Leader stresses promotion of scientific research (18.7.2001)

Tehran, July 18, IRNA -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said the sole way for the country to reach prosperity was for the officials and people to rely on their own capabilities while increasing efforts to conduct systematic and scientific research. In a meeting with the members of the Parliamentary Committee for Education, Research and Technology, Ayatollah Khamenei said the basis for such scientific work is an effective training for the young generation. He said the universities should allocate part of their budget to research and development of the scholars' capacities while dding that scientific work and investigations should be led by the universities. He advised the officials in university and in the industry sectors to keep in touch since he said the universities could help the industrial sector increase the productivity through conducting scientific investigations. The leader further said that to attain this aim one should consider the Islamic tenets and values. He said today the university students are more committed to the ideals of the Islamic Revolution than the early years of the Revolution. He called on the officials to consider the major aims of the Islamic system and to avoid wasting time on insignificant issues which he said would be of no use and utility for the nation. The parliamentary committee members presented a report on the activities carried out or undertaken by the committee and commented on the problems facing the universities including the insufficient budget for scientific research in universities. They said that contrary to poisonous propaganda by some, the universities and academics are committed to the Islamic principles and values while being in the service of Iran's Islamic Revolution.

Ayatollah Khamenei okays consultation between clerics and GC (13.7.2001)

Tehran, July 13, IRNA -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday agreed with formation of a "consultative assembly" comprising of senior clerics to whom the six "jurists" in the oversight Guardian Council can consult in certain affairs. "I agree with a proposal put forth by the secretary of the Guardian Council Ayatollah (Ahmad) Jannati on formation of a consultative assembly to cooperate with the jurists of the council," Ayatollah Khamenei said in his letter to Jannati. He appointed Ayatollah Hassan Taheri Khorramabadi to head the assembly. Jannati had earlier in a letter to Ayatollah Khamenei had stipulated that the Guardian Council is in "dire need" of seeking the opinion of senior clerics in certain affairs. The Guardian Council, comprising of six jurists appointed by the supreme leader and six lawyers, oversees laws which are passed by the parliament to confirm their conformity with the Islamic teachings. The lawyers, proposed by the judiciary, are elected by the parliament.
:irna 11:23

Leader lauds disabled war veterans's commitment to country (11.7.2001)

Tehran, July 11, IRNA -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday paid glowing tribute to disabled war veterans, describing them as "living martyrs". Ayatollah Khamenei made the remark in his address to several hundred children of the disabled war veterans while inspecting Imam Khomeini sports and educational camp. The Leader attended the classes of Quran, chemistry, physics and biology as well as the handicraft training classes for the children of the war veterans. Ayatollah Khamenei also talked with the children and told them that he was pleased to see them. "The disabled war veterans are the brave men who proved their commitment to Islam and country at a time when the country was passing through a critical period," the Supreme Leader said in his brief address to the children. The Leader expressed hope that children of the war veterans would promote their scientific and spiritual strength to render services to the country in the future. Prior to the Leader's address, Head of Mostazafan and Janbazan Foundation (MJF) Mohammad Forouzandeh delivered a report on the summer camps organized for children of the war veterans across the country. "Despite the efforts made by the MJF to offer services to the disabled war veterans, there remain many problems to be resolved because of the foundation's failure to take proper action in this respect," Forouzandeh said.
:irna 18:49

Leader receives his national identification card (8.7.2001)

Tehran, July 8, IRNA -- The first national identification card was issued on Sunday for the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, concurrent with the launching of a plan to issue such cars for the Iranian people. Public Relations Office at the Leade's office said that Interior Ministr Abdolvahed Mousavi Lari and head of the Cicil Status Registeration Organization Ansari today met with the Leader and submitted him the card. They also briefed Ayatollah Khamenei on the national project.

The Leader thanked the Interior Ministry and Civil Status Registeration Organization for their efforts to implement the national project.
::irna 16:52

Leader authorizes EC to amend its by-law on supervising organs (7.7.2001)

Tehran, July 7, IRNA -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in a letter here Saturday authorized the Expediency Council (EC) to amend its by-law that banned probe into the performance of the organs under the supervision of the Supreme Leader's Office. EC Chairman and former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani had sent a letter to the Supreme Leader last Saturday saying that the council was not entitled to amend the law on probe into state entities. "The (top constitutional supervisory body) Guardian Council has blocked the council from making any amendment to the law," read the letter. Ayatollah Khamenei had earlier said it was up to the Expediency Council, which arbitrates disputes between the Majlis and the Guardians Council, to give the green light for amendments to the law which sparked angry outbursts among MPs when the chamber decided to investigate the performance of the state media. "If His Excellency deem it necessary for the law to be amended, we request you to give the go-ahead to the council to do so," said Rafsanjani's letter. Earlier this month,, Ayatollah Khamenei gave the go-ahead to the parliament to take to account the performance of the state media, saying the probe could ensure the safe operations of the networks. "I will give the permit to the (Expediency) Council to revise the law which entrusts the right (to probe) with the leader," Ayatollah Khamenei said in a letter to parliamentary speaker Mehdi Karroubi. Parliamentary deputies, who are overwhelmingly reformist, are seeking to call to account the television and radio networks and exercise control over its budget. In February, the Guardian Council rejected the parliament's bid for a cut in the budget allocated to the state media which some of the deputies have accused of biased operations. BG/AH End ::irna 19:15

