Constitution of the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation

Introduction

Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation was founded by Imam Khomeini based on his religious and jurisprudential thought as a religious, people-oriented, and non-profit foundation seeking public interests, to bring a cultural message of benevolence, sacrifice, endowment and benevolence in the Islamic society, and preserve human dignity in supporting the deprived.

Article 1: The name of the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation will be herein briefly referred to as Imam Relief.

Article 2: The purpose of forming Imam Relief is to empower and flourish talents and provide self-reliance, strengthen and grow the faith and belief of the needy and disadvantaged people by providing them with social, cultural services and living support.

Article 3: Imam Relief is a legal entity with independent financial, administrative and employment regulations, managed under the supervision of the Supreme Leader and according to the provisions of this Constitution.

Article 4: Imam Relief Centre is in Tehran, which can establish branches in other parts inside the country or abroad.

Note: that the establishment of units abroad will be in accordance with the rules announced by the Office of the Supreme Leader.

Article 5: Imam Relief is of Islamic Republic of Iran nationality.

Article 6: the duties of the Imam's relief are as follows:

1- to investigate and identify the types of material and spiritual deprivations of the needy and to define them, and identify the people and families who need protection in the city, the village, and the nomads.

2- proposing effective strategies, policies and executive plans and programs to remove deprivations in various dimensions to the relevant authorities by using all religious and legal capacities of the people.

3- to provide the necessary facilities in order to empower, create self-reliance and economic independence in needy individuals and families through talent assessment, skill training, job creation, technical and vocational training, and granting loans for services to the extent possible.

4- Creating the necessary facilities for the health of needy families and providing health and medical services and providing them with medical and social insurances within the limits of the facilities and relevant laws and regulations.

5- Cash payment and non-cash assistance such as providing housing, dowry and marriage assistance for the needy.

6- Granting interest-free loans to the needy within the framework of the rules approved by the Board of Trustees of Imam Relief through:

A. Creating an interest-free fund by absorbing public deposits.

B. To use the facilities of other interest-free funds.

C. Taking advantage of interest-free and bank facilities and governmental centres.

D. Using other legal capacities.

7- Providing cultural services for needy individuals and families and promoting their religious beliefs and Islamic lifestyle through educational activities by utilizing the capacity of seminaries and other cultural centres.

8- Protecting the family institution and providing counselling services and necessary legal and judicial supports for needy individuals and families.

9- Transferring experiences and solutions to alleviate poverty and help the needy in other countries within the framework of the policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

10- Promoting the culture of benevolence and honouring orphans and spreading good Islamic traditions, absorbing and managing zakat, charities, donations, and endowments, donated for support and empowerment, in the name of the Imam Relief and using them in order to eliminate all kinds of deprivations of the needy according to the Islamic principles.

 11- communication and coordination with charity institutions and people's charity organizations inside and outside the country in order to interact and exchange experience and take advantage of their capacities to provide material and spiritual support to the disadvantaged by strengthening and expanding popular participation.

12- Creating a legal mechanism in order to coordinate and organize the supervision of the good performance of official charity institutions related to the Imam Relief activities.

13- Carrying out missions within the framework of the goals and duties of the Imam Relief, which are determined and funded by the legal authorities.

Article 7: The assets of the Imam Relief are the net of all  Assets, both movable and immovable, and material and spiritual rights, which have been or will be assigned to Imam Relief, or are or will be provided from financial sources, and are or will be registered in the books of Imam Relief, which are considered to be the property of the Supreme Leader.

Note: any transfers of property and real estate and increase and decrease of capital based on the regulations approved by the board of trustees will be done by the head of Imam Relief.

Article 8: Financial sources of Imam Relief are: 

A.  Supreme Leader Aid

B. Credits and Assistance provided by government of the Islamic Republic of Iran

C. public gifts and donations and those donated by institutions and organizations inside and outside the country

D.  alms, vows, and Zakat, donations, and endowments donated to Imam Relief

G. income resulted from the economic activities of companies and affiliated institutions based on the policies announced by Supreme Leader

H. sale of movable and immovable properties

Article 9: the elements of Imam Relief are as follows:

A. Board of Trustees,

B. Head of Relief Imam

C. the auditor and inspector (the regulatory element)

Article 10: Board of Trustees is made up of 5 to 7 people who are determined and elected by the Supreme Leader for a period of 5 years.

Note 1: Board of Trustees elects two of its members as chairman and vice chairman in the first meeting.

Note 2: Board of trustees has a secretariat that its duties, powers and responsibilities are determined according to the approved by-laws. T

Note 3: Board of Trustees elects a person as secretary.

Note 4: The Board of Trustees is formalized with the presence of the majority of members and its resolutions are passed by positive vote of at least three or four members.

