Statements in the New Year Speech on the First Day of 1403

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our master and prophet, Abu al-Qasim al-Mustafa Muhammad, and upon his pure and chosen family, especially the Remaining One of God on earth.

Happy New Year to all of you! Every year, this meeting is held under the blessed shadow of the shrine of Imam Ali al-Ridha (peace be upon him); this year we are deprived of this blessing, thus we express our respect from afar: "Distance does not prevent the spiritual journey." Peace be upon you, O Trust of God on His earth and His Proof over His servants. I bear witness that you strove in the way of God as is due, and you acted according to His Book and followed the traditions of His Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) until God called you to His proximity and took you to Him by His choice, and imposed upon your enemies the proof along with the strong arguments you had against all His creation.

Peace be upon you, O Abu al-Hasan, O Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha, and God's mercy and blessings.

Once again, I congratulate the blessed holiday to all of you dear brothers and sisters, to the entire nation of Iran. The coincidence of the spring of nature and the spring of spirituality signifies that the Almighty God has placed both aspects of His grace at the disposal of His servants. Of course, the distance between these two is as far as the earth is from the heavens. Today, both the breeze of the spring of nature and the breeze of the spring of spirituality are available for all believing and righteous servants. It has been narrated from the Noble Prophet that: The Prophet said to the great companions, "Do not cover yourselves from the spring breeze."

Just as the spring breeze, the freshness of Farvardin, invigorates the atmosphere, it also rejuvenates the bodies and is a source of growth and blossoming; this same meaning exists for the soul in the breeze of spirituality. The spiritual breeze of the month of Ramadan brings light and freshness to the human soul and provides the means for human growth and elevation. The bond with God in the month of Ramadan is granted to a servant who is not heedless. What is the spiritual breeze of Ramadan? It is "fasting." Fasting is one of the breezes of Ramadan; it is the Night of Destiny, the supplications of the nights and dawns of the month of Ramadan, the supplication of Abu Hamzeh; all of these are spiritual breezes that blow upon the determined and resolute soul, granting it growth, freshness, and blooming; it increases the yearning for knowledge and action in a person; it takes a person out of the state of spiritual lethargy and indifference; it transforms a person into a righteous servant.

In the month of Ramadan, you move towards righteousness and become a righteous servant. The Almighty God has promised the righteous servant in this world that "the earth will be inherited by My righteous servants"; this is the worldly reward of the righteous servant. In the Hereafter, "with those upon whom God has bestowed favor, from the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous, and excellent are those as companions"; there, the righteous servant is alongside the prophets, alongside the truthful, alongside the martyrs. The month of Ramadan has such power, such artistry that it advances the aware and attentive person in these spiritual ranks. We hope, God willing, that our dear nation and all the Islamic Ummah and all the servants whose hearts are with God will benefit from spirituality, grow themselves, and advance.

Today, I have prepared a topic to discuss regarding this year's slogan, and I will also present a couple of points regarding the public and national interests of the country that it is good to convey to the Iranian nation.

Regarding the slogan of the year. What is proposed as the slogan of the year is motivated by the desire to focus efforts and thoughts on this aspect of the fundamental strategy of the country. The slogan of the year is usually part of the fundamental strategy of the country. On one hand, it aims to direct the attention of officials, the efforts of officials, and the endeavors of officials towards this aspect, and on the other hand, it seeks to demand this meaning from the public opinion and general awareness of the people; thus, we present the slogan of the year, and this tradition has been prevalent among us for years.