Leader hails ability to make headway in economic development (1.7.2001)

Tehran, July 1, IRNA -- Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Sunday appreciated the capability of the Islamic Republic to make headway in economic development. In a meeting with industrialists and businessmen to mark `Industry Day', the Leader said that thanks to the faith of the Iranian youth and administrators, the Islamic Republic has successfully built tens of large dams including the largest reservoir dam, Karkheh. The Leader recalled a saying from the late Imam Khomeini who assured the Iranian youth in the early years of the Islamic Republic that they `are capable' of building their own country on their own. Ayatollah Khamenei said that reliance on the human and natural resources and the endemic economic growth would help bring about sound economy and prosperity. The Leader advised the next cabinet to give `real importance' to building healthy economy and seriously follow up the removal of obstacles in the way of manufacturing and accelerating the wheel of industry and exports, encouraging domestic investment and avoiding slogans. The Leader urged officials in the government and the parliament to avoid peripheral and unnecessary issues and work to provide the people with their basic needs. The Leader said that the industrial sector is pivotal to economic development and called for giving more attention to help remove the difficulties in this respect. "We hope that the next cabinet will give real importance to healthy economy and take practical steps to remove the bottlenecks in the manufacturing sector," the Supreme Leader said. In the meantime, the Supreme Leader called for seriously following up the guidelines (set by him) concerning campaign against financial corruption and unlawful profiteering adding that a decisive campaign against financial corruption will give a sense of confidence to domestic investors and encourages investment. Otherwise, the Leader said, corruption will afflict the structure of the economy entirely. The Leader stressed the need to stop contraband goods from entering the country and said that illicit trade deals a blow to national economy, paralyzing national planning. If illicit trade were not dealt with, it would undermine the domestic manufacturing sector and create non-productive occupation, the Leader pointed out. Referring to foreign investments, the Supreme Leader said that national interests should be taken into account while drawing up regulations on foreign investments and recommended that reliance upon human resources and natural resources and the national economy would bring about economic development and prosperity. The Supreme Leader downplayed calls to modify the national economy in line with requirement of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) andthe World Bank and said that national economy should be administered by planning within the country without heeding requirements of the IMF or the World Bank. Ayatollah Khamenei urged the commercial sector to help the industrial sector and said that services of the noble people in the business sector and the manufacturing sector should be appreciated. Recalling the services of industrialists, workers and businessmen in the early stages of the Islamic Revolution, the Supreme Leader said that businessmen had greatly contributed to the process of the Islamic movement in Iran and the late Imam Khomeini called them `the strong arms of the Islamic Revolution'. Prior to the Leader's remarks, Minister of Commerce Mohammad Shariatmadari said that Iranian exports enjoyed 60 percent growth in the past three months compared to the corresponding period last year and that Iran's balance of trade with 82 countries has been in Iran's favor. Minister of Industries and Mines Eshaq Jahangiri said that the industrial sector is responsible for providing three million jobs and contributes 17.5 percent to the Gross National Products (GNP). Jahangiri complained that contraband goods, sudden change of regulations, lack of fund in the private sector have brought the industry sector to standstill. Head of Iran's Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines (ICCIM) Alinaqi Khamoushi said that 80 percent of the economic enterprises have been monopolized by the government affiliated agencies causing underground businesses in handling the financial affairs of the private sector and state companies so that the private sector has lost the incentive to go along with the current state of affairs. Representative of traditional businessmen (from Bazaar) Habibollah Asgar-Owladi called for cooperation between the government sector and the private sector as well as the cooperatives to remedy economic ills.
:irna 17:30

Ayatollah Khamenei condoles on Iraqi cleric's death (1.7.2001)

Tehran, July 1, IRNA -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday extended his grief on the sad demise of top Iraqi Shi'ite Muslim cleric Ayatollah Hussein Bahr ul-Oloum who died last month under "mysterious circumstances." "The mysterious death of the senior cleric Ayatollah Bahr l-Oloum made me sad," Ayatollah Khamenei said in a message. "The residence of this senior Shi'ite cleric had over the past years been under attack by Iraqi security forces in Najaf and many other top clerics (being taught by him) have been arrested or probably martyred," he said. Grand Ayatollah Bahr ul-Oloum, a 75-year-old scholar, died in his home city of Najaf June 22 and was buried there. His relatives were quick to blame the Iraqi government for his death, suggesting that he may have been assassinated.

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