the inflation rate, and keeping calm the general atmosphere of the country as the most important duties of the system officials in their appreciation of the Iranian nation. The communiqué adds: ˈThe restless scientific efforts made by elite researchers in line with advancement of our country in nuclear energy, as well as various others sciences and technologies are appreciated and the need for supporting such major capitals of the nation aimed at reaching self-sufficiency and self-reliance in the country is emphasized.ˈ It is hope in the communiqué that with the preparation of the cradle for the maximum presence of the people at the election polls, electing the president by the people, which is the symbol of the republican aspect of the system would take place amid an atmosphere abounding in hope, jubilance, political awareness, and a sound and enthusiastic competition. The communiqué continues, ˈThe expectation of the people, the concerned officials, and the presidential election hopefuls is abiding by the laws, observation of the ethical rules and the expedience of the country and the revolution, and naturally, as the Supreme Leader has opined: Any type of sowing the seeds of discord and creation of chaos is against the laws and the religious duties.ˈ Turning to the domino revolutions in Arab world, it adds, ˈWe hope the Islamic Awareness Movement in the regional countries and the world under the guiding light of reliance on exalted and humane Islamic values, confrontation plots hatched by the enemies, and refraining from any type of disunity, would all bear fruit and we request the entire concerned governments and international organizations to respect the basic rights of the nations and to care for them wholeheartedly.ˈ The Leadership Experts Assembly communiqué continues, ˈToday we are witnesses to the plots hatched by the enemies of Islam in the Islamic countries and the region, and unfortunately some Arab and regional countries are acting quite harmoniously with the objectives of the enemies and the hegemonic system, contributing to the occurrence of the ongoing crimes against humanity in Syria.” The communiqué reiterates, ˈIn Bahrain the absolute rights of the people are ignored and in Iraq, Myanmar and Pakistan the oppressed Shiˈa Muslims are murdered by a group of non-God fearing mercenaries who accuse the Muslims of disbelief (Takfiri groups).ˈ The representatives of people at the Leadership Experts Assembly have furthermore condemned any type of crimes against humanity and massacre of human beings, emphasizing that the Syrian crisis would only be solved resorting to a Syrian solution, and in that country, as well as in Bahrain, the best solution for the emerged problems is yielding to the opinion and the will of the Muslim nations there. In Article 7 of the Leadership Experts Assembly we read, ˈThe enemyˈs media and news empire is after creating doubts about the religious and national beliefs of the Muslim nations, particularly those of the dear young generation.ˈ It emphasizes, ˈIt is necessary for the entire mass media and the cultural and paradigm maker apparatus, particularly the national media of the country, to remain alert as it is, and to make futile the cultural onslaught of the enemy relying on Islamic and national arts hand in hand with the religious trainings manifested in practice.ˈ Turning to the issue of the western imposed sanctions, the communiqué adds, ˈOne of the most important exit ways from the sanctionsˈ plot hatched by the enemies of Islam and Qurˈan and the global oppression system is solid resistance of the great and brave Iranian nation, emphasis over the resistance economy, and making efforts aimed at boosting the national production and using the locally manufactured goods.ˈ The members of the Leadership Experts Assembly have asked the officials to take steps aimed at supporting the national capitals, national labor force, production and employment, and to promote the Iranian-Islamic patterns of life, while supervising over the goodsˈ prices and materializing the demands of the Supreme Leader in decreasing the living problems of the people as their major concern. Referring to the upcoming Iranian New Year, Nourooz of 1392, the communiqué argues, ˈAt the threshold of the New Year everyone is expected to share his happiness with the people in need and to participate in the support initiatives for the weaker and vulnerable social classes actively, while respecting the laws, thus paving the path for dynamism, peace of mind, and feeling the real meaning of life in the country.ˈ The communiqué adds, ˈKeeping in mind that the mourning period for the martyrdom of Lady Fatemeh (great daughter of the Grand Prophet – P) coincides with the New Year celebrations, we are sure that the Iranian nation that love the Infallible Household of the Prophet (P) would begin their year paying full respect to Lady (Fatemeh) Zahra (P) and spend their entire efforts aimed at preserving the religious sanctities.ˈ The Leadership Experts Assembly has at the end revered the memory of the late Imam Khomeini (P) – may his status in Heaven be further exalted – and the great martyrs of the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic world, praying to Almighty Allah for the long and prolific life and good health of the Supreme Leader, under the special attention of the Imam of the Time, Imam Mahdi (May God Hasten His Reappearance), and for victory of dear Islam and the world Muslims. The Leadership Expert Assembly (Majlis-e Khebregan-e Rahbari‎), is a deliberative body of Mujtahids (Islamic sources of jurisprudence) that is charged with electing and removing the Supreme Leader of Iran and supervising his activities. Members of the assembly are elected from lists of candidates by direct public vote for eight-year terms. The number of members has ranged from 82 elected in 1982 to 88 elected in 2006. Current laws require the assembly to meet for at least for two days every six months. The current chairman of the Assembly is Ayatollah Mohammad-Reza Mahdavi-Kani, who was elected in March 2011. According to the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the assembly is in charge of supervising, dismissing and electing the Supreme Leader. In the event of decease, resignation or dismissal of the Supreme Leader, the Experts shall take steps within the shortest possible time to appoint a new Supreme Leader. ˈWhenever the Supreme Leader becomes incapable of fulfilling his constitutional duties, or loses one of the qualifications mentioned in the Constitution, or it becomes known that he did not possess some of the qualifications initially, he will be dismissed.ˈ The assembly has never dismissed a sitting Supreme Leader, and as all of their meetings and notes are strictly confidential, the assembly has never been known to challenge or otherwise publicly oversee any of the Supreme Leaderˈs decisions. To choose the Supreme Leader, the Experts are to review qualified candidates and consult among themselves. Constitutionally the criteria of qualification for the office of the Supreme Leader include ˈIslamic scholarship, justice, piety, right political and social perspicacity, prudence, courage, administrative facilities and adequate capability for leadership.ˈ In the event that they find one of the jurists better versed in Islamic regulations, in fiqh, or in political and social issues, or possessing more general popularity or special prominence than any of their members, they shall elect that person as Supreme Leader. Otherwise, in the absence of such a candidate, the Experts shall elect and declare one of their own members as Supreme Leader./end