Concerning what has existed in this slogan over the past few years, the focus and emphasis have been on economic matters. Last year, we proposed the slogan "Controlling Inflation and Growing Production." Official reports, which are also confirmed, tell us that good work has been done in this area; of course, with a relatively large gap from what we desire. Efforts must continue. Therefore, I state here that the slogan of 1402 (2023) is still among our demands, among our fundamental duties, among the tasks that all of us officials and active citizens must pursue. However, this year's slogan is certainly more prominent. This year, the slogan is "Production Leap." A production leap may seem like a significant task and perhaps impossible to some, but I believe that considering the second part of this slogan, namely "People's Participation," it is achievable. If we can achieve the success of mobilizing the efforts, capital, and initiative of the people, and the serious presence of all segments of the people in the economic arena, we can indeed create a popular mobilization in the economic sphere, and production can reach a leap.

Well, the economy is one of the fundamental issues of the country. One of our weaknesses, for various reasons, is economic problems. If the country's economy improves, it will impact all aspects of the country's public situation; it can be said that it can affect the religion and worldly affairs of the people. Some should not say that there are countries with advanced wealth and economy whose situation is good, but the situation of the people is not good; this is due to another reason; because they do not pay attention to justice, because they do not regard the importance of religious teachings and faith; the reason for the poor condition of the people is this. In any case, the economy is a very effective factor.

For years, the enemies have been trying to bring the country's economy to its knees; the enemy is seriously attempting this; we have felt this in the hostile actions of America and its companions over time. Their aim is the collapse of the Iranian economy; their aim is to bring the country to its knees economically. Of course, with the efforts of our youth and the numerous endeavors made by the people and officials in this country, the enemy has not succeeded and, with God's grace, will not succeed again. However, the enemy is persistent and active in the economic issue against the Islamic Republic; we too must be active, we must be persistent, and we must move decisively in this path with correct thinking and tireless, round-the-clock efforts.

For the country's economy to flourish, all the large and small gears of the country must be set in motion; everyone must strive; both the country's infrastructure must be utilized, and the people's initiatives must be employed, and the management capabilities of economic activists and managerial activists must be utilized; the truly educated young forces must be utilized; support must be given to knowledge-based companies; all of these are tools, means that if collectively considered, will undoubtedly lead the country's economy to prosperity. Of course, with the tireless efforts of the officials, which, thanks be to God, the current government is one that scores high in terms of effort, dynamism, and activity, and their efforts are commendable. Well, this is what we have in mind regarding this year's slogan. We believe that the economy must be emphasized, and for success in this path, the genuine participation of the people must be utilized; we want all forces to be mobilized in this direction. This is the art of our officials, who must, God willing, find the way and carry out this movement.

This year marks the beginning of the seventh development plan; the seventh plan begins this year. Well, the overall goal of the seventh plan is economic prosperity, along with justice. However, for the conclusion of this plan, important goals have been mentioned: reducing inflation to single digits; reforming the budget structure; transforming the tax system; producing at least ninety percent of essential goods domestically—these are significant tasks—increasing agricultural water productivity—which is one of the country's problems and has been addressed in this seventh plan—and large national projects. Well, if we want to achieve these goals, in my opinion, it is impossible without the presence of the people; it must be done with the participation of the people. I want the Iranian nation to pay attention to this; of course, everyone has their own capabilities, not everyone is at the same level, not everyone is the same, not all contributions are of one type, but the total contributions from the people—which must be planned—can lead us to these goals. (Thank you very much for this expression of readiness.) I am confident that our people are ready, but the way for their presence in the field of action must be found, and in the field of action, God willing, this readiness must be demonstrated; just as it was shown during the Sacred Defense. During the Sacred Defense, the people demonstrated their readiness in every respect. We must, God willing, carry out this work in all areas of difficulty. Of course, in the fields of science, ethics, art, culture, and other important tasks of the country, this public mobilization is also a solution and is necessary, but for now, our discussion is on the issue of the economy.

