In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
All praise is due to God, Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings be upon our Master and our Prophet, Abul Qasim al-Mustafa Muhammad, and his untainted, pure, chosen Progeny, particularly the Remnant of God on earth.
Happy New Year everyone! Every year, this meeting takes place next to the holy tomb of Imam Reza (pbuh). This year we have been deprived of this blessing. [Therefore], we send our greetings to him from afar, “Distance matters not in a spiritual journey” (Divan of Hafez, ghazal 472). “Peace be upon you, O God’s trustee on His earth and His Hujjat [proof] sent to His servants. I testify that you have striven sincerely for the sake of God with true jihad and acted according to His Book. You followed the instructions of His Prophet (pbuh) until God called you to be in His vicinity, and so He took you to His side by His will. And He sealed your enemies doom with the assertion that the proofs had been made known to all of His creation through you” (Kamil al-Ziyarat, 39). May God’s greetings, mercy, and blessings be upon you, O Aba al-Hasan, O Ali ibn Musa al-Reza.
Once again, I congratulate all of you dear brothers and sisters, and also the entire Iranian nation, on this blessed Eid. The spring of nature and the spring of spirituality coming together this year signifies that Almighty God is offering both types of His grace to His servants for their use. Of course, the difference between the two is immense. Today, both the spring breeze of nature and the spring breeze of spirituality can be used by all the pious, righteous servants [of God]. [The poet, Mawlana] has quoted a narration from the Holy Prophet [in his poem], “The Prophet told the Great Companions / Cover yourself not from the spring winds.”
This is because spring winds, or the breezes in Farvardin [March - April], refresh the atmosphere, bring a sense of freshness to our bodies, and are a source of growth, flourishing, and flowering. The same concept applies to our spirit in the breeze of spirituality. The spiritual breeze of the spring of Ramadan breathes light and vitality into our souls laying the foundation for personal growth and excellence. Closeness to God during the month of Ramadan is bestowed upon those who are not heedless.
What is the spiritual breeze of Ramadan? It is fasting. Fasting is one of Ramadan’s breezes. It is [also] the Night of Qadr; it is the supplications that are recited during the nights, at Sahar [the time before the morning call to prayer], and during the days of Ramadan; it is the Abu Hamza Thumali Supplication. These are all spiritual breezes that breathe into the soul of a resolute individual contributing to their growth, rejuvenation, and flourishing. They foster enthusiasm for understanding and action while dispelling spiritual lethargy and indifference. They transform a person into a righteous servant.
During the month of Ramadan, you strive toward righteousness and become a righteous servant. Almighty God has made promises to the righteous servants in this world, “Indeed, My righteous servants shall inherit the earth” (Quran 21:105). This is as a worldly reward for the righteous servants. As for the Hereafter, “They are with those whom Allah has blessed, including the prophets and the truthful, the martyrs and the righteous, and excellent companions are they!” (Quran 4:69). There, the righteous servants will be elevated to the ranks of the prophets, the righteous, and the martyrs. The month of Ramadan has such a power and art to be able to advance a conscious, aware person who is not heedless to these spiritual levels. I hope, God willing, that our dear nation, the entire Islamic Ummah, and all people whose hearts are devoted to God will use spirituality for their personal growth and progress.
I have prepared a discussion to share with you today regarding this year's motto. I will also touch on a couple of points concerning the public and national interests of our country, which are important matters to communicate to the Iranian nation.
Regarding the year’s motto [“Surge in production through people’s participation”], it aims to motivate individuals to focus their efforts and thoughts on a key component of the country's fundamental strategy. The year’s motto is usually a part of the country’s fundamental strategy. Not only does it focus the efforts and attention of our officials on a specific area, but it also serves to raise public awareness and demand for this matter. That is why we propose a motto every year, and this tradition has been upheld for many years among us.
In recent years, the motto has emphasized and focused on the economy. Last year, the motto was “Inflation control and growth in production.” Official, certified reports tell us that good things have been done in this field. However, it is still rather far from the desired result and additional work is required.
