He further described workers and teachers as two esteemed and honorable classes of our society who are rendering the most valuable services to the Iranian nation.
"The working class has a high and dignified status in society, since it has undertaken the duty that has been entrusted to mankind by Almighty Allah. In other words, doing work in itself is a divine duty. Thus, whoever performs this duty is held in high esteem by the people and is also favored by Almighty Allah, enjoying His divine grace and blessings," Ayatollah Khamenei noted.
The Leader stressed that the outcome of the workers' great efforts and perseverance is benefiting the Islamic system and the Iranian nation, thus bringing about the workers' proximity to Almighty Allah.
"As a result of your great efforts and remarkable innovations and inventions, our country is currently making great strides and achieving self-sufficiency in various fields.
"However, under the former regime, this country was kept backward and dependent on foreign powers, especially in the areas of economy, industry, science and technology. The corrupt Pahlavi regime even took certain measures to deepen this dependency and hinder the progress of the Iranian nation.
"Because of this flagrant treachery, Iranians became completely dependent on foreign powers, to such an extent that even foodstuffs and wheat were imported from abroad under the former regime," Ayatollah Khamenei told the audience.
Referring to the considerable progress that has been made by the Iranian nation over the past two decades toward domestic production and achieving self-sufficiency, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated:
"More efforts should be made by our workers to raise the quality of our domestic products so that they will be able to compete with foreign products in the international market. Nonetheless, the relevant officials, for their part, should also take more serious and effective measures to solve the problems that are facing our workers."
With regard to teachers, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out that teachers carry out one of the most significant cultural and spiritual tasks in society.
"The point which is worthy of mention here is that all individuals in society are indebted to and owe a lot to their teachers. Indeed, all the prominent figures, intellectuals and scholars, senior officials of the Islamic system and all those who are rendering valuable services to this country should feel grateful to their teachers, since it was their teachers who brought them up and shaped their character and personality.
"A teacher who works in some remote village in the country should know that he is performing a very valuable task, since he is bringing up and educating some children who have no access to the facilities existing in cities. Thanks to the commitment and perseverance of such teachers, children in the deprived areas of our country will grow up to become educated citizens and useful members of society," he noted.
In conclusion, the Leader of the Islamic Republic stated:
"Teachers should be aware of the sensitivity and significance of their job, and they should express their gratefulness to Almighty Allah for bestowing on them their rewarding career. The people, for their part, should express their gratitude to their teachers, hold them in high esteem and greatly value their services to society."