I believe that the public sector and the capabilities of the people are high. Recently, in this Hosseiniyeh, an exhibition was organized where I could see the productive activities of the private sector and what the people had done with their own capital and initiative; I spent about four hours or perhaps more than four hours observing these public programs; it was astonishing, very good, demonstrating the high capacity of the people's ability in production and economic initiatives. Many were young; the youth came here and spoke about how they had accomplished significant work in the field of the economy with their initiatives. Thus, the capacity exists, the abilities exist; these abilities must be utilized; in sectors such as large industries, optimizing water consumption, the oil sector, handicrafts, transportation, in all of these, young, innovative, and creative forces have worked hard and accomplished remarkable tasks.

Of course, we also have external and international economic mobility, and we must have it; without it, the economy will not progress. My audience here are the esteemed government officials; regarding foreign issues, they must turn the memorandums of understanding signed with the countries with which we have economic relations—these memorandums that have little impact—into enforceable legal contracts that have practical effects; they must pursue this seriously.

Another point is the issue of productivity, which I will not delve into; if I live long enough, I will discuss productivity in the future. Our productivity in the country is low; the amount of resources we consume—whether water, electricity, time, or life—does not yield proportional benefits and productivity. These tasks can be remedied; they have been experienced; in this area, God willing, work must be done.

Well, these matters pertain to the slogan of the year. Of course, this slogan we have proposed this year is not limited to one year; it is not specific to one year; these are not tasks that can be completed in one year; it must continue this year—1403 (2024)—God willing, the officials must strive to take the first step, plan, and then, God willing, it will continue. This is regarding this matter.

Of course, there is a concern that some individuals who sincerely look at the issues of the country have this concern that if we bring the people's capital and resources into economic matters, it may lead to misuse, discrimination, class gaps, and corruption, as has happened before; of course, this concern is justified. In the past, there were those who misused state resources, took loans, used currency, not in the way they should have; they changed the path, misused it, corruption arose, discrimination occurred; these exist; this necessitates that the responsible officials keep their eyes open, be vigilant, and ensure that every action they take is done with complete care; this is among the necessary and essential attentions and precautions. Well, I conclude this discussion regarding the slogan of the year and economic matters here.

I will mention one or two points about the general issues of the country. The first point is that today our national interests and our bright future are dependent on "hope" and "faith," which I have previously discussed in detail in 1402 (2023). I want to emphasize this: hope and faith. If the light of hope is extinguished in hearts, no movement will occur. We have all this capacity for progress, all these talented youth, this nation ready to work and engage, these rare natural resources, this excellent geographical position; we can progress; we can achieve great advancements. From the beginning of the revolution until today, we have made significant progress; now the enemies deny it, some also do not express it correctly, but we have the potential for even more progress; however, these advancements are possible only if you and I remain hopeful for the future; we must have hope; we must know that progress is possible, that work can be done, that movement can occur.

There are, thank God, many hope-inducing factors in the country; things that create hope in people are abundant; these scientific advancements in industry, in health, in space, in politics, and the advancements we have made in foreign policy and what is considered security in the country; the security that exists in the country. On the 22nd of Bahman, millions of our people move across the country, thank God, with complete security; elections are held with complete security; there are few places in the world where this stability, this security, this popular presence, and these rapid and astonishing advancements exist; well, these are hope-inducing factors. These give us hope; they strengthen the sense of dignity and pride in our people.

Right now, thousands of youth groups across the country are engaged in various activities; some we know in brief, some we know in detail. Literally thousands of young, energetic, motivated groups are working hard; they are conducting scientific research, industrial research. They are active in industry, in agriculture. They are working in health, in medical affairs; they are conducting scientific explorations. In the religious seminaries, talented and capable youth are working in the fields of knowledge; they are doing new work, making new statements. Cultural activities are taking place across the country, in various areas, in writing, in book production, in poetry, in cinema, in art, in painting, in visual arts, in promotional and religious activities, in revitalizing the social atmosphere. These massive marches that take place on the occasion of Arbaeen, on the occasion of the mid-Sha'ban, Ghadir, and others across the country are the work of these youths. All of these are hope-inducing factors; it is evident that our youth are active. Unfortunately, our promotional capabilities do not have the necessary resonance to present what is happening to the public. All of these are manifestations of hope in the country; they are symbols of the vitality of the country, symbols of hopefulness in the country. This shows that the entire nation, especially our youth, are lively, dynamic, active, innovative, and hopeful.

