The Islamic Republic Day

Less than two months after the triumph of the Islamic Revolution on February 11, 1979, the referendum was held for formation of the system of government in Iran on March 30 and 31 of the same year. The results of the referendum were announced on April 1 with over 98.2% votes in favour of the Islamic Republic system of government. This historical day came to be known as the "Islamic Republic Day" ever since.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is proud of taking the people's will and desire seriously from day one. What combined Republicanism with Islamism since the victory of the Islamic Revolution, were the free election and people's right to vote. Before the referendum, Imam Khomeini emphasized on the necessity of people's massive turnout and their freedom in choosing whatever political system they desire. He said in his message, "This referendum will determine our nation's fate. This referendum will lead you to freedom and independence or- like before- to suffocation and dependence on others. This referendum is what everyone should participate in. You can choose any system you want. You have the right and can write Democratic Republic, Royal regime or whatever you wish on this paper. You are free in this."

Imam Khomeini, in his decree for Mehdi Bazargan's premiership, had designated 4 important duties for his provisional government one of which was to refer to the people's vote for changing the political establishment.

Although the Iranian nation had vociferously and clearly demanded the formation of the Islamic Republic system in the demonstrations, the Imam ordered it to be put to the public vote to avoid any ambiguity or pretext.

Imam Khomeini's initiative to hold a referendum, granted a very high status and credit to the Islamic Republic and this fateful move gave dignity, grandeur and real independence to the Iranian nation. In fact, this move internalized the authenticity of people's vote in the early months of the emergence of the Islamic Revolution.

Nasser Qandil, an Arab analyst, says, "Iran transfers a message in every election calmly and exactly; and puts everything in order for conveying and reinforcing this message. During the Islamic Republic era, Iran has been a unique example of a system that is able to preserve its stability, values and sources of power; while being able to play a soft way for transferring power on the basis of public opinion's role, their priorities and distribution of power among different communities."

The referendum for the system of government in Iran proved to all that the Islamic Revolution is based on respect for people's right to determine their fate. This development was a turning point in the history of the Islamic Revolution which revived the spirit of people's participation in administration of affairs. The religious popular rule, which is far more superior to the decadent western democracy, has proven for the past 40 years that it can blend people's votes with the Islamic values to tackle internal and external problems. In spite of the smear campaign of the western media on the lack of freedom in Iran, the Iranian people have always rushed to the ballot boxes to elect their representatives for various sections of the establishment. This, while in most of the Arab states of the Persian Gulf there is no election at all. On the other hand, in some of the so-called developed and advanced countries, like Belgium, Australia and Austria, election is a mandatory action and people must take part in it; or else they will be deprived of citizenship rights and should bear heavy political and economic costs.

The Islamic Republic of Iran's Constitution stresses that the system should move on the basis of people's desire. Ayatollah Khamenei emphasizes, "Being popular means to give role to the people in the government. It means people play a role in administration of the government, formation of the government, determination of the ruler and the governmental and political system. Another meaning of the Islamic government's being popular is that the government is at the people's service. What matters for the ruler is the public interests of the people not certain persons, a certain stratum or a certain class."

People, through broad participation in every election, have shown that they attach importance to their right as an Iranian to attain collective wisdom. Without doubt, the Islamic Republic has deemed high importance for people's vote and the Constitution emphasizes that people are the main owners of power in the system and that nobody is entitled to deny this.