The Leader of the Islamic Revolution met today with leaders, government managers and staff, and social, political, and cultural figures. He said that the country's natural and human capabilities are suitable for meeting the people's expectations. He emphasised the necessity of forming a think tank to determine ways by which everyone can participate in realising the slogan of the year. He said, "Any effort for the welfare of the people and the progress of the country is a task in the way of God."

Referring to the two defeats of the criminal Zionist regime in the Al Aqsa Flood operation and in not realising their goals from the attack on Gaza, Ayatollah Khamenei said, "This year's Quds Day, God willing, will be transformed into an international outcry against the oppressive regime, with the shining light of the Iranian nation and the presence of Muslim and freedom-loving nations."

He considered the month of Ramadan as a blessed month in the comprehensive and true sense of the word, which, through various aspects and methods such as fasting, the recitation of the Quran, supplications, and the Nights of Qadr, enhances the spiritual and inner capacities of human beings consequently elevating society.

Ayatollah Khamenei called Ramadan a social month insofar as it is imbued with the light of benevolence, kindness, and helping others. He said, "Ramadan is an exceptional opportunity to heal the wounds inflicted by sins on the soul throughout the year; it is a healing that is achievable through repentance and seeking forgiveness."

He spoke about repentance as both an individual and social concept, saying, "The true essence of repentance is turning away from sin and error and rectifying its consequences; therefore, any individual who sins because of things like negligence, laziness, or indifference that causes harm or problems in the social, political, cultural or other spheres, in addition to seeking forgiveness and repentance, should rectify the consequences of that act and mend that wound."

The Leader of the Revolution considered the impact of mistakes made by officials as greater than that of ordinary people; he said, "If, due to the behaviour, speech, decisions, and positions officials take, lead to a problem or error arising in the country and society, we must identify the mistake, accept responsibility for it, and rectify its consequences."

In his main remarks, he addressed the theme of the year. Considering the President's positive remarks at the beginning of the meeting and the sincere and cumulative efforts made by the government to solve problems, he said, "Of course, there are higher expectations, and it is necessary to double efforts to resolve difficulties, which this government, hopefully, will be able to achieve."

Referring to the bitter and sweet economic realities of the country, the Leader of the Revolution said, "Inflation, market instability, the depreciation of the national currency, and social stratification are among the bitter economic realities."

Then he said, "On the other hand, there are numerous sweet issues that are creating extensive infrastructure for progress; there is the launching of a considerable number of businesses that have been fully or partially closed, the activity of thousands of young and motivated enterprises, and God willing, their participation in knowledge-based companies, and the formation of capable and efficient enterprises in the private and public sectors among them."

Ayatollah Khamenei mentioned an important expectation of the people from officials: "People expect the actions and efforts of officials to have tangible effects on their lives, and this must be rightfully pursued through mobilisation and efforts to meet this expectation."

He said that the people's expectation for improvement in the economy was achievable given the country's extraordinary capacities. He added, "Having access to about 7% of the world's natural resources with 64 important mineral elements, while Iran has only about one per cent of the world's population, shows that we have the capacity and the opportunity."

The Leader of the Revolution said that Iran has approximately 37 million hectares of cultivable land and the possibility of water management to utilise this very important agricultural capacity fully. He said that Iran ranks among the top countries in the globe in such products such as steel and cement among its other natural capacities.

However, he saw human capacity as more important than natural capacities. He said, "The Iranian nation's possession of talent and intelligence above the global average: 36 million young people, 14 million of them with higher education, 3 million students, more than one hundred thousand academic staff, and over 150 thousand physicians are among Iran's unparalleled human capacity."

Ayatollah Khamenei also spoke about the country's crucial geographical position and high climatic diversity, saying, "All of these capacities indicate that the economic expectations of the people and the leadership are achievable."

Concerning external and internal obstacles to improving the economic situation, he said, "Threats, sanctions, and continuous disruptions to Iran's access to necessary resources are the most significant external obstacles. However, they can be gradually reduced; moreover, according to prominent entrepreneurs, sanctions can also present opportunities."

Ayatollah Khamenei added, "Indolence, carelessness, lack of motivation, going after popularity, and just aiming to get higher positions are some of the internal obstacles that disrupt and hinder the proper utilisation of the country's extensive capacities and opportunities."

