The Leader of the Islamic Revolution held a meeting this morning with the President and members of the Islamic Consultative Majlis. He said that the legislative assemblies of the world are similar in terms of legal weight; however, he stated, "The principal criterion for judging the assemblies of the world is their real weight, namely their objectives, direction of movement, and the positions they take. From this perspective, the position and dignity of the Islamic Consultative Majlis are unparalleled in the world. Of course, the continuance and preservation of this dignified and honourable status entails certain obligations and dos and don'ts, which the representatives of the Majlis must remain committed to."

At the outset of his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei described the auspicious Eid al-Ghadir as truly great for the entire Islamic world, and rich with profound themes of Islamic gnosis. He congratulated the noble and great Iranian nation on this blessed occasion, as well as on the occasion of the birth of Imam Hadi (as).

He stated that the legal status of legislative assemblies worldwide is similar to each other and stems from the supreme status of law, adding, "Law is the fundamental condition of human social life, and from a rational perspective, laws that are established through collective wisdom and by the elected representatives of a nation possess higher credibility and value."

The Leader of the Revolution stated that, unlike their legal weight, the real weight of parliaments worldwide differs significantly. He pointed out, "The status and credibility of a parliament that is founded on religion, composed of pious and upright individuals, dedicated to justice, defending the oppressed, and resisting tyrants is as different  to the status of a parliament composed of irresponsible people whose work supports oppression, discrimination, class division, and defends criminals like the murderers of Gaza, as the heavens are to the earth."

Ayatollah Khamenei said, "By this fundamental criterion and standard, the status of the Islamic Consultative Majlis and the dignity of the representatives elected by the Iranian nation is unmatched among the parliaments of the world. And it is precisely because of these merits that the Imam (ra) called the Majlis' the distillation of the virtues of the nation.'"

Noting the varying performances and political orientations of different parliamentary terms, he said, "Nevertheless, the distinguished and exceptional status of the Islamic Consultative Majlis makes it fundamentally different from all parliaments worldwide, and everyone has a duty to respect it."

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution described the Islamic Consultative Majlis, in principle, as a place of worship, a 'mosque founded upon piety', and added, "By virtue of the Majlis's noble and pure nature, every thought, action, effort, and legislative act within it constitutes a form of worship."

Ayatollah Khamenei also made a crucial point. He said,

"This nobility, purity, and unmatched status do not, of course, endure on their own; rather, they must be preserved and upheld through adherence to their requirements and their obligations and prohibitions, and the responsibility for this most important matter rests upon the Majlis representatives."

Congratulating Mr. Qalibaf on his re-election as Speaker of the Majlis, the Leader of the Revolution went on to outline the dos and don'ts for preserving the Majlis's true dignity. He said, "A representative must consider himself accountable before God and the law, must seek divine satisfaction, safeguard the national interest, and must never submit to conflicts of interest."

Referring to the importance and influence of the representatives' statements, he called on them to be mindful of how their words and actions affect public discourse and to guard against the misuse of such statements against the country, the system, and national interests. He added, "The words spoken from the podium of the Majlis should bring hope and create calm. Unlike a certain period in the past when conflict and discord were broadcast from the Majlis loudspeaker, today the Majlis is not a source of discord, and to a large extent, it brings tranquillity."

Ayatollah Khamenei made another point regarding the requirements for preserving the true dignity of the Majlis. He emphasised that the statements of the representatives must reflect rationality and commitment to the principles of the Revolution. He said, "Whether others in some corner of the world will approve or disapprove should not influence our discourse. Rather, adherence to principles and ideals must be prominent in representatives' statements and a sign of national resolve, strength, and determination."

He cited the Iranian nation's unparalleled steadfastness and clarity in confronting the absurd rhetoric and impositions of major powers, as well as the massive and enthusiastic public turnout at the anniversary of the Great Imam's passing and the 22 Bahman rallies. Despite incessant propaganda campaigns against the Imam and the Revolution, they have been clear manifestations of national strength and resolve. He said, "This power must be reflected in the positions that representatives take, and in their approval or rejection of laws and individuals. And indeed, to a large extent, these qualities do exist in the current Majlis."

The Leader of the Revolution highlighted that preserving national unity is more crucial today than ever. He said, "Airing differences on style, politics and procedure, in the form of disputes and confrontations, is more harmful than at any other time. As we have repeatedly stated, a unified voice must emerge from the country on fundamental matters, and the people, along with the political and administrative apparatus of the country, must act as a single hand (yād wāḥidah)."

