Parliamentexpected to focus on dealing with economic issues - LeaderTehran, Dec 31, IRNA -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday that the parliament is expected to focus on dealing with economic issues including unemployment, inflation and livelihood of the people. In a meeting with the cleric members of the parliament, the Supreme Leader said that there exists strong relationship between the people and the clerics adding that the parliament should work to lead the country to a bright prospect in terms of the financial affairs. The Supreme Leader said that the current economic bottlenecks can be easily removed in light of the advanced administrative methods. The Leader advised the parliament to seriously focus on legal provisions for the economic issues with a preference to solve the difficulty in the livelihood of the people. Ayatollah Khamenei cautioned against raising political issues in the community and said that the parliament should closely cooperate with the government on major economic plans to make a breakthrough in this regard. The Leader called on the members of parliament to form regular contacts with the Friday Prayers Leaders in respective cities to exchange views and bring about consensus in preaching the people from the public tribunes. The Leader said that it would be a great sin to magnify the problems and bring under the question mark the Islamic Republic system of government for certain shortcomings. The Leader called for avoidance of undermining the three branches of government (Legislature, Executive and the Judiciary). "All the propaganda campaigns aim to undermine the Islamic Republic. One should not imagine that the enemy may abandon its hostility with the Islamic Republic nor may the enemy distinguish between different political wings or organs," the Leader said. SS/AR End Leader: Iranian nation proud of its Air ForceTehran, Dec 25, IRNA -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that the Air Force is well-known for putting up a brave defense during Iraqi-imposed war (1980-1988). Speaking in the twelfth graduation ceremony of the Air Force Academy, the Supreme Leader said that Iranian nation is proud of the Air Force for the operations the brave pilots undertook to stop the aggression of the Iraqi army during the eight years of sacred defense.
The Supreme Leader paid tribute to the martyrs of the Air Force of the Islamic Republic and prayed to God for their souls. Commander-in Chief of the Armed Forces then reviewed the march past of Air Force personnel and awarded top officers with titles. "Iranian nation will never forget the sacrifices the young pilots of the Air Force made to strike a balance to the unequal war the world powers had imposed on Iran," the Supreme Leader said. Ayatollah Khamenei said that the world community accords respect to the Iranian nation for the sacrifices it made to defend territorial integrity thanks to the unprecedented record the Air Force's young officers set during various periods of the imposed war. Even the enemy conceded the bravery and unique performance of the Air Force, the Supreme Leader said. Referring to the US threats to attack Iraq, the Supreme Leader said that the United States has targeted two goals for initiating war on the Middle East, oil and support for the Zionist regime in the disguise of the international campaign against terrorism. The Leader called on the Air Force to boost preparedness to undertake task whenever needed. Prior to the Leader's remarks, Commander of the Air Force Brigadier-General Reza Pardis delivered a report on research activities and achievements of the Air Force. Pardis said that Iranian Air Force serves as messenger of peace and tranquility in the region adding that it is well-prepared to defend the country. Commander of Shahid Sattari Air Force Academy Brigadier Zanganeh also delivered a report on the research activities of the Academy. SS/AH End Leader says arts are blossoming out by young talentsTehran, Dec 24, IRNA -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday that the arts originated in the lofty goals are blossoming out by the young talents. