Letter by Prime Minister Mousavi Explaining Resignation to President Khamenei

14 Shahrivar 1367/ 5 September 1988

In the name of the Sublime,

The Honorable Presidency,

To prevent the enemies of Islam and the country from taking advantage, in my resignation letter that has also been sent to the media I did not indicate the reasons [for my resignation].  With the intention that detailing them may – God willing – be beneficial in the future for our country and for later governments, I express them in summary:

1.      Loss of authority of the government in foreign policy.  Today, the affairs of Afghanistan, Iraq and Lebanon are in the hands of your Excellency.  Letters are written to various countries without the government knowing anything about them.  (As Prime Minister, I am left unaware of these letters except in exceptional circumstances, and usually by accident).

   – The Prime Minister of Japan writes a letter to the honorable Speaker of the Majles [Parliament] and the honorable Speaker writes to the Prime Minister of Japan, and I learn about this exchange and the content of the letter in a public ceremony.

   – Mr. Larijani says somewhere that there are five channels of communication with the US – and I, as the head of the Cabinet of Ministers, have no idea of these channels.

   – There is talk everywhere about the foreign policy of the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, without the government knowing about these policies that are mentioned everywhere in the country and the world.

2.      Extra-territorial operations take place without the knowledge and orders of the government.  You know better than anyone what great disasters and unfavorable results these have caused for the country up to now.  After an airplane is hijacked, we get news about it.  When a gun is fired in the streets of Lebanon, and the word gets around everywhere, we become aware of the situation.  After explosives are found on our pilgrims in Jedda, I learn about this affair.  Unfortunately, despite all the harm and damage that these actions have caused the country, still operations similar to these can take place in the name of the government at any second and any hour.

3.      The break-up of the Budget and Planning Organization from the Prime Minister’s Office, which was done for political reasons, was harmful from the beginning and its continuation during the reconstruction period of the country will be a disaster.  Unfortunately, this problem, as well as the problem of the consulting ministers, despite being raised at the Expediency Council, have been postponed – although this is the prerogative of the Expediency Council and I have no expectations in this matter.

4.      Decline of the legitimate and legal authority of the government and the responsibility of the government and ministers as caused by various councils.

5.      My inability to be answerable to the members of the cabinet and the honorable deputies of the Parliament regarding actions taken in the name of the government but without its knowledge.

6.      In closing, I see it necessary once again to reiterate that this resignation – God forbid –  does not signify a rift between me and the government of the Islamic Republic and the revolutionary officials, which, even if it was, considering the grandeur of the revolution and my insignificance, certainly it could not have any impact on the process of growth and expansion of the Islamic revolution.  This resignation is due to my own inability to work and is caused by this same inability, and it is exactly because of this that I see myself as unable to carry out my responsibilities.

Mir Hossein Mousavi

14 Shahrivar 1367/ 5 September 1988

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