In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
All praise is due to God, Lord of the Worlds, and may peace and greetings be upon our Master and our Prophet, Abul-Qasim al-Mustafa Muhammad, and upon his untainted, pure, chosen Progeny, particularly the Remnant of God on earth.
I warmly welcome all of you. God willing, may the beginning of this year herald a blessed year for each of you and for the entire Iranian nation. This year, Nowruz and the start of the New Year carry a heightened spiritual feeling due to them falling in these blessed days and nights. Of course, let us keep in mind that throughout the years, Iranians have always looked at Nowruz from a spiritual perspective that’s accompanied by supplications and turning to the One God. Thus, we always begin the arrival of the New Year with prayer.
Over the years, the crowds of people that travel during the Nowruz holidays mostly travel to holy sites. This year, you saw the massive gathering in Mashhad in the holy courtyards at the moment of the New Year’s arrival or how the people of Tehran filled the Behesht Zahra Cemetery the night before. This shows that Iranians, our beloved people, consider even Nowruz to be a spiritual holiday, and they commence their year with paying attention to Almighty God and invoking Him. We should thank God that despite the toxic, poisonous propaganda of the enemies aimed at separating the Iranian nation from spirituality, the propaganda and comprehensive attempts of the enemy have failed. Our nation has grown in spirituality, paying attention to God, monotheism, and seeking the intercession of the Imams (pbut), and the people’s devotion, love, and sincerity [toward the Imams (pbut)] have increased.
These days are devoted to the Commander of the Faithful [Imam Ali] (pbuh), and this is a lesson for us too. Imam Ali (pbuh) is the peak of justice, piety, and forgiveness throughout history. If the Iranian nation and Muslim nations wish to benefit from the lessons of this great man, the greatest human being after the Holy Prophet (pbuh), they should refer more to Nahj al-Balaghah. I recommend that those active in cultural spheres pay special attention to studying and teaching Nahj al-Balaghah this year.
What I want to emphasize to everyone is that during these nights don’t miss the opportunity to engage in prayer and earnest supplication. Tonight will be the 21st night [of Ramadan], and then the 23rd night [the Night of Qadr]. These are opportunities and precious moments. Every hour of these nights has the value of a lifetime for us. You — the youth in particular, the youth in particular — can with just a single moment of attention [toward God], a single prayer, or a single act of sincerity not only change the destiny of your own life but also the destiny of an entire nation, with a single prayer. Almighty God has promised, "When My servants ask you about Me, [tell them that] I am indeed near. I answer the supplicant’s call when he calls Me. So they should answer My call and believe in Me" (Quran 2:186). Almighty God says, “I am near; I hear you; I will respond.”
"And believe in Me," means we should have faith and believe in this that our prayers, our requests, and our beseeching God are heard and will be answered by Almighty God provided we don’t create obstacles [for ourselves]. Prayer is a means for our success, and not just in matters related to the hereafter, such as barzakh [purgatory] and the Day of Judgment, but even for our life in this world, for our personal life. Even in great battles and for monumental tasks, prayer is effective. Prayer is a means and a tool. God has given us this means. It’s like seeking the intercession of the Imams (pbut). The Imams are God’s Vicegerents. They are manifestations of God’s power and divine knowledge. We ask them for help, the service entrusted by the Almighty God to His righteous servants. What they do and the assistance they give is the help that God is providing for us, "And you did not throw when you threw; rather, it was Allah who threw" (Quran 8:17). Seeking the intercession of God’s pious servants and the Imams of Guidance (pbut), and beseeching God are tools at our disposal. We must appreciate these opportunities.
In great difficulties, the prophets of God would invoke Him and pray. The Quran recounts the story of Prophet Moses (pbuh) and how in his battle against Pharaoh with all its intensity, [he said], "Our Lord! You have given Pharaoh and his chiefs finery and wealth ... Our Lord, that they may lead [people] astray from Your way! Our Lord! Destroy their wealth and harden their hearts" (10:88). He prayed and sought help from Almighty God to overcome Pharaoh.
