Interview [Features of the Islamic Republic]

Interviewer: A reporter of the Indonesian Tempu newspaper

Question: [Indonesia is the largest Muslim country. Eighty percent of its 135 million people are Muslims. For this reason, the Islamic Republic that you are going to establish in Iran is of much interest to the Indonesian people. How will this republic be? Where is the position of the non-Muslims and the pagans in this republic?]

Answer: What is of great importance, are those rules that should be enforced and implemented in this government, the most significant of which is firstly that the republic government should be formed by the people's vote; in a way that every single person in the country has a role in electing the person or persons who are going to hold reins of government. And secondly, about these people also the political and economic policy as well as other social positions and all the Islamic rules should be observed. In this government the authorities should always consult with the nation's deputies in all matters of decision making, and if the deputies disagree they cannot decide on their own. Those people who are elected as the deputies or other ranking officials in the Islamic Republic government, have some characteristics, through observing which the real deputies of the nation are elected and not the deputies of a certain class of the society who act against the interests of the nation. The main directives in the Constitution of this government are the definite Islamic rules that are mentioned in the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah.

Q: [What would be your economic principles in the Islamic regime? Would `interest'[ riba' ], for instance, be omitted from your banking system? What is your opinion about possession right with regards to land reform?]

A: 'Interest' is forbidden in Islam and it should not enter the Islamic economy in any way. Possession right is approved in Islam, but Islam has some rules clarifying which objects can be liable to possession right and also the conditions under which this right comes into existence. These rules separate the Islamic economic system and also the economic relations in an Islamic society from the capitalistic economic system and relations that exist in today's world. If these rules and principles are observed and implemented the society will never face the problems and inequalities of today's capitalistic system, and then the Islamic government will not deprive the people from their freedoms on various excuses. Here, one should consider the Islamic economic system in the Islamic rules and principles about all social and individual fields and positions. That is definite that as Islamic rules are concerned, the problems of the people are not solved, and will not be solved only through adjusting economic relations in particular, but these problems should be solved by the whole Islamic system and we should not forget intellectuality that is the key to all problems. We believe that the only school that can guide and promote the society is Islam. And if the world intends to get rid of the thousands of problems it is involved in nowadays, and if the world intends to live a humane life, it should rely on Islam.

Q: [Is it true, that there is difference between you and Ayatullah Shari`atmadari on the concept of government? What is this difference about? Is it necessary, perhaps, to form a council of `ulama', including Ayatullahs to maintain the old form of the government?]

A: It is over one year that the Iranian nation is constantly repeating its demands before the machineguns, tanks and cannons. In the Tasou`a and `Ashoura referendum, they called for the overthrow of the Pahlavi regime and Monarchy system and also for the establishment of Islamic Republic with a majority of vote that was rare in the history of elections in the world. Therefore, whoever doubts about these demands has isolated himself from the nation. And it is definite that if a council of `ulama's and Islamic scientists, who are well aware of Islamic rules and principles, do not supervise the Islamic Republic government, the Islamic rules and criteria may not be observed, even if due to unawareness and negligence.

Q: [Would the Islamic rules you are going to implement in Iran, be similar to that of Saudi Arabia and Libya?]

A: What we want under the name of Islamic Republic, is not yet established in any part of the world.

Q: [Which of your opposing wings are closer to you, in your opinion?]

A: The Iranian nation is unanimous in demands and slogans of Iran's Islamic Movement, in a way that the wing that says something against their will, has no place among the nation. The Iranian nation's movement has broken all partial frameworks and limits, and has turned to a party itself. And that is the party of Iran's Muslim nation that is Islam's Party and `Hizbullah'. In Iran's struggles no one can dare to go far of the nation; and I am a member of the nation.

Q: [According to the Article 5 of the Iran-Russia treaty, the Russian government can dispatch its army to Iran, in case of a threat from Iran. What is your opinion? For the same sake of this insecurity, can the Shah oppress his opponents on this excuse that they are agents of the Soviet Union? What is your opinion about this article, considering Iran's independence?]

