Speech [Duties of officials in an Islamic political system and the need for purging the disqualified figures from government centers]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

[At the meeting, President Raja'i and Prime Minister Bahonar presented an account of the government's situation, and the latest developments in the country at the time, and then Imam Khomeini said:]

What you and prime minister Bahonar said was all true and I also wish you success in this mission, but the nation need action rather than plans.

You have no excuse, and we have no excuse either.

Comparing officials in former and present regimes

During the recent there were excuses and they were truly acceptable too. The people have so far paid their fair share to the Islamic Republic and fulfilled their duties.

The problem is with us. We should provide answer to the nation. The people voted so enthusiastically for President Raja'i and it was a right choice, because they consider the president from themselves and he he has not shown to be haughty.

I remember many governments. When the administrators of ruling system in Khomein that was a village or the government administration of the triplet cities, whose capital was Golpayegan wanted to go somewhere somebody walked in front of them carrying a mace, with an entourage surrounding them and all that pomp and pageantry. In practice, however, oppression and injustice were order of the day. When I was a child, there was a rascal in Golpayegan administration. He inspected the house of one of the most prestigious men among the merchants and one of the most pious men I knew. The government agents were talking to him harshly in the room he was sitting. We were standing outside the room. I do not know what the subject of their talk was. Before long they dragged that respected gentlemen out to the courtyard and trashed him. This was the situation prevailing at that time. Later on, too, although the conditions changed, the type of oppression changed from bad to worse.

Today, they keep asking what difference has been made. They either do not realize what improvement has been made or they know, but want to make mischief. Today, this gentleman is their president, their prime minister is that gentleman, their interior minister that gentlemand and its true about other ministers. These gentlemen do not even act like the ruling elite of Khomeini, let alone like Einedowleh «1» and what he did. You can imagine what the other government officials did. Well, one improvement is that the likes of Einedowleh who harassed people in every district and did injustice to people no longer exist. Their districts' administrative systems were rented! That is to say, the highest official in Tehran, the capital, rented the high posts in Khorasan, Isfahan, and charging the buyers based on their financial capabilities and the worth of the cities. Then these people who had rented the governor general's post for, let us say 20,000 tomans per year- that was equal to some two to three million tomans today- wanted to earn the rent and at lEast equal to that amount for himself. Thus, the people's numerous complaints accounted to nothing, since there was not supposed to be any receptive ear to be lent to them. All that the new governor was supposed to do was to pay that 20, 000 tomans to the prime minister or other high statesmen in the capital, and from then on he could do whatever he wished in that large city, free from any kind of supervision, or interference. The people's complaints were totally disregarded, and therefore, they often lost hope in the system and stopped complaining after a short while.

Now the situation has changed into the current Islamic conditions. That is to say, the officials emerge from the context of the nation and they are ordinary members of this society. They want to serve their people, and are, thanks God, all pious Muslims. Well all such things are true, but you need to show the practical results of your deeds. These people have made great efforts; many of them have made sacrifices, yet they do not have any expectation. But well, Islam does expect us and we should pay our due to it. The people have sacrificed their lives, their children, their youth and yet voted for you. Their elected deputies in the parliament have given their confidence vote to the esteemed ministers. They have all done their job perfectly well. To be fair, the one that has performed its task perfectly well has been this great nation. That is to say, they have worked shoulder to shoulder with the government at times of hardships. Where else in the world can you find people who rush to the warfronts to help and at the same time are busy to provide facilities behind the frontlines? Such cases are to be found in Islam. The nation did so because they were Muslims and committed to Islamic teachings. They felt responsible in safeguarding their country. The assistance the people offered is so great that it is now you gentlemen's turn to serve them. I do not say in return for the selfless job this nation has done they should expect something in return, but coscience that everywhere you work, you would serve the country, Islam and these people, particularly the most oppressed among them throughout this country.

You should work hand in hand with one another, and it should not be such that for instance Mr. President sits aside and expects the cabinet to take care of all the affairs. I know it is not the case today. Mr. President, too, is from the nation; he knows that Iran is his country and, he does everything for himself. All ministries, too, should help one another whenever public assistance is required to solve a problem. They are not alien to one another so as to aim at ruining the result of one anothers' efforts or to refrain from assisting each other. The people, too, are ready to assist any one of you if you run into any trouble. But the point is that it is now your turn to pay your debt to these people who have appointed you to these positions. Pay your debt to your nation and serve them.

One of the important issues is that of individuals in the ministries. There are individuals who not only refuse to serve people, but also obstruct work. There is a group of employees that just go to work to earn a monthly salary; they do nothing more than nagging, if not sabotaging each day and then they go home. These people have to be identified properly and set aside. Do it in any other way you deem appropriate, but gradually.

Obviously, the embassies are important. From the very first day after the establishment of the Islamic Republic I have been reminding this point to the ministers of foreign affairs one after the other. I have stressed the necessity of purging the embassies. But those who have gone to inspect the conditions in the embassies keep telling me that the situation is still more or less the same. Just sometimes ago somebody told me that the situation has remained unchanged, save for small occasional changes. These embassies are our Islamic country's prestige. If they are run inappropriately and against the rules of Islam, the nation, and the foreigners who see the situation may judge that the situation in the country is just as bad and un-Islamic. One of the most important tasks to be carried out by the minister of foreign affairs is to take this issue seriously. The issue of the Ministry of (Culture and Islamic) Guidance, too, is of extreme importance. The Guidance Ministry should guide the people, propagate for Islam, act based on policies that would in effect promote Islamic thoughts, and so should the other ministries. The Interior Ministry is one of the most wide-ranging ministry at the helm of which stands Mr. Mahdawi «2». I have always hold him in great regard. He should make greater efforts. There is no acceptable excuse or no one to blame for shirking responsibility. In near past, the excuse was made that we could not appoint a minister of foreign affairs. It was indeed a serious problem and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was not finally set up. Other affairs were also sabotaged.

Today, such obstacles are not encountered. Authority rests in you who should serve this nation and consider yourselves their servants. If this thought crosses your mind that" now I am a minister and the people should obey me", rest assured that you have not been refined. If this thought comes to the president's mind that" now I am the first person in this country", rest assured that he has not been refined. This thought is from Satan. Although one might not act with such idea, this thought should be erased from one's mind. Every one of you is a servant of this nation. The hands of aggressing powers have been severed from your country and the monarchy has been uprooted. Now the country has fallen into your hands, who are from the people. What is important is that you should practically purge the ministries. Those who are going to block the changes to rake place and those who try to dissatisfy the people should be purged. It is not of course possible to gain everyone's satisfaction in all areas. If you purge a group, they will be dissatisfied; their friends will be dissatisfied. You should follow the formula that you are fulfilling your religious duty and that by the post you are holding you should serve the nation. Your post is nothing but a mean aimed at serving the nation more effectively. If you manage to serve, you are qualified for the post; otherwise, that post is worth nothing at all. I pray to Almighty God for your success. I wish God would approve of your cabinet. We have never had such a cabinet with so many good, efficient, and pious ministers with illuminated faces in this country's history. You should therefore, illuminate, the atmosphere in this country, and attend to the needs of the people, particularly the oppressed people. Take care of the entire nation's affairs, and keep in mind the Islamic standards.

May God's peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.