Alwaght- Leader of Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei has called on Iranians to dedicate their efforts to promote domestic production in line with Resistance Economy.
In a speech aired minutes after the turn of the year on Tuesday, the Leader extended New Year felicitations to all Iranians at home and abroad and other peoples who celebrate Nowruz, which marks the beginning of the spring.
Ayatollah Khamenei reviewed different bitter and sweet incidents the country witnessed in the course of the past year.
“The sweet part of the past year was the realization of the grandeur and the might of the nation and people’s active participation, from the beginning of the year to its end,” the Leader said.
Mass turnout
The Leader hailed the mass turnout of people in Iran’s presidential election last year, the rallies marking the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution and days of pro-establishment demonstrations that helped put an end to a series of scattered riots in the country.
“Another positive thing that happened last year was that Iran successfully managed to overcome foreign threats, whose goals, at least one of them, were to harm the Islamic Republic,” the Leader said.
Ayatollah Khamenei also referred to a number of tragedies that hit the nation last solar year, including natural disasters, a passenger plane crash as well as an Iranian oil tanker crash in high seas.
In the year ahead, the Leader said, “what is important is that everybody should work hard,” adding that “our main concern this year is yet again the issue of economy and people’s living conditions.”
Domestic production pivotal
Ayatollah Khamenei described domestic production as “the pivotal” issue this year, which he said is the key to resolving many of the country’s economic and social woes.
“The key is the domestic production and if it is speeded up, many of the problems would go away,” said the Leader. “I chose this as the pivot for this year’s motto. This year’s motto is supporting Iranian products.”
Ayatollah Khamenei said, “This is not the concern of officials alone but the people from all walks of life can contribute to it. To the very sense of the word, they can have a part.”
“May God assist both our officials and people so they could fulfill their responsibilities in the best way possible and could make this motto of the year, which is supporting Iranian products, come true to the very sense of the word,” the Leader said.
President Rouhani hails Iran's role
Meanwhile Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, in his Nowruz message aired live on national TV, praised the Islamic Republic’s role in efforts to restore peace and stability to the West Asia through cooperation with regional countries.
The Iranian president made a reference to the ISIS terror group’s territorial defeat last year in Iraq and Syria, which came about with the help of Iranian military advisors.
“Last year, our nation, which has always been the creator of peace and tranquility in the region and the world, managed to bring more stability and security to the region alongside nations of Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, through its continued endeavors and the [efforts made by] its sincere soldiers and diligent diplomats.”
Rouhani praised the unity of the Iranian nation during the tragic incidents that occurred last year, including the natural disasters that hit several parts of the country.
The president reaffirmed his administration’s determination to continue its efforts to eradicate poverty and combat unemployment, calling on the people, particularly investors and entrepreneurs, to assist the government to achieve that goal.
Enemies, Rouhani added, were “after a pretext to break the Iranian nation,” but they failed to do so in the face of the people’s unity.