A: The Islamic Republic will reconsider all its treaties, because these treaties have been made with a government that has not been based on public vote, and a government that has not been bound to preserving the interests of the Iranian nation. It was the Shah who was talking about independent national politics till yesterday and used to say that we are so powerful that no foreign country can interfere in our domestic affairs! And now he claims that the Russians have penetrated into Iran, and even his foolish servants claim that those hundreds of thousands of people who were chanting" down with the Shah" in Tabriz, East Azerbaijan, were some foreigners who had come to Iran illegally! Now, all the nations have come to the fact that it has not been the nation, who was supporting the Shah, but it has been the superpowers that were supporting the Shah, for their own interests, and the meaning of the Shah's independent national politics was that he has adopted an independent politics toward the Iranian nation. But these excuses would be of no use for the Shah any longer. The Shah and his supporters have now come to this conclusion that they cannot oppress their opponents, i. e. Iranian nation, through these excuses.

Q: [What would be your stance toward Carter who supports you? And what is your opinion about Russia's penetration into Iran?]

A: Carter and his other allies, thinking alike him, are Iranians' number one enemy, and they are well aware of the fact that the Shah is with them and cannot survive without their support. But it is the duty of the American nation to impeach its president for his supporting a murderer, and also for destroying US national respect and for making Iranians furious about themselves. And about the Russians; the condition of Iran does not let anybody or power to penetrate into Iran, may God want so.

Q: [According to reports carried by Le Monde daily on December 3-4,1978, Iranian authorities have announced that Ayatullah Khomeini has been given some 25 million, and that this money will be spent to repair and renovate the mosques, shrines of Imams' relatives, schools and orphanages. Do you approve it? Is that right, isn't it ridiculous that it is in fact the Iranian government who has caused these violations in the country through giving you financial aid. And if you deny the reports, what have been your facilities to continue your activities during your 16 years in exile?]

A: These are all sheer lies. And basically, forgery, calumnies, distorting and changing the facts are among the most significant bases of the policy of the Shah and his accomplices.

Q: [What happened in Iraq that you left there? And why did you choose France? What would be your stance toward the French president, after his November 21 notification to warn that France cannot be a place to invite people to violence? And if the French government refuses to allow you reside in France, where would be your next destination?]

A: Under pressures from Shah, the Iraqi government could not tolerate my activities to serve Islam and Muslims, and so I was obliged to leave that country. I then went to Kuwait and despite having a visa, they refused to allow me to enter their country. So I came to France, so that here I can decide about residing in an Islamic country. And, during my temporary residence in France, whenever I feel some limitations in performing my duties, I will leave the country. It is not important where I am, God's land is so vast.

Q: [What has been the result of your meeting with the Jordanian king?]

A: No such meeting has taken place.

Q: [If the Shah resigns and you are chosen as the leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, will you accept the duty? Is the occurrence of a war possible among the followers of Shari`atmadari, Sanjabi and the Army, due to disagreements on objectives and their greed for honors?]

A: I will not personally accept such a position. And I do believe in the nation's unity and awareness that no civil war will occur, God willing.

Q: [How are your relations with Ayatullah Muntiziri? Will he join you in France as one of the opponents of the current regime?]

A: I have known him for many years. He is one of the great `ulama' of Iran and the Muslims respect him.

Q: [Your activities in exile, has revealed the fact that you are more a political leader than a religious leader.]

A: These remarks suggesting religion is separated from politics and other remarks like it are not in the logic of Islam. Political activities are among Muslims' religious duties.

Q: [What is your best wish for Iran?]

A: My best wish is that the Iranian nation may be saved from the oppression and that they may have a free and independent country; I wish they may have a country with an Islamic system in which people's rights are observed and is a model for all the other nations in the field of development and humane prosperity.

Q: [What is your best memory during your exile?]

A: Imam remained silent on this question.