Leader: Religious Democracy, souvenir of Imam Khomeini to nations

Supreme Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khameneie said on Thursday that Religious Democracy is souvenir of Imam Khomeini to nations in the region and the entire world. The Supreme Leader make the remarks in a meeting with members of Assembly of Experts. The Supreme Leader cited the fall of the dictatorial regime in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen and Libya and said that the Muslim nations in those countries inherited the aspirations of the late Imam Khomeini and stood up against the US-backed regimes. The Supreme Leader said that the people who have currently taken the helm of the revolutionary nations in the transitional period should not be considered the real representatives of the nations because of their collusion with Washington. Elaborating on 'Religious Democracy', the heritage of Imam Khomeini for the nations, the Supreme Leader said that the article of 'Guardianship of the Supreme Jurisprudence' envisaged in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic gives free hand to the religious leader to opt for flexibility in dealing with state affairs. The Supreme Leader said that the Guardianship of the Jurisprudence does not mean to seek stricter methods in dealing with state affairs. 'Rather it gives free hand for the leadership to better serve the nation and interpret the constitutional provisions to get the maximum outcome.' 'Of course, in matters about national security and the need to thwart the enemies conspiracies, no flexibility is authorized by the constitutional provision of Velayat-e-Faqih,' the Supreme Leader said. The Supreme Leader said that Imam Khomeini considered to establish political system on the basis of Islamic tenets with the belief in democracy, so that he preferred to annex the article of Guardianship of Jurisprudence to the Constitution to make sure that the religious leadership would guarantee accurate implementation of the Constitution in light of the Islamic teachings and democratic criteria. “I must clarify that sticking to the Islamic principles is not a barrier to develop more, so materialization of the Islamic system’s macro material and spiritual goals will happen in mid and long terms.' Focusing on ever-changing and un-abruptness nature of system making process, the Supreme Leader added that we must observe and investigate and do searches and researches and to remove to the trial and error mechanism and deficiencies and incompetencies of the system making based on the Jurisprudence. Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei made a reference to the existing instinct inconsistencies in enemy’s understanding of “Absolute Jurisprudence Sovereignty” as phenomenon of fixed governing of a country based absolute decision-making of the leader, corrected this misconception and explained that “Absolutism” here dose not necessarily mean that no “correction”, “revising” and “reform”, will happen. He added, but a just leader (Sovereign Jurisprudent) is a key figure the hierarchy of leadership and evolve the system and make any correction and changes in the system when he feels it is necessary. The Supreme Leader said that religious democracy can help and serve the nations to attain freedom and justice. “Understanding the real meaning of religious democracy can easily clarify everything to the nations and awaken them, so it will stop the enemies to misuse the information gap, “ Supreme leader added.