He described the coordination and joint meetings among the heads of the branches of government as a suitable platform for resolving the country's issues. He said, "Unlike some periods when recommendations for resolving matters through meetings and avoiding airing differences in public were not well received, today there is relative convergence among the branches on this issue. This must be maintained by preventing factionalism and ensuring that the Majlis should not be transformed into a platform for echoing disagreements."

While outlining specific recommendations, Ayatollah Khamenei described the coincidence of the start of the Twelfth Parliament with the launch of the Seventh Development Plan as an opportunity for its serious and vigorous pursuit. He expressed his dissatisfaction with the inadequate realisation of previous plans, saying, "The rate of implementation for the Seventh Plan must be at least 90 per cent. Of course, implementing each provision of the plan requires legislation and regulations, which is a need that the Majlis must address."

Ayatollah Khamenei emphasised the importance of addressing the critical issue of legal reform and advised representatives to actively participate in open Majlis sessions and committee meetings, ensuring they are thoroughly prepared and well-studied. He said, "Another recommendation is cooperation with the government. One form of such cooperation is refraining from excessively occupying government officials with numerous questions and summons to parliament, a matter that has been a frequent complaint of both past and current administrations."

The Leader also reaffirmed the Majlis's legitimate right to question or summon ministers or to conduct investigations into government bodies based on formal and reliable reports. He added, "In supervisory actions, restrict yourselves to what is necessary and essential."

He said making too many changes to economic bills in the Majlis can ruin their overall structure. He said, "The structural framework of a budget bill must also be preserved; this does not mean disregarding the Majlis's right to rectify flaws in proposed legislation by the government, but rather it means maintaining its core architecture while avoiding the inclusion of unrealistic and unattainable revenue sources in the budget."

Outlining another essential requirement for maintaining the distinguished status of the Islamic Consultative Majlis, Ayatollah Khamenei reaffirmed his longstanding advice on the necessity of revolutionary conduct. He noted, "This is the Majlis of the Revolution, but revolutionary conduct is not merely about making noise. Understanding revolutionary conduct will ensure you don't make mistakes."

He described revolutionary conduct as: advancing along the path of the Revolution's ideals, preventing deviations from them, demonstrating courage and clarity in expressing opinions correctly without offence, and with respect, and absolutely refraining from allowing personal motives or political preferences to interfere in official matters. He added, "As the late Imam said, 'The whole world is the presence of God.' With this perspective, we must seek divine satisfaction, articulating the positions of the Revolution resolutely and courageously, and adhering to them in decision-making."

The Leader of the Revolution cited a unified, strong, and firm response to irrational or accusatory statements against the Islamic Republic as another duty representatives must have and a concrete instance of revolutionary conduct.

At the beginning of this meeting, Mr. Qalibaf, Speaker of the 12th Majlis, outlined the most important actions taken by the nation's elected representatives over the past year as well as the legislative body's future plans. He said, "The basis of our responsible cooperation with the government is the general policies of the system and efforts to realise the Seventh Development Plan."

Mr. Qalibaf described the Majlis's oversight of the market regulation sector as a tool for improving the country's administration. He said, "The continuation of the voucher plan to preserve purchasing power, the control of exchange rates and making available currency for production, resolving the energy sector's fiscal imbalance, and finding solutions to reduce the burden of housing costs are four key tasks and shared priorities of the government and Majlis to address the people's problems." He also said, "Among the measures undertaken by the Twelfth Majlis are: ratification of the Law on Speculative Trade Taxation,  approval of the general outlines of the National Artificial Intelligence Plan, refinement of legislation using the 'Qānūn-Yār' system (Law Assistant System) and smart tools, amendments to the Code of Conduct Oversight Law for Representatives, and intelligent restructuring of national budgeting and financial oversight mechanisms."

Other key highlights in Mr. Qalibaf's report included a comprehensive audit of state-owned companies by the Supreme Audit Court, active participation by representatives in parliamentary diplomacy, and regular, direct engagement with various segments of the population nationwide.

The Speaker of the Parliament also spoke about the importance of the Strategic Action Law for protecting national interests and the Majlis' support for the honourable positions taken by the country's diplomatic corps during the Muscat negotiations.