Well, on the other hand, one sees that some individuals, in my opinion, are heedlessly pessimistic; they deny the existence of hope in the youth and try to extinguish hope from hearts! Why? Who benefits from this? They wield their pens to argue that one should not be hopeful for the future! These exist; these are things I see myself. They write articles, argue that one should not be hopeful for the future; well, why? Why should we not be hopeful with all these hope-inducing factors? It seems they are lying in wait to extinguish the spirit of hope in the youth and kill it. For years, the enemy has been doing this, but they have not succeeded. For years, they have been trying with various advertisements, with all sorts of media tricks and similar methods, exaggerating our weaknesses. Well, we have weaknesses in the country; they magnify them tenfold; we have advancements, they keep them silent, sometimes deny them! Suppose our military officials produce a defensive tool, a missile, and launch it, but in their advertisements, they say it is a lie; while launching it is right before their eyes! This is what the enemy is doing, but why would some do this within the country? Some individuals, in my opinion, are heedless; we must not allow ourselves to be heedless; we must not commit this error.

I advise the dear youth, I say to the youth to move ahead of the enemy's plans; the youth should move ahead of the enemy's plans. The enemy wants to make you despair; you should strive more than they do to create hope, to cultivate hope in the hearts of the youth. The enemy, both nationally and internationally, wants some voices not to be heard; you should, despite the enemy, convey these voices to the ears. Today, various tools are available to everyone. This was one point.

The next point regarding national interests is the issue of the unity of the hearts of the people; the unity of the determination and will of the people. Unfortunately, we have problems in this area, we have delays; social connection and empathy are very important; we have become heedless in this area; we ourselves create disruptions in our national unity. All of us share in this heedlessness; we all have a duty to preserve national unity, the unity of the people, the unity of the people and officials; we must strengthen it day by day; this has been the definitive policy of the Islamic Republic system from the very beginning. Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) always emphasized the issue of "unity". Some would disagree with each other over factional issues, political matters; Imam (may God’s peace be upon him) would admonish them and say: "Whatever you have to shout, shout it at America."

Intellectual disagreement, differences of opinion, political disagreements in a country are a natural matter, but spreading hatred is different from these. Well, you have one opinion, another has a different opinion; these are not the same, and there is no problem with that, but this should not lead to spreading hatred, should not make individuals detest one another, should not allow each to become enemies of the other, to allow each to insult and harm the other by any means possible, sometimes accompanied by slander and lies, which is very problematic. In my opinion, internal rivalries are preserved in their place—of course, there are rivalries in the country regarding various political issues, and this is preserved—but everyone must be together, must be united. In a family, two brothers may have different opinions, but their brotherhood does not disappear; it should not lead to insults, lies, and harm. Everyone must be vigilant about this. This is also a fundamental and important issue; I emphasize and advise our dear youth to strive to prevent the spread of hatred within society. Well, there are differences of opinion, and there is no problem with that, but everyone must stand together brotherly on the overarching issues of society and in confronting and facing the opponents of the country, the opponents of the Islamic Republic, the opponents of the Iranian nation.

In important international matters, today the number one issue is Palestine and Gaza; I will say a few words regarding this matter as well. "Resistance" in the region of West Asia is today the fundamental issue that has drawn the world's attention. The Palestinian issue can be viewed from several angles.

