In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
The parliament is starting its first session by the Will of God and in an auspicious blessed day of Imam `Ali's birthday. 13 th of Rajab is the birthday of the greatest man of history. It is a day of gaiety, happiness and blessings. The Lord of Believers is a miracle of the age. On such a great day, the sacred house of the Islamic parliament, which is the first parliament of the Islamic Republic and its first session, is being inaugurated. This is a parliament elected by free elections. I hope that this parliament under the shadow of today's blessings be a house of justice and the followers of Islam. It will perform its duties to the interests of Muslims and the Islamic country. Thanks God the Almighty that this nation of Iran succeeded in laying the foundation of Islamic Republic in peace and freedom, and in short period of time. This success is due to the blessings of Islam and the unity of word of all the committed classes. I congratulate the commencement of this session of the parliament to you, the members, and to the nation. I would like to reiterate some remarks, which our friends themselves are aware of.
1. You, my respected friends, are the representatives of a nation, which does not think about anything other than Islam and divine justice. You are elected to execute the Islamic justice that was denied throughout the truculent period of the cruel regime of the tyrant Shah. It was a regime, which allotted the wealth of this country to itself. It also lavishly spent the money for the interests of the big powers to keep himself in power. But as for the nation, he deprived it of the basic needs of life and dragged it to the lowest point of poverty and impecuniosities. And as for the country, he kept it behind so as to be dependent upon foreign powers, particularly America in cultural, economical and political aspects. Now let us see what you and your elected government will do with this oppressed nation, which has brought us out of isolation by its revolutionary move.
2. I hope that the poor and needy ones who constitute a major part of the population be well-attended. Let service to them and betterment of their condition be at the top of your program. In this very first parliament, the house must bestow serious consideration to this deprived class of the population. Your elected government should execute the proposed plans and programs without any excuse or negligence. By doing so, you will pay back your debts to this class of the people who have brought you victory by their sincere sacrifices for Islam, freedom and the independence of the country. God will be pleased with you too.
3. You are the elected members of the parliament. You should confront them with full authority and power. The satanic pockets are still alive. They were steering our destiny in the past regime of the Shah. Do not fear any power except the Omnipotent God. You should not worry about anything except the interests of the country. You must be careful that outside the parliament, the leftists and rightists or any other malefic elements of the corrupted root will play tricks and make approaches in different guises to cheat you to gain a hold in the affairs to fulfill their greed and covet ness. Anyway, they want to bring calamities and havoc. Therefore, you should be advertent and careful. You should remember God so as to seek refuge from Him and be in His protection from the satanic trap of the enemies. May God protect you all from going astray and getting seduced and many other deviations.
4. Thanks God, there are scholars and clergies present in the parliament. They are well-versed in divine laws and the sacred regulations. The jurisprudents are also the guards. The programs that are presented to the parliament or the designs coined there, should not be contrary to the sacred religion, Islam. The proposals that are suggested which are against the sacred religion must be foiled. You don't worry about the poisonous pens and the devious addresses and the strayed Speeches. Don't buy the wrath of God for the pleasure of His creatures. Do know that God is present, powerful and is observing your actions and deeds.
5. This parliament which is the first in the Islamic Republic shall be a paragon for the parliaments in the future. As such any tradition- either good or bad- might have an impact on the coming parliaments. It could be useful as well as troublesome. So, it is necessary that the debates take place in calmness with mutual respect and regard. It should not be as it used to be in the times of Rida Khan and afterwards. It is also a dire necessity to shun the dealing wherein one tries to crush the other. Matters can be resolved in a peaceful environment only.
6. Circumstances of the country and the characteristic of this parliament at this time demand a close coordination and coherence between the parliament and the government. In that case you can overcome the difficulties. Among the organs of the Islamic Republic, none of them should blockade each other's business. Similarly, the parliament and the president and government should not stymie each other in running the affairs. All should reserve themselves in the service of the country and Islam. Then God will support it too. Bear in mind the heavenly call:" Hold the rope of God all and do not get divided «1» and obey accordingly. You should refrain from differences, divisions and disputes. Pay attention to the teachings of the Commandment of God as He says: Don't dispute. You will fail. And your greatness will vanish «2». Failure follows a dispute. You color; smell- i.e. your track and trace- altogether will vanish.
7. The policy of neither" Neither East nor West" should be your motto in your fields, the inside and outside. If any one happens to have a leniency towards East or West, you must give him guidance. If he recalibrates, you can isolate him. If such tendencies are witnessed in the ministries or other organs of the government, that go against the run of Islam and the desire of the nation, impeach the person or the persons concerned. Otherwise, existence of such elements at the helm of affairs or at the top of sensitive stations shall be the cause for the havoc to the country.
8. You should act in a revolutionary haste in any designs or plans regarding the development, or construction or the betterment of the conditions of the poor people. Please refrain from debating on the terms or the wordings that would cause delay. Instruct the ministries and the executive officers to avoid the paperwork, which was customary in the past regime. You should try to provide ease and relief to the victimized nation and the things which they have long been deprived of.
9. In the government departments, the existing regulations that stymie the smooth run of things and cause long delays in reaching the required purpose and result in troubles for the people should immediately be rescinded. Such laws were set by force in the past regime to vex the people. Although these laws are nullified, it is necessary to act in a revolutionary spirit in this respect. Those laws should be substituted by regulations, which ensure people's satisfaction and happiness.
10. The parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran should do its best for the welfare of the religious minorities that are from the respectful classes of the society. Islam has a great concern and a special care for them. You should be active towards their betterment in the same way as you are for the Muslims. Fundamentally, they stand hand in hand with other Muslims in the service to the country. They do have share in all the values that a society accords to its sons.
11. The jurisprudents are requested to do their job, i. e. to safeguard Islam and its laws without bestowing least consideration of the persons or the seduced groups. Their job is too important and their responsibility still greater. They should perform their duty with all their power in the presence of God and His Vicegerent, the existing Imam.
I pray to God for the glory of Islam and the Muslims and our dear country. May peace be upon the Muslims and the virtuous servants of God.
Wednesday, Khordad 7,1359 AHS
Rajab 13,1400 AH
Rouhullah Mousawi Khomeini