Therefore, I am saying that the motto of 1402 AHS is one of our objectives for this year as well. It is a part of our fundamental duties. It is one of the tasks that all of us, either as officials or active members of the public, should pursue. Yet, this year’s motto holds even greater significance since it focuses on a “surge in production.” A surge in production might seem like a big task or impossible to some people, but I believe that if we take into consideration the second part of the motto "through people’s participation," it is doable.
If we are successful in bringing people's determination, capital, innovation, and their active participation into the economic sector — that is, we mobilize people in the matter of economy — production can grow rapidly.
So, the economy is one if the country’s fundamental issues. Economic problems are one of our weaknesses for various reasons. When the country's economy is in a favorable situation, it can have a positive impact on all general aspects of the nation. It can affect people’s religion and lives. [Some people] may argue that there are countries that are well off in terms of wealth and they have an advanced economy, but their people are not in a good state. The reason behind this is their orientation. It is because they do not care about justice. They do not care about the importance of religious teachings and faith. That is why their people are in a bad state. Anyway, the economy is a very influential factor.
The enemies have been trying to bring our country’s economy to its knees for years now, and they have put serious effort into this. The hostility of the US and its allies has been evident over time, with their ultimate goal being the economic collapse of Iran. They want to bring the country to its knees economically. Of course, with the determination of our youth and the many efforts made by our people and officials, the enemy has not succeeded, and by the will and power of God, they will continue to fail. Nonetheless, the enemy is relentlessly continuing their economic pursuits against the Islamic Republic. They are active. We too must be active. We must follow things up, remain steadfast on this path, think correctly, and work tirelessly around the clock.
For the country's economy to thrive, it is important for every component of the country’s system, both large and small, to work effectively. Everyone must make an effort. The country's infrastructure, innovative ideas from the people, and the expertise of skilled economists and managers must be fully utilized; the potential of our educated youth must be utilized in the true sense of the word; knowledge-based companies must be supported. These are all crucial means for economic growth. By recognizing and utilizing these valuable resources, the country's economy is sure to flourish.
Of course, [they’re doable] with the tireless working of the officials, and, praise God, the current government gets a high grade in their effort, undertakings, and activity. They are making a good effort. So, this is what we had in mind in this year’s motto. I believe that we should focus on economic issues, and in order to succeed, we need to truly make use of the active participation of our people. We want all our forces to mobilize in making progress in this area. It is up to our officials, God willing, to find a solution to this and implement that solution.
This year is the first year of the Seventh Development Plan. It begins this year. The main objective of this plan is economic prosperity accompanied by justice. Some very important goals have been outlined to be achieved by the end of this program which include bringing inflation to a single digit, reforming the budget structure, transforming the tax system, and producing at least 90% of essential goods domestically. These are all major tasks. Increasing efficient water use in agriculture, which is among the country’s challenges, has also been addressed in the Seventh Development Plan. And there are large national projects.
I believe achieving these goals is not possible without the participation of our people. This must be carried out with the people’s involvement. I want the Iranian nation to pay attention to this. Of course, everyone has their own unique skills and capabilities, and not everyone can contribute at the same level. While the way people contribute may differ, it is through the people’s collective effort that these objectives can be attained. And this requires planning. (Audience chants: “O liberated Leader! We are ready! We are ready!”) Thank you for declaring your readiness. I am certain that our people are ready, but we need to find ways for people to actively participate, and by the will of God, demonstrate their readiness, as it was demonstrated during the Sacred Defense.
During the Sacred Defense, people demonstrated their preparedness in all aspects. God willing, we must have this same spirit in addressing all the challenges that our country faces. This mobilization of the people is necessary and has been effective in various fields such as in the sciences, ethics, culture, and the arts, but our attention is currently directed toward economic challenges.
I believe the private sector and the people have very high capabilities. Recently, an exhibition was held in this Hussainiyah that showed the activities in production of the private sector and the accomplishments of our people using their own capital and initiatives. I spent about four hours or more to thoroughly examine the work on display, and it was truly astonishing. It was wonderful and showed the incredible capabilities that people have in production and their initiatives in the economic sector.