Firstly, the events in Gaza have shown what oppression and darkness prevail in the world. This so-called civilized Western world that claims human rights and similar things has demonstrated what darkness governs their lives, their thoughts, and their actions. More than thirty thousand people are massacred, from infants to teenagers, to young people, to the elderly, men, women, and the sick; within a short period, thirty-some thousand of them are annihilated, their homes destroyed, their country's infrastructure obliterated, and the civilized world looks on; not only does it not prevent it, but it also assists! In the very first days of the brutal invasion of the Zionist regime against the people of Gaza, Americans were constantly coming and going, Europeans one after another continuously came and went, showing their support and backing for the Zionist criminals, explicitly declaring it; it was not just a declaration, they sent weapons, provided resources, and offered various forms of assistance. This is the darkness of today's world; we are facing this world today. This is one perspective; this perspective shows the state of the world today.

From another angle, this issue has demonstrated the legitimacy of forming the resistance front. Some had raised the question of what necessity there was for this resistance front in West Asia; it has been shown that the presence of the resistance front in this region is among the most vital issues; this resistance front must be strengthened day by day. Naturally, those with awakened consciences in this region, when they see the oppression of the Zionists—which has continued for seventy years—will not sit silently, will not remain calm, and will think of resistance; the formation of the resistance front is for this purpose; to confront this ongoing, permanent oppression of the Zionist criminals against the Palestinian nation and its supporters.

If we look at this issue from another angle, we see that in recent months, the resistance front has unveiled its true status. Perhaps neither the Americans, nor the Westerners, nor the regional governments understood the power of resistance and the capability of resistance in this region as it truly exists; now they have understood. Look at this Palestinian resistance! Observe the patience of the oppressed people of Gaza! Witness the will and motivation of the resistance fighters of Palestine from Hamas and other groups! See this willpower in resistance in Lebanon, in Yemen, in Iraq! This is what resistance is. The resistance has unveiled its true existence, its capabilities, its status; it has shown the world what resistance means. All of America's calculations have been disrupted by these forces. The Americans were seeking to establish dominance over all the conditions of this region with their presence; whether in Iraq, in Syria, in Lebanon, or throughout the region; with a mistaken calculation, they thought such a thing was possible; the power of resistance disrupted this calculation; it showed that such a thing is not possible and that the Americans cannot remain in this region; they must evacuate the region.

Another point, another angle to view this issue is that the situation of the Zionist regime has also become clear to everyone; it has become evident that the Zionist regime is not only in crisis in protecting itself, but it is also in crisis in extricating itself from this crisis; it is caught in a quagmire and cannot save itself. The entry of the Zionist regime into Gaza has created a quagmire for it; today, if it withdraws from Gaza, it is defeated; if it does not withdraw, it is also defeated; this is the situation of the Zionist regime. This very contradiction in their decisions and the dizziness they are experiencing has led to deep divisions among the officials of the Zionist regime, preventing them from making decisions; today, the Zionist regime cannot make decisions; this brings it closer to its downfall, God willing.

And as for America. America has taken the worst possible position regarding Gaza; America has chosen the worst possible position in the Gaza region; it has made itself hated all over the world. Those who demonstrate in the streets of London, Paris, and other European countries and in America in favor of Palestine are, in fact, declaring their hatred for America; America has become hated in the world; it was already hated in the region, but now it is ten times more hated. They not only misunderstand the issues of the region, but their decisions based on this understanding are also wrong. In every part of this region—in Yemen, in Iraq, in Syria, in Lebanon—any action taken by the brave and fighting resistance forces is attributed by the Americans to Iran; certainly, this erroneous calculation will ultimately bring America to its knees. They do not understand the people; they insult the nations and the brave youth of these nations; these people are thinkers, they have will, they have strong determination, they are courageous.

We, of course, defend the resistance. As far as it is possible for us, we support and back the resistance groups, we also commend their work, but they are the ones who are making decisions and moving forward, and in this movement, they are right. We believe that through the existence of the Zionist regime, a great injustice is being perpetrated in the region; this is a very great injustice that has continued for decades; this injustice must be stopped. Anyone who enters this great jihad—human jihad, Islamic jihad, conscientious jihad—we support them, we help them, and with God's grace, we will achieve our goals.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.