Almighty God responded by saying, "Your supplication has already been granted. So be steadfast" (10:89). You prayed and asked God to grant you victory in your fight against Pharaoh. This is what you desired. Very well, "Your supplication has already been granted." Your prayer has been answered. "So be steadfast." Stand firmly, resolutely, and hopefully. Moses (pbuh) acted in accordance with this divine recommendation and command, and, in the battle of blood against the sword, he made blood triumph over the sword. The struggle of the Iranian nation has been the same with people invoking God, with supplications, with paying attention to God, with perseverance, and with steadfastness, and it will continue in the same manner.
Of course, there are costs for the Front of Truth in these struggles too. I would like to emphasize this point. Look at the events that took place last year, in the year 1403 AHS [March 20, 2024 - March 20, 2025], through this lens. In the battle between truth and falsehood, victory belongs to the truth, but there are costs for the Front of Truth. In the eight-year war, the Sacred Defense, we stood on one side and the opposing side was a global coalition backing Saddam! The war lasted eight years. After those eight years, the entire world acknowledged that Iran had triumphed over the opposing side even though it had been alone and strapped for resources. Everyone understood this, said this, and confirmed this. But in this victory, we lost people like Hemmat, Bakeri, Kharrazi, and Chamran. These are losses. These were costs that were paid, but they are part of the journey toward an ultimate victory.
In the events that took place last year, we lost distinguished figures. We lost valuable Iranian and Lebanese figures. This caused our grief, much like the story of Moses. There too when Prophet Moses went to Egypt, he didn’t have a peaceful, comfortable life. He and Bani Israel were suffering immensely. "They said, 'We were tormented before you came to us and [also] after you came to us'" (Quran 7:129). Bani Israel told Moses that before he arrived as a prophet to confront Pharaoh, they were being tortured, and now that he had come, they were still being tortured. Prophet Moses told them, "Moses said to his people, 'Turn to Allah for help and be patient" (7:128). He advised them to seek assistance from Almighty God, to be patient, and to remain steadfast. Then things would get better, and they did.
The same people who complained that they were being tortured saw with their own eyes how Pharaoh and his followers drowned in the water in utter humiliation. They [Pharaoh and his followers] were destroyed with no trace left of them, neither of their power nor their kingdom. Only their bodies remained as a lesson for the people to see. This is how you should look at the events that unfold, at the hardships, and at the difficulties. I’m not just referring to when it’s in the context of battle. Last year in 1403 AHS, there were natural disasters too — bitter, natural tragedies. In Tabas, over 50 people lost their lives in a mine. Well, these are tragedies. They’re bitter events. This is the response of Prophet Moses: "Turn to Allah for help and be patient." Seek assistance from Almighty God, ask for help, and be patient. Have no doubt that the ultimate outcome of this steadfastness will be the defeat of the enemies — the defeat of the malicious, corrupt, wicked Zionist regime.
The important point that I mentioned yesterday in my New Year’s message to the Iranian nation, and which I would like to emphasize, is the following. In the bitter events of 1403 AHS, the spiritual strength of the Iranian nation was demonstrated. The patience of the Iranian nation, their steadfastness, their courage, and their valor were all demonstrated. Nations usually break in the face of events like the martyrdom of their president and a number of their statesmen. [However,] the Iranian nation responded to this tragedy with a magnificent, epic farewell. The massive display of the people’s presence in the funeral of their beloved president and in the Nasr Friday Prayer astonished the world. That historic Friday Prayer was held throughout the entire country and people participated in it.
The enemy made threats. They wanted our nation to feel endangered. However, our nation stood up firmly and responded with an unprecedented turnout. In the presidential election, the people’s enthusiasm and readiness to ensure there would be no delay in the country’s affairs led them to participate in the elections. They elected a president and formed a government within 50 days. In Martyr Haniyeh’s funeral, in various other funeral processions, and in the response to the events in Lebanon, Palestine, etc., the Iranian nation demonstrated its spiritual strength and morale. The pinnacle of all this was the 22nd of Bahman rally.
The 22nd of Bahman rally in the year 1403 AHS (Feb. 10, 2025), was one of those historic rallies. After 46 years, commemorating a Revolution that the US shouts and strives against, Europe strives against, and the hypocrites of the world in all their various forms, as well as the tyrants, the transgressors, and the evildoers, wherever they may be and as far as they can reach, work against the Islamic Republic, the Iranian nation took part in this immense popular movement on the 22nd of Bahman.