Many of them were young. Young people came here and spoke about how they achieved great things based on their own innovation in the field of economics. So, there are great capacities and amazing capabilities that must be used in various sectors such as in large industries, in the optimization of water consumption, in the oil sector, in handicrafts, in transportation, and in other areas. Innovative, creative young people have put in hard work and effort to achieve remarkable successes in all these fields.
Of course, we are active in foreign and international activities in the field of economics, and we should have these activities, because without them our economy cannot advance. I am now addressing the honorable government officials. In foreign relations with countries that we share economic ties with, contracts and agreements that do not produce any visible results should be transformed into legally binding, enforceable contracts that have tangible effects in action. This must be taken seriously and pursued diligently.
Another issue that needs to be addressed is productivity, which I will not go into right now. If given the opportunity, I will discuss it in more detail later. Our country's productivity is low, as the resources we consume — such as water, electricity, time, and our human capital — do not yield a proportional amount of benefit and results. However, these issues have potential solutions and can be corrected based on experiences. God willing, action needs to be taken in this area as well.
These were a few points regarding the motto of the year. Of course, this motto is not limited or exclusive to just this year. It is an ongoing effort. These are not issues that can be solved in the course of one year. God willing, this year, 1403 AHS, should mark the beginning of officials making efforts to take the first step, to make plans, and to continue on this path, God willing. That was regarding the motto.
It is understandable that those people who are sympathetically seeing the country's challenges have concerns about potential misuse, discrimination, social inequality, corruption, and the like when the people’s capital and resources are allocated toward economic issues, as this has happened before. This is certainly a valid concern.
In the past, there were those who used government resources, loans, and foreign currency for purposes contrary to their intended use. They changed the course and misused the resources, which ultimately resulted in corruption and discriminatory practices. Such things exist. This necessitates that the authorities be vigilant and cautious in all their actions [to prevent such problems from arising]. This calls for special attention and care. I will conclude the discussion on the motto of the year and economic issues here.
I would like to discuss a couple of points regarding some of the general issues concerning the country. Firstly, our national interests today and our promising future hinge on "hope" and "faith," as I discussed in detail in 1402 AHS. I want to emphasize these two areas: hope and faith. If the light of hope is extinguished in our hearts, no action will be taken. We possess immense potential for advancement, a wealth of talented young people, a driven and dedicated nation, rare natural resources, and an excellent geographical location. We are fully capable of achieving significant strides.
We have made significant progress since the beginning of the Revolution. Now, our enemies conceal this and some people may not know how to articulate this properly, but we have the potential to achieve even greater advancements. However, these advancements are only possible if you and I remain optimistic about the future. We need to maintain hope and understand that we can work, make progress, and move forward.
Praise God, we don’t have a shortage of factors for being hopeful about the country either. There are many things in the country that give people hope, including the scientific advancements in the fields of industry, healthcare, space, politics, and the advances we have made in foreign policy and what is considered as security in the country. Several million people rally throughout the country [annually] on the 22nd of Bahman, and, praise God, they do this with complete security. The elections are held in complete safety. Few places in the world have this kind of stability, security, and public participation, along with these kinds of rapid, surprising advancements. These are promising factors. They give us hope. They enhance the feelings of honor and pride in our people.
Right now, thousands of youth groups are active in different fields across the country. We know a little about some of them, others we know in detail. Thousands of young, competent, motivated, enthusiastic groups are diligently working and putting in effort in the true sense of the word. They are undertaking scientific and industrial research. They are active in the fields of industry, agriculture, healthcare, medicine, and scientific exploration.
In seminaries, there are virtuous, talented young individuals who are engaged in increasing religious understanding. They are innovative and introduce new ideas. Cultural activities [are being undertaken] throughout the country in different places in the fields of writing, book production, poetry, the cinema, the arts, painting, visual arts, promoting religion, and religious activities for enriching the atmosphere of the society. The massive rallies that are held on the occasion of Arbaeen and during the celebrations of Sha'ban, for Ghadir, and other events are organized and led by these young people. These are all promising factors, and they are a testament to the fact that our youth are active.
Unfortunately, our capabilities in promoting our advancements do not have the necessary reach to adequately show the public the positive developments that are taking place. [The examples I mentioned] are all promising manifestations [of the progress] in the country. They are a manifestation of the vitality and hope that exist in the country. It shows that our nation in general and our youth in particular are cheerful, energetic, dynamic, innovative, and hopeful.
