Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and members of the Cabinet and a large group of executive officials and governor-generals of different provinces across the country met the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei on Saturday, June 30.
In an address to the audience, the Leader referred to the major features and strong points of the incumbent government, including adherence to the main slogans and values of the Islamic Revolution, courage and determination in the arena of domestic and foreign policy, strong motivation and perseverance, familiarity with the issues and problems of different parts of the country as a result of the visits made by members of the Cabinet to various provinces and also the presence of competent and efficient forces in the executive arena.
"Today, the country is making headway in all arenas, and the advancement on the path to the country's material and spiritual progress should be firmly continued within the framework of the 20-year perspective document and based on planning and prioritizing and prudence and incessant efforts and by utilizing the services of talented and highly motivated youngsters," the Leader pointed out.
Ayatollah Khamenei stated that the country's present conditions are unique and exceptional because a government has taken office through the Iranian nation's vote whose predominant and common discourse is the discourse of revolutionary concepts, and which has made the major slogans of the Islamic Revolution the pivot of its planning and policies.
"In the past years some individuals and even certain devotees of the Islamic Revolution were assuming that the major slogans of the revolution such as the honor and dignity of Islam, social justice, struggle against the arrogant powers and efforts to remove deprivation were no longer relevant, and that the era of these slogans had expired, and some even affronted these slogans. However, when the incumbent government took office as a result of the perseverance on the part of the general public, these slogans and values were once again revitalized," Ayatollah Khamenei observed.
Further in his statements, the Leader of the Islamic Republic hinted at the long-term domination exercised by the Qajar and Pahlavi dictatorial regimes over the country and the chronic problems that are still remaining from those eras. He also referred to certain mistakes that may have occurred in the post-revolution era.
"Under the present circumstances in which the country is in need of tireless and incessant efforts, on the one hand, and in which there are plentiful capabilities and dedicated and efficient forces to serve the general public, on the other hand, the removal of the problems that are currently facing the country requires courageous as well as prudent and carefully planned measures," the Leader told the audience.
Ayatollah Khamenei noted that one of the prominent features of the incumbent administration is its acting with courage and determination.
"The measure that has been taken with respect to the issue of gasoline consumption is among such measures, and the government decided and acted courageously in this regard. However, the follow-up measures should be based on a thorough study of all aspects of this issue," Ayatollah Khamenei remarked.
The Leader further referred to some 400,000 billion rials allocated by the government for energy subsidies. He added that if this huge sum of money is gradually reduced, the money will definitely be spent on the people's welfare and employment and on various investments and on building schools and new roads in the country.
Ayatollah Khamenei described the visits made by the president and members of the Cabinet to various provinces as necessary and yielding positive results. Referring to the fact that members of the Cabinet become familiar with the issues and problems of different parts of the country through such visits, he called on the executive officials, including the governor-generals and governors of towns and cities and directors of various executive organizations, to carefully follow up and put into effect all the ratifications that have resulted from these provincial visits.
"If in some cases it is not possible for the government to carry into effect these ratifications, it should tell the public frankly about this and explain the reasons to them, so that the people's trust in the sincerity and perseverance and capability of government officials may not be undermined," Ayatollah Khamenei noted.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader of the Islamic Republic stated that the Islamic government, in addition to fulfilling the material requirements of the general public and solving the problems related to their livelihood, is also duty-bound to pay attention to cultural and moral issues and facilitate and promote the scientific growth of society.
"The government is expected to lay the groundwork for the promotion of noble thoughts and moral values in society. Therefore, the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, and the Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Training should be treated as very significant sectors in the government's macro planning," the Leader told the audience.
Ayatollah Khamenei further stated that preventing the youth of the Islamic countries from getting involved in serious issues and treading the path of scientific progress and making them occupied with trivial material issues is one of the common policies of the global Zionist network and its state agents. He added that although countering this policy requires a cultural campaign, it is also a courageous political measure and duty that should be performed by the government.
The Leader pointed out that launching a campaign against economic corruption is also among the important duties of the government.
"Countering economic corruption in the Executive is much more effective than the measures which are taken by the Judiciary, since preventing corruption is a duty of the government and the Executive," the Leader remarked.
Ayatollah Khamenei also referred to the active and influential foreign policy as another strong point of the incumbent government. He added that the Islamic Republic of Iran has always pursued an aggressive foreign policy, and that changing this active policy into a passive policy is a mistake.
"Unfortunately, this mistake has at times occurred in the past," the Leader observed.
Expounding on the Islamic Republic's aggressive foreign policy, Ayatollah Khamenei stated, "The Islamic Republic of Iran is taking the so-called modern world to task over many issues, including the issue of expansionist and domineering policies, the issue of women, the issue of fomenting civil wars, the issue of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and the issue of promoting the culture of promiscuity and pursuit of sensual pleasures."
Further in his statements, the Leader of the Islamic Republic touched on the arrogant powers' outrageous and wrong policy of twisting the facts and presenting a distorted picture of the realities.
"Under the circumstances, while the United States is hated the most in the Islamic world and has suffered defeat and failure with respect to many regional issues such as the issue of Iraq because of this hatred and public opposition, it is attempting to portray others as the cause of its failure," the Leader pointed out.
Ayatollah Khamenei added that the recent U.S. accusations against Iran with regard to the issues of Iraq and Palestine and Lebanon and Afghanistan are among such attempts.
"Instead of paying attention to the main cause of their failure, namely the hatred and lack of cooperation on the part of the Muslim nations, the American officials are leveling accusations against the Islamic Republic of Iran. This indicates that the high-ranking officials of a great world power hold mistaken beliefs and assumptions and, thus, are making baseless and unfounded remarks," Ayatollah Khamenei remarked.
He further stated, "Of course there is no doubt about the Iranian nation and government's hatred for the United States. But the root of the problems currently facing the United States lies somewhere else."
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader of the Islamic Republic hinted at the issue of Iran's utilization of nuclear energy. He stated that the Iranian people are bravely seeking to attain their rights, and that the current commotion and outcry will not prevent them from doing so.
"The Iranian people have shown that they are firmly and loyally and sincerely present on the scene, and if a proper course of action is adopted by the Iranian government, it will be given wide support by the Iranian nation," the Leader added.
In conclusion, Ayatollah Khamenei called on the executive officials to refrain from getting involved in common political and factional disputes and wasting their time.
"You should try to make the most of the present opportunity for serving the general public; besides, by rendering sincere and selfless services to people, you will also evoke divine favor and blessings, which you will need in the hereafter," Ayatollah Khamenei told the audience.
At the beginning of the meeting, President Ahmadinejad presented a report about his government's performance over the past two years. He said that the administration of social justice is the most pivotal slogan of his government and the main factor contributing to the country's material and spiritual progress.
"The incumbent government is trying to prove that it is possible to build the county based on an Islamic-Iranian model of development," the president pointed out.
As regards the government's measure to ration gasoline, President Ahmadinejad noted that the government has started to ration gasoline in order to control fuel consumption in the country. He added that fuel rationing will result in the saving of an amount of gasoline that is worth tens of billions of dollars, and that the money will instead be spent on the country's construction and on solving the people's problems.
Turning to the issue of foreign policy, the president said that his government's foreign policy is based on the three principles of dignity, wisdom and expedience. He also touched on the issue of nuclear energy.
"The government is going to continue with its policy of insisting on the Iranian nation's right and attaining this right without any wavering and vacillation and without being influenced by threats and psychological war," President Ahmadinejad told the audience.
He further stated, "I decisively announce that the Iranian government will continue to carry out this policy and tread this path, and that it will not give up even for a moment."