In an essential part of his speech, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution mentioned that working for the people and their well-being and striving for the country's progress was tantamount to working for God; he said, "Efforts to resolve people's problems means acting in line with divine intentions and the Almighty surely blesses and rewards such efforts."

Explaining the dos and don'ts of achieving the slogan, 'Boost Production with People Participation,' the Leader of the Revolution cited the issue of governmental interventions and emphasised reducing these interventions. He said, "Bringing the financial, intellectual, and innovative capabilities of the people into the economic arena has many benefits for the country." He said that the idea that some people have that if they enter the economic field and assume managerial positions, this would mean the side-lining of the government is incorrect. He said, "Both the people and the government have duties, and it is necessary to distinguish between these strategic and practical duties. The government should fulfil its strategic duties such as land management, supervision, and the prevention of violations, while the people should take on practical aspects of the job."

Ayatollah Khamenei regarded the participation and the role that the people played in the economy as the cause of Iran's empowerment and economic stability. He said, "The policies of Article 44, which were formulated and promulgated using the constitution itself, must be implemented because there have been significant weaknesses in this area in the past."

He considered achieving an eight-percent increase in economic growth in the Seventh Plan as feasible and, according to experts, if that continues, it can lead to a desirable improvement in people's lives. He added, "However, economic growth alone is insufficient for transforming the lives and livelihoods of people and vulnerable sectors of the population; other factors, such as fair and equal possibilities for accessing opportunities at various levels, are also necessary. In this regard, the role of education and skill-building for young people is crucial, and senior managers should plan for it."

Highlighting ways for people's participation in production and the economy with limited capital was another point the Leader of the Islamic Revolution emphasised. He called upon the government and the parliament to establish a think tank to brainstorm on this matter.

In another recommendation to the officials, he deemed it essential that they should pay attention to and implement the Seventh Plan. He said, "According to reports, on average, only about 35 per cent of the previous six plans have been implemented.  This is detrimental to the country. Fortunately, the current government, which is active and thoughtful, should strive to make the Seventh Plan operational."

Speaking about time as a valuable asset and avoiding procrastination, Ayatollah Khamenei told officials, "Time passes quickly, so schedule your tasks and approved plans, and follow up on their completion within a specified time frame."

He saw the role of diplomacy and foreign policy as very important and influential for the economy, saying, "We have many neighbours and are also involved in making several global agreements, so we must utilise these opportunities in the economic field by extraordinary diplomatic efforts."

Speaking about hijab in another part of his speech, the Leader of the Revolution talked about the issue of hijab; he said, "The hijab issue did not exist before; it has now turned into an imposed challenge. Through planning and scheming, some individuals have turned it into an imposed issue."

He looked at the issue of hijab from the perspectives of Islamic jurisprudence, legality, and considerations resulting from them. He said, "From a religious perspective, hijab is a definite religious obligation, and covering the body for women, except for the face and hands, is a religious obligation that cannot be disregarded. Our people, both men and women who are Muslims and observant, must follow this religious decree."

From a legal perspective, Ayatollah Khamenei considered the hijab to be a legal decree and emphasised that adherence to the law is obligatory for everyone, whether they are believers in religion or non-believers. He said, "Concerning incidental considerations, there is evidence that outsiders interfered in the hijab issue by using various media outlets. Of course, some people inside the country also assisted them, but the main guidance and plans to oppose the hijab came from outside the country, which our wise and discerning women must keep in mind."

He spoke of credible reports of individuals being employed to disrupt societal norms and undermine the sanctity of hijab. He added, "When we see foreign hands involved in an issue, we must adjust our positions to take this reality into consideration."

The Leader of the Revolution said that the plan to remove women's hijab was an initial act of malice, stating, "Their ultimate goal is to gradually return the country to the era of shameful tyranny during which women's status, unlike that of today, was weak in literacy levels and managerial roles, and very disgraceful in terms of clothing and social norms."

Ayatollah Khamenei added, "I am confident that the women of our country, even those who are somewhat relaxed with hijab, are loyal to Islam and the system; therefore, we must keep this in mind even while everyone should be adhering to the matter of hijab."