On the other hand, one sees that some people, who in my opinion are neglectful, try to spread negativity. They deny both the existence of hope in the youth, and they also try to eliminate hope from the hearts. Why? Who does this benefit? They use their pen to argue that we cannot be optimistic about the future! These things exist. These are things that I am witnessing myself. They write articles and argue that we cannot be hopeful about the future. Why? Why should we not be hopeful when we have so many promising factors?
It's as though they are lying in wait to destroy the spirit of hope in the youth. The enemy has been working in this area for many years now, but to no avail. For years they have consistently attempted to amplify our weaknesses by using all kinds of propaganda techniques, various media tricks, and such things. Well, we have weaknesses in the country. They magnify these tenfold. We [also] have achievements, but they keep silent about them and even deny them at times!
For example, our military officials produce and launch a defense tool, such as a missile. But in their [the enemy’s] propaganda, they claim this is a lie. [This is while] the launch of that missile is taking place in front of people’s eyes! So, this is what the enemy is doing. But why do some people do this inside the country? In my opinion, some people are negligent. We should not allow ourselves to be negligent. We should not make this mistake.
I advise our dear young people to stay ahead of the enemy’s plan. Our young people should stay ahead of the enemy’s plan. The enemy wants you to lose hope. Your efforts to create hope and to instill hope in the hearts of the youth should surpass the enemy’s attempts to eliminate it. The enemy does not want certain voices to be heard both at the national and the international level, but we must work in the opposite direction and ensure that these voices are heard. Today, there are various tools at our disposal. That was one point.
The next point regarding national interests is the issue of uniting the hearts of the people, uniting the determination and will of all the people. Unfortunately, we have problems in this area. We have setbacks. Social interactions and empathy are very important. We have become neglectful in this regard. We are creating disturbances in our national unity with our own actions. We are all responsible for this neglect. We all have a duty to preserve national unity, people’s unity, and the bond between the people and the officials, and strengthen it day by day. This has been the definite policy of the Islamic Republic from the very beginning.
One of the things that the magnanimous Imam [Khomeini (ra)] always insisted on since the very first day [of the Revolution] was “unity.” Some individuals would disagree with one another over factional and political issues. Imam [Khomeini] would reprimand them and say, “Vent all your shouts on the US.” Differences in thought, preferences, and political views are natural in any country, but promoting hatred is a different matter. Well, you may have one opinion, another person may have a different opinion. They are not the same and there is nothing wrong with that, but this should not lead to the spreading of hatred. This should not breed animosity and enmity between people. This should not give people the liberty to engage in insults, harassment, or any other form of negative behavior toward each other by any means possible. This becomes even more concerning if it is accompanied by slander, lies, and similar actions.
In my opinion, internal competitions are fine. There are competitions within the country concerning various political issues, etc., which is fine. However, everyone should work together and be united. In one family, two brothers may have two different tastes, but their brotherhood remains intact. Things should not come to swearing, spreading lies, insulting others, etc. Everyone should be careful about this.
This is also a fundamental, important issue. I insist on this and advise our dear youth to work to prevent the spreading of hatred in our society. Well, differences in opinion exist and there is nothing wrong with that, but everyone should stand and move together as brothers when it comes to addressing the general issues of the society and in confronting and standing against those who oppose the country, the Islamic Republic, and the Iranian nation.
From among the important international issues, the primary issue these days is the situation in Palestine and Gaza. I will share a few words regarding this as well. The “Resistance” in the West Asian region is currently a fundamental issue that has captured the world’s attention. The issue of Palestine can be looked at from several angles.
Firstly, the events in Gaza have shed light on the nature of the oppression and darkness that is prevailing in the world. This Western world, this so-called civilized world that claims to be an advocate of human rights among other things, has shown the nature of the darkness that has taken hold of their lives, thoughts, and actions. More than 30,000 people have been massacred, including babies, children, teenagers, young people, the elderly, women, men, and the ill. Within a short period of time, over 30,000 people were murdered. Their homes and their country’s infrastructure have been destroyed. [And yet], the “civilized” world just looks on. Not only does it fail to prevent [the crimes of the Zionist regime], it also supports it!