The Iranian nation made itself known to the world. My dear people! We ourselves should know ourselves as well. The Iranian nation should get to know who they are themselves. We are a strong nation; we are a courageous nation. All these matters — this bravery, this presence, this getting involved — took place at a time when economic difficulties had engulfed the people. Such economic challenges typically discourage and depress populations, but our people stepped forward and defended the system despite all these problems. To their dismay, the enemies of the system witnessed that the Iranian nation is devoted to the Islamic Republic system.
With regard to working for the country, the people have shown their enthusiasm. Of course, I mentioned this yesterday, but I will repeat it again. The slogan we set last year [a surge in production via people's participation] hasn’t been fully realized, but that’s a topic of its own. Nonetheless, in the fields of work, development, construction, and progress, the people have truly worked well. Significant work has been accomplished. Some of this was reported in the meeting when entrepreneurs gathered here in this Hussainiyah. Some of the work that had been done was presented.
Even now you can see how in just the past few months a large number of projects that are useful for the people have been inaugurated across the country. Some are large and some are small, but they’re numerous and plentiful. This shows that people are active in the field of work, praise God. Of course, we don’t say this is enough. There’s still much work that needs to be done, and I have designated one of these tasks as this year's slogan. I will give a brief explanation about it.
For several years now, I have repeatedly emphasized the matter of production — a surge in production, people’s participation in production, and so on. These were all related to production. Why? Because production is one of the key factors to improving the country’s economy and the people’s livelihood. Domestic production is very important. However, production requires investment. As soon as we mention investment, some people think of foreign investment. No, [what I mean is] our own people should invest using the liquidity that they have at their disposal and which some spend on gold coins, land purchases, in housing, or buying foreign currencies, which creates problems for the country. Not only are those things not beneficial, they also create problems. If this same liquidity is directed into investing in production, the country will advance. From small-scale investments to large-scale ones — from a modest, small chicken farm to a large factory — all of these are forms of investment. These are things that can be done.
This year, I’ve said that "Investment for Production" is the slogan of the year. Everyone, both the people and the government, should pay attention to this slogan and help [in carrying this out] as much as they can. Each has its own responsibilities. The people have one responsibility, and the government has another responsibility. The people’s responsibility is to do what they can. If someone has money or the means to start a production line, even if it is a small one, they should do it. Those people who have made the effort and have taken action have reaped the benefits themselves, and the country and people have benefited too. This also applies to those who are major entrepreneurs, employers, and job creators who can employ thousands in production. All of them [have a duty]. This was with regard to the people.
What’s the government’s duty? The government’s duty is to prepare the ground for this work. The government’s duty is preparing the groundwork. Praise God, the government is well established. We have a stable government. It’s not like last year when there were transitions going on, changes, and such. This government can plan so that it can prepare the groundwork. Increasing production requires certain preliminaries, the most important of which is increasing investment. If investment increases, production will increase. This is my recommendation to all the people this year.
Of course, the people and those who have the ability [to invest] need to feel that their capital will be secure if they want to invest. This is my message to the responsible supervisory bodies in various institutions, whether in the administration, the judiciary, or the Majlis — [we need] “investment security.” Those looking to invest must feel secure. Without this sense of security, progress won’t be made and people won’t invest. Sometimes we see in certain places that supervisory bodies seem to be completely absent. It’s as if they’re not there at all. Then, illegal activities take place. This is wrong. Conversely, the supervisory bodies in other places impose unnecessarily strict rules, which is also wrong. That’s one issue. Another issue is having fixed laws and regulations. Regulations, directives, and guidelines shouldn’t change every day so that investors can feel confident that they can trust the process and make investments.
Another need that falls on the shoulders of the authorities is shortening the investment process. Sometimes we receive letters from people complaining that they want to invest, but they have to wait two or three years just to get a permit! This isn’t right either. The government should reduce the intermediaries and speed up the process.
Another issue is the matter of imports. Sometimes after much effort, a company or an organization succeeds in producing a product domestically. At the same time, another entity — whether governmental or non-governmental — imports the very same product from abroad! This is detrimental to domestic production. The government must supervise all of these matters.