Article 11: Duties and powers of the Board of Trustees include:

1- The proposal of the head of Imam Relief from among its members to the Supreme Leader for approval and issuance of an order by His Eminence

 2- reviewing the necessary changes in the constitution and its proposal to the Supreme Leader

3-proposing major policies to be approved by the Supreme Leader

4- reviewing and approving the policies and strategies of Imam Relief proposed by the head of Imam Relief

5- reviewing and approving the organizations and description of the major duties of the organizational units of Imam Relief with a jihadist approach and popular management at the suggestion of the head of Imam Relief based on the rules announced by the Office of the Supreme Leader

6- reviewing and approving the Imam Relief annual Plan and Budget within the Framework of the Office of the Supreme Leader as Proposed by the Head of Imam Relief

7- investigating the annual Report of Imam Relief and its approval to be submitted to the Supreme Leader

8- Hearing Head of Imam Relief Report and Approval of Financial Statements and acting based on the legal auditor and inspector

9- reviewing and approving financial, transaction and recruitment bylaws and other required bylaws of Imam Relief within the framework of the regulations announced by Office of the Supreme Leader

10- Approval of the statutes of affiliated organizations and institutions proposed by the head of Imam Relief within the framework of the regulations announced by the Office of the Supreme Leader

11- Approval of the deputy head of Imam Relief with his proposal

12- Determination of the remuneration of Head of Imam Relief, his deputy and the secretary of the board of trustees

13- Overseeing the good implementation of commands and policies announced by the Supreme Leader and the approvals of the Board of Trustees

14- Approval, establishment or dissolution of main offices and units

Article 12: The duties of the supervisory element of Imam Relief and its subordinate and affiliated institutions and units are the responsibility of the deputy department of Supervision and Audit of the Office of the Supreme Leader.

Article 13: The Head of Imam Relief shall be appointed by the proposition of Board of Trustees and Order of the Supreme Leader for a period of 5 years and is considered the highest executive authority of the Imam Relief. All the complexes, companies, institutions and subordinate and affiliated units of Imam Relief (including economic, supporting and service providers) will be managed under the supervision of the head of Imam Relief. He shall perform all affairs and direct all activities by preserving the rights and interests of Imam Relief and within the framework of the supreme leader's intentions and this Constitution and the approvals of the board of trustees.

Article 14: The duties and powers of the head of Imam Relief:

1- proposing changes and amendments in the organization to the Board of Trustees for approval. 2- acting as the Imam Relief Representative before all authorities and signing binding documents and securities.

3- providing medium-term and long-term goals, policies, strategies and plans as well as annual budget of Imam Relief to be proposed to the Board of Trustees for review and approval.

4- providing annual performance and financial statements report of Imam Relief to the Board of Trustees for review and approval.

5- preparing financial, trading and employment bylaws and other large-scale rules and regulations required by Imam Relief to propose to the Board of Trustees for review and approval.

6- appointing and dismissing deputies and general managers in all provinces, presidents and members of the board of directors of complexes, companies and institutions and subordinate units, including economic, supporting and service providers in compliance with the policies approved by the board of trustees.

7- interaction with other governmental and non-governmental institutions and organizations in order to ensure the goals of Imam Relief.

8- allocating the approved credits, collecting the claims, debt payment and entering into necessary contracts with the right of delegation of powers.

9- preserving the Imam relief facilities, and fulfilment of all relevant rights from natural and legal entities, filing of any type of lawsuit with the competent authorities, reconciliation and compromise, and referral to arbitration with the right of substitution.

10- granting Loans and borrowing and obtaining any type of credits within the framework of the Constitution and plans and budgets and policies approved by the board of trustees.

11- Acceptance donations, endowments, almsgiving, charity, gifts and internal and abroad assistance for Imam Relief. 

Note: Acceptance donations, gifts and assistance within the approved framework of Imam Relief.

12- opening and blocking the required current and saving accounts and deposits in banks and other credit and financial institutions inside and outside the country and maintenance of Imam Relief accounts and issuance of account opening permits for affiliated institutions and organizations.

13- Approval, issuance and notification of instructions circulars and executive methods.

14- recognition, guaranteeing, registration and issuing the permission to pay the budget obligations, gifts and other incomes within the framework of the approved plan and budget. 15- The head of Imam Relief can introduce a person as a deputy to the Board of Trustees.

Note: the deputy will be appointed after approval of the Board of Trustees by the order of the head of Imam Relief, and he shall perform his duties within the framework of the authority delegated to him by the head of Imam Relief.  Financial documents of treasury account of Imam Relief will be issued bearing signature of the head of Imam Relief or his deputy and under the seal of Imam Relief.

Article 15: The financial year of Imam Relief begins on the March 21 every year and ends at the March 29 of the next year.

Note 1: The annual accounts and governmental grants and credits are prepared and regulated within the framework of the relevant rules and regulations and the approvals of the Board of Trustees.

Note 2:  Financial and accounting statements and accompanying notes and credits related to the legal guardian and specific incomes of Imam Relief are prepared by the head of Imam Relief according to the relevant rules and presented along with the annual performance report of the board of trustees.

Note 3: The annual performance report and the annual financial and accounting reports (subject of Note 2) shall be submitted to the inspector (auditor) by August 22 of the next year at the latest and the inspection report shall be submitted to the Board of Trustees by October 22 of the same year and is approved by November 21.

Note 4: approval of financial performance and accounts of Imam Relief (subject of Notes 2 and 3) by the Board of Trustees is deemed as submission of settlement of accounts to the head of Imam Relief.

Note 5: A copy of the approved performance report and annual financial and accounting accounts of Imam Relief is bearing signature of the head of the board of trustees is sent to the Supreme Leader.

Article 16:

Limitations:

A: Transactions of Imam Relief with members of the board of trustees, heads and managers, and their relatives (by blood and by marriage) up to the third degree directly or indirectly will be prohibited.

B: activities and transactions similar to the duties of Imam Relief are prohibited for its managers and officials.

Article 17: dissolution of Imam Relief can only be done if ordered by the Supreme Leader.

Article 18: the initial Constitution of the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation, which was prepared on June 10, 1987 and signed by the great leader of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini, was signed by the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei with some changes on Dec. 20, 2001, and was revised again on Apr. 4, 2015 and was approved by him in 18 articles and 13 notes.