In the very first days of the Zionist regime's brutal attack on the people of Gaza, the US continuously made visits [to the occupied territories], and so did the Europeans. They showed their support and assistance for the Zionist criminals. They openly announced it. And it wasn’t just an announcement. They sent weapons and resources. They provided all kinds of support [for the Zionists]. This is the darkness of today’s world. This is the kind of world we are facing today. That is one look at the matter. This is from one angle, which shows the situation that the world is in today.
If we look at this from another angle, we can see that this event highlighted the legitimacy of forming the Resistance Front. Some had questioned the necessity of having the Resistance Front in West Asia. It has become evident that the presence of the Resistance Front in this region is one of the most vital issues. And the Resistance Front must be strengthened day by day.
It is only natural for those with a conscience, individuals who have an awake conscience in this region, when they witness the oppression being carried out by the Zionists that has been ongoing for [over] 70 years, they do not remain silent or passive. They think of resistance. This is the reason the Resistance Front was established. It was formed to confront this ongoing oppression being carried out by the Zionist criminals against the Palestinian nation and the supporters of Palestine.
If we look at this issue from a different perspective, we will see that in the last few months, the Resistance Front has demonstrated its true nature. Perhaps neither the Americans, the Westerners, nor the governments in the region were aware of the true power of the Resistance and its capabilities in this region. They realize it now. They know about it now. Look at the Palestinian Resistance! Look at the patience of the oppressed Gazans! Look at the determination and drive of the Palestinian Resistance fighters, including Hamas and the rest of the Resistance groups! Look at the determination of the Resistance forces in Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq! This is how the Resistance is. The Resistance has unveiled its true nature, its capabilities, and the condition it’s in. It has shown the world what the Resistance is and has caused all the US’s calculations to go wrong.
The US sought control over everything in the region, including in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and the entire region. A miscalculation led them to this belief. The strength of the Resistance caused their calculations to go wrong. It has shown that such a thing is impossible and that the US cannot stay in this region. They have no option but to leave the region.
Another point and another perspective from which we can view this issue is that everyone has become aware of the true status of the Zionist regime. It has become clear that the Zionist regime is suffering a crisis, not only in terms of protecting itself, but also in terms of coming out of the crisis. It got stuck in a quagmire and is unable to save itself. The entry of the Zionist regime in Gaza created a quagmire for it. If it comes out of Gaza today, it will have failed. And if it doesn’t come out, it will also have failed. This is the situation that the Zionist regime is in.
The contradictions that exist in their decisions and the extreme confusion that they are suffering from has caused deep conflicts among the officials of the Zionist regime, and this prevents them from being able to make decisions. Today, the Zionist regime is unable to make decisions. God willing, this will bring it closer to its downfall.
As for the US, the US put itself in the worst possible situation with regard to the issue of Gaza. The US chose the worst stance in the Gazan region. What it did has made it despised throughout the entire world. Those who take part in pro-Palestinian protests in the streets of London, Paris, other European countries, and the US itself are in fact expressing their hatred toward the US. The US has become despised in the world. It was already despised in the region, and this hatred has now increased tenfold.
They have an incorrect understanding of the issues in the region. The decisions they make that are based on that incorrect understanding are also wrong. Wherever it is in the region — be it in Yemen, Iraq, Syria, or Lebanon — any measure that is taken by the fighting, brave Resistance forces, the US attributes to Iran in their assessments. This miscalculation will definitely bring the US to its knees. They don’t understand the people. They insult nations and the courageous young people in them who are wise, strong-minded, determined, and brave.
We, of course, support the Resistance. We support the Resistance groups as much as possible. We applaud their endeavors, but they are the ones making their decisions and taking action. And in what they are doing they are in the right. We believe that the Zionist regime is committing an immense oppression in the region. This is a very big oppression that has been taking place for decades. This oppression must end. Whoever becomes involved in this great jihad — human jihad, Islamic jihad, and conscience jihad — we are on their side. We will help them, and by God's will and power, we will achieve our objectives.
May God’s greetings, mercy, and blessings be upon you.
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