One of the requirements necessary for investment is introducing opportunities. People may say, "Alright, we have some money now. What should we do? How should we invest it?" They need to be guided. Various institutions, including various government bodies, should introduce job opportunities in their fields of work, inform the public, use the television, explain these opportunities, and guide people on how they can invest. For example, investing in knowledge-based companies is one of the things that can be done in this regard.
In any case, if the country's officials want to solve the issue of people's livelihood — which of course they do; we know this; the country's officials, our government officials, genuinely want and are determined to improve the people’s living conditions — this cannot be achieved through just supportive measures. Of course, supportive measures are good too, [but] fundamental action is required. One fundamental action is the issue of production and investment. This is what you need to pursue. But there is much to be said about this topic.
Those who are informed about economic issues and are responsible individuals, with a sense of duty, should explain matters to the people, clarify the paths and actions that need to be taken, and inform and assist the government. Some people have proposed solutions. They write letters to me telling me their suggestions. Well, it isn’t the Leader’s position to intervene in economic planning. That is, the Leader has no right to intervene in this. That’s the responsibility of the government. The government must take care of this matter, and we forward [the suggestions] to the government. The main point is that government officials should be aware of their responsibilities, what expectations people have from them, and, God willing, they should fulfill these expectations. This was concerning this year’s slogan.
I would like to say something about the political discourse these days, regarding the statements made by the Americans and their government officials. One person says something, another contradicts that, and someone else confirms it. I will just say one or two things. The first and most important thing is that the US should know that when dealing with Iran, threats will never achieve anything. The second point [I want to mention] is that they [the US] and others should know that if they commit any malicious act against the Iranian nation, they will receive a severe blow.
The next point is that US and European politicians and others like them make a big mistake by labeling the centers of Resistance in the region "Iran’s proxy forces." They’re insulting the Resistance. Why do you label them proxies? The people of Yemen have their own reasons; the centers of Resistance in the countries of the region have their own reasons. The Islamic Republic of Iran doesn’t need proxies. Why do you label them proxies? They’re independent entities. When Palestine was first occupied, one of the countries that stood at the front line in opposing that occupation was Yemen. Its ruler at that time got up and went to participate in an international assembly to express their opposition. They oppose the hostilities, the malicious acts, and the injustices that the evil, usurping Zionist regime is perpetrating against people both today and in the past. They stand against these actions and resist. This isn’t a case of proxies. Their [foreign powers’] major mistake is thinking that they [the people of Yemen] are doing this on Iran’s behalf. No, absolutely not. They aren’t our proxies. Our stance is clear, and so is theirs.
Today, the maliciousness of the cruel Zionist regime — though the term "cruel" is an inadequate description of them — has anguished the hearts of many non-Muslim nations. Demonstrations against the Zionist regime are being held in the US and some European countries. They don’t want to see these. Western politicians don’t want to see, understand, or know what their people think. In the US, they say, "Cut funding for the university whose students came out and protested in favor of Palestine." This is their [so-called] free flow of information and their liberalism, freedom, and human rights! This is how they deal with issues. Today, nations [worldwide] are of course opposed to and object to the maliciousness being carried out by the Zionist regime, and they show their resistance in any way they can. Anyone who can stands against them.
The Islamic Republic stands firmly against these acts of aggression and maliciousness. We have clearly stated our stance. We support the Palestinian fighters and the Lebanese fighters who defend their country. We support those who defend Palestine and Gaza. This has always been the approach of the Islamic Republic. Of course, they [the US] keep issuing threats. They should know that we’ve never been the initiators of conflicts or confrontations with anyone. But if someone commits a malicious act and starts [something], they should know that they will receive severe blows.
O Lord! On this first day of the year, bestow Your blessings and grace upon this nation. O Lord! Make this year a blessed year for the Iranian nation and for Muslim nations. Grant the oppressed nations victory over their oppressors. O Lord! By Muhammad and the Progeny of Muhammad (pbut), forgive us. Guide the Iranian nation to reach its goals. Make the sacred heart of the Imam of the Time [Imam Mahdi (aj)] pleased with us, and bring satisfaction and contentment to the pure spirit of the magnanimous Imam [Khomeini] who paved this path for us as well as to the pure spirits of the beloved martyrs who assisted him. Bestow Your mercy and grace upon them.
May God’s greetings, mercy, and blessings be upon you.
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