Either Khamenei is Removed and the Parliament is Inept, or the IRGC Must Exit Politics and Economics

The theory or claim of Velayat-e Faqih - guardianship over children, orphans, the insane, etc. - is something whose very conception leads to its denial. This is because the people are not children, orphans, or insane, who need a guardian. The claimants of governance in the name of religion aim to make religion governmental and the government religious. Both goals, even if achievable, are useless and detrimental to the state, religion, and the people. A religious government makes people anti-religious and paves the way for distancing from religion. Religion also lacks the essential pillars of modern governments and has no program or solution for the political regime. Thus, the separation of the institution of religion from the institution of government is in favor of the people, the political system, and religion itself. However, the interests of clerics do not allow them to accept these arguments. Therefore, out of desperation, one must challenge them within the acceptable frameworks of the rulers of the Islamic Republic. First) Ayatollah Khamenei has stated that if a leader commits a sin or tells a lie, he is automatically removed from guardianship, and there is no need for his removal by the Assembly of Experts. Second) Ayatollah Khamenei either spoke the truth that he fully agrees with the 20 solutions of 38 economists and the government must implement them, or he lied (refer to the article 'An Opportunity to Remove the Military from the Economy with the Assembly's Urgent Proposal'). Third) If he spoke the truth, those solutions must be turned into law; if he lied, he is automatically removed from guardianship. Fourth) If he spoke the truth, the leadership-subordinate parliament must convert those solutions into law so that the IRGC, Basij, and other military institutions are completely removed from the realms of economics and foreign policy. Regarding the exit of the military from the economy, Hassan Rouhani stated on November 28, 2017, in a televised conversation with the people, 'One of our goals in the twelfth government is to transfer economic enterprises to the people, and I think that besides the government, others in the public and non-governmental sectors, or the armed forces, should also transfer them. In this regard, I spoke with the Supreme Leader, and he completely agrees that all these should be transferred to the people. Therefore, this will lead to economic prosperity and create a transformation in the economy.' Amir Hatami, the Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Support, announced on January 19, 2018, the pursuit of transferring economic enterprises in the army and IRGC, stating, 'The responsibility for this work has been assigned by the Supreme Leader and Commander-in-Chief to the General Staff of the Armed Forces, and the General Staff is following this issue in all armed forces to ensure that these forces exit unrelated economic activities for any reason... This policy is the policy of all armed forces, which also includes the IRGC and the army.' Fifth) The Hope List entered the parliament with the support of Seyed Mohammad Khatami and reformists. However, the 'Hope Fraction,' through inaction and pursuing personal and familial interests, has only served to 'dishearten' society. They are a bunch of incompetent people who have squandered the entire social capital of reformists. This fraction must present these 20 solutions in an urgent proposal to the parliament and get them approved. Sixth) If reformists want fundamental reforms and transformations, they must pressure the parliament - especially the 'Disheartening Fraction' led by Mohammad Reza Aref - to approve these 20 solutions endorsed by Ayatollah Khamenei. Seventh) If the parliament representatives do not approve these 20 solutions, their representation is illegitimate, corrupt, and a 'theft of votes.' Because these solutions are meant to close the avenues for rent-seeking, corruption, theft, plunder, assist the poor segments of society, and remove the military from the economy and foreign policy. Eighth) Representatives who lack the courage to approve the 20 solutions endorsed by the Supreme Leader should better resign and not illegitimately usurp the representation of the people. Ninth) Seyed Mohammad Khatami presented 15 solutions for exiting the structural crises of the Islamic Republic on August 5, 2018, and said, 'With all my being, I request the Supreme Leader to solve the issues and problems that have challenged the country today with his commands and orders.' Khatami also stated on August 21, 2018, 'If this regime [Islamic Republic] accepts reforms, it can continue, and the position of the people will be preserved, but if it does not accept reforms, it is doomed to failure; of course, not that it will collapse tomorrow, but it will face failure.' (Refer to the article 'Is the Islamic Republic on the verge of collapse or is it enduring?'). If Khatami is truly seeking fundamental reforms, he should pressure parliament representatives to turn the same 20 solutions of 38 economists into law. Did Khatami not request with all his being for Ali Khamenei to issue the command and order for reforms? Khamenei has commanded and ordered to implement the 20 solutions of 38 economists to resolve issues and problems. The economic and political power of the military is not only the greatest obstacle to fundamental reforms but also the greatest barrier to a peaceful transition to a democratic system committed to freedom, human rights, and justice as the absence of ethnic, religious, gender, and class discrimination. Because military power holds economic and political powers and prevents people from becoming empowered. For a transition to democracy, people must be empowered in civil and professional institutions, rather than the IRGC intelligence organization arresting anyone who makes the slightest effort to organize the people on charges of espionage (environmental activists are an example, as the Minister of Intelligence has stated three times in parliament and government that they are not spies). Tenth) When reformists and parliament representatives do not take the initiative to approve these solutions into law, it means that they all believe that 'Ayatollah Khamenei has lied' and wanted to pass the ball to Rouhani's government. Initially, Hassan Rouhani spoke of Ayatollah Khamenei's agreement with the transfer of military economic enterprises. After that, the Minister of Defense spoke of the Supreme Leader's command in this regard. Finally, Ayatollah Khamenei publicly endorsed the 20 solutions, one or two of which included the complete exit of all military institutions from the economy and foreign policy. If the reformists present in parliament - the 'Disheartening Fraction' - believe that Ayatollah Khamenei has lied in all three instances, they should refer to his own words and say: 'Sir, you have automatically fallen from guardianship.' Not only is the exit of the military from politics and economics a national demand, but also the dismantling of the Velayat-e Faqih and religious governance is a national demand. Justice as the absence of discrimination - ethnic, religious, gender, class - and a non-violent transition to a democratic system committed to freedom and human rights constitute the main goals.