In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
يا مقلّب القلوب و الابصار، يا مدبّر اللّيل و النّهار، يا محوّل الحول و الاحوال
حوّل حالنا الي احسن الحال
اللّهُمَّ اهدِنا هُدَي المُهتَدين وَارزُقنَا اجتِهادَ المُجتَهِدين
I felicitate all dear fellow countrymen in any part of the country and anywhere in the world
and also all those nations, which commemorate Nowruz.
I especially felicitate the honorable families of martyrs as well as the dear war veterans and their families
and especially felicitate the country’s youths and adolescents,
who are hope-inspiring and are the driving force of the country’s national movement.
I hope you would have a happy and sweet Nowruz and a year full of goodness and blessings.
This year, the spring of nature has coincided with the spring of spirituality.
I mean, [the Iranian months of] Farvardin and Ordibehesht and Khordad [coincide] with [the lunar months of] Rajab and Sha’ban and the holy month of Ramadan.
I hope that, God willing, we would have both natural growth and spiritual growth for our country and nation during the current year.
This hope starts to bud in one’s heart that, God willing, spiritual growths, along with material growths,
would become a reserve for this nation and this country in the future. I also hail Hadhrat Baghiyat Allah (May Our Souls Be Sacrificed for Him)
and commemorate and salute the purified soul of our honorable Imam [Khomeini].
I will say a few words about [the Iranian] year [13]96 (2017-18) and a few words about the year [13]97 (2018-19).
The year 96, like all other years, was a collection of ups and downs and sweetness and bitterness, like all [other] periods of life.
The sweetness of the year 96 was owed to grandeur and might of the nation and national presence [in all arenas] from the beginning of the year until the end of the year.
Early that year, we witnessed very huge and striking participation of [Iranian] people in presidential as well as the City and Council elections.
More than 40 million of the country’s population took part in that election and this participation was very meaningful and good.
Then, [that participation was repeated] in the [International] Quds Day demonstration in the holy month of Ramadan,
and toward the end of the year, in the 9th of Dei rallies and most importantly in the spectacular demonstration on the 22nd [day] of [the Iranian month of] Bahman in the current year.
Of course, due to riots that broke out on the 9th of Dei – to which I will refer –
people held spontaneous rallies for a number of consecutive days in various cities of the country,
and all of these [demonstrations] were sign of the presence of the great Iranian nation
and the insightful and energetic and ready-to-work Iranian nation in all arenas where its presence is needed.
Another important and sweet point in last year was that the Islamic Republic managed
to turn regional threats – the goal of those threats, [or] at least one of the goals of those threats, was dealing a blow to the Islamic Republic –
into opportunities. Not only those threats failed to damage the country,
but they were also turned into opportunities and those people who are well versed about international issues correctly understand this concept.
Another positive point was efforts made to revive and implement that year’s motto, which was national production and employment
under the general title of the Resistance Economy. Good steps were taken to create jobs and promote national production;
of course, many steps remain which must be taken.
And this motto has been relatively realized in the country, but the work must continue in full, so that, this motto will, God willing, become [completely] operational.
There were bitter developments in the year [13]96 as well. [Natural] disasters like earthquake, [and] floods [in addition to] plane [crash and sinking of an Iranian] ship,
and some of our dear ones lost their lives in these incidents and they were bitter incidents for us.
In addition to them, there was drought in some regions of the country, which still continues
and we hope that the divine favor will make up for it in springtime.
And some livelihood problems of [various social] classes have continued from the past, and efforts must be made and everybody must endeavor,
and I will say a few words in this regard, so that, these problems, God willing, will be solved.
Of course, in the last months of the year, riots broke out in the country according to the enemies’ plan.
The Iranian nation entered the arena and even those people, enemies wanted to introduce as responsible for the riots, entered the arena themselves
and stood against rioters and, of course, it was a development, which unraveled and the grandeur of the Iranian nation became evident [more than before].
As for the year [13]97 – the year, which begins at this moment – what is important is that everybody must work hard.
When designating mottos of the year, I usually addressed officials.
This year, the addressee is the entire nation, including officials.
First of all, I say that the issue of economy and culture and various [other] issue are important,
but our main issue this year is still the issue of economy and people’s livelihood. Everybody must make effort, everybody must work
and the pivot [of all those efforts] is [to support] national production. I mean, if everybody pursues and follows up on the issue of national production – with the explanation that, God willing, I will give in my [New Year] speech
– many economic problems, [and] livelihood problems of people –
both the issue of employment and the issue of investment and other issues – will be solved. [In this case,] social maladies will greatly
decrease; I mean the main pivot [of our work this year] is [promotion of] national production. Therefore, if national production is sped up, many problems will be solved.
I have taken this as the pivot of this year’s motto; this year’s motto is “supporting Iranian goods;”
[this] year is [the year for] “supporting Iranian goods.” This is not simply about officials,
[but] all people can help in this regard and [must] enter the arena in the real sense of the word.
Of course, this support has five [or] six aspects [and] various dimensions, which I will explain and elucidate, God willing,
in my [New Year] speech and God willing, will bring up those steps that various groups of people
and various officials of the country can take [in this regard].
I hope, God willing, the Almighty God would help both officials and people
to be able to fulfill their duties in the best possible way and realize this year’s motto,
which is the motto of “supporting Iranian goods” in the real sense of the word.
Peace be unto you and so may the mercy of Allah and His blessings