He mentioned that regarding the hijab issue, the government and the judiciary are obligated to act upon their religious and legal responsibilities and added, "Of course, women themselves bear the greatest responsibility in this regard to adhere to Islamic hijab."

Coming to the end of his speech, the Leader of the Revolution pointed out that the important issue of Gaza should not be excluded from being a priority in global public opinion. He said that the crimes of the Zionist regime, such as genocide, mass killings, and attacks on women, children, patients, and hospitals, have been unprecedented in recent history. He said, "These crimes are to such an extent that even individuals nurtured in the Western culture of Europe and America have raised loud protests against them."

Giving a summary of the six-month-old war, he said that the Zionist regime had been defeated from two aspects, saying, "Their first defeat was on October 7th, during the Al-Aqsa Flood, when the regime, while claiming unparalleled superiority in intelligence and military might, suffered a massive intelligence and military defeat from a resistance group that had limited resources. This defeat and humiliation of the Zionist regime will never be repaired or resolved."

Ayatollah Khamenei said that the second defeat of the Zionists was their failure to achieve their declared goals in their attack on Gaza. He mentioned the comprehensive military, financial, and political support the Americans provided them, including vetoing U.N. resolutions and the sheer non-binding nature of recent resolutions, as well as other forms of support, and highlighted their reliance on this support. He said, "With all this support, the Zionists couldn't even achieve one of their declared goals."

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution added, "They wanted to destroy and disarm the resistance, particularly Hamas, but today, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the other resistance groups fighting in Gaza are striking blows against the occupying regime despite the great difficulties they are enduring."

He said that the savagery and massacre of innocent women and children was a result of Zionist incompetence against resilient combatants. He said, "The defeat of the Zionists will surely continue, and their desperate efforts, like the atrocities committed in Syria, will not solve their problems."

Ayatollah Khamenei said that there is no possibility of saving the Zionists from the trap they have fallen into by their own hands. He added, "The Zionist regime is getting weaker day by day and closer to decline and destruction, and we hope to see a day when our youth witness Jerusalem in the hands of the Muslims, where they perform their prayers, and the Islamic world celebrates the destruction of the occupying regime."

He pointed out that the establishment of the Islamic Republican system was an excellent opportunity for the Islamic world. He said that the power of the Islamic system was increasing, and the weakness of its enemies was increasing as well. He said, "Calculations about the region and the state of the resistance front and its opposition have changed after the Al-Aqsa Flood and will change even more in the future. The enemies of Islam, the resistance, and the Islamic Republic of Iran must understand that they are bound to adjust to these changes, knowing that they cannot rule over the Islamic community in this region."

At the end of the meeting, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution led the Maghrib and 'Isha prayers. Between the two prayers, he mentioned the upcoming International Quds Day, emphasising that this year's Quds Day will witness an international outcry against the oppressive Zionist regime. He said, "If, in previous years, Quds Day was held in Islamic countries, this year it is possible that Quds Day will also be celebrated with majesty in non-Islamic countries. We hope that the Iranian nation, like in all other fields, will also shine on this day."

At the commencement of the meeting, the President provided a report on the government's activities and plans; he said, "The government endeavours wholeheartedly to improve the shortcomings in the economy and daily life and ultimately stabilise them through cooperation and coordination with other sectors and departments.

Mr Raeisi mentioned that allocating $45 billion to the production sector, a commitment to achieving economic growth of over 6 per cent, achieving a balanced budget, reducing liquidity growth to less than 25 per cent, managing the banking system and dissolving unbalanced financial institutions, achieving targets in employment creation; the growth of knowledge-based exports; and the continued construction of more than two million housing units as important government measures in the year 2023. He said, "Although annual and monthly inflation decreased last year, the government continues its efforts to satisfy the people and reach the desired rate of inflation."

In his report, Mr Raeisi also mentioned other vital measures the government undertook last year. These included salary adjustments, the increased production of electricity, oil, gas, and petrochemical products, providing water supply to rural areas, the development of communication infrastructure, and important measures in providing food baskets, health insurance, and targeted support for low-income households.

The President concluded by offering condolences on the martyrdom of Iranian commanders and advisors in the terrorist attack in Damascus, saying, "The future belongs to the Palestinian people and the resistance front, and it will be accompanied by the destruction of the Zionist regime."