TEHRAN – Former president Mohammad Khatami said on Saturday no ruling system survives by forcing people to practice religion, but people should have the freedom to accept or reject a religion.

“The Holy Prophet, Imam Ali, and Imam Mehdi never imposed goodness on societies… religion or system cannot be imposed on people through the sword. If a system is not supported by people would not survive,” Khatami told a group of students from Tehran University Islamic Council.
“Certainly we do not have any historical, political, or religious duty to take control of the entire world and impose our system on the entire world…If our country forms a system which benefits humans and give them what other systems could not offer, it would naturally become a role model for others.”
He said slogans will not resolve problems and the government has the duty to bring social, economic, and political justice in the society.
“We defend human’s right for freedom in the name of Islam. We defend justice in society in the name of Islam and we highlight the significance of economic justice as well as social, cultural, and political justice,” he stated.
“Political justice says people have the right to vote and their vote must be respected. No one has the right to interfere in people’s votes,” Khatami noted.
He said, “Criticisms are not aimed at weakening the government. A valid criticism will strengthen the ruling system.”
Khatami stated that Islam says people should be respected and should be allowed to exercise their rights. The government is dependant on people and is responsible towards people’s demands, he added.
“We should know our true status in the world and take stance according to our national, regional, and international interests.”
“We want our Iran to be glorious and if our underdevelopment is the result of the governments’ wrong policies we should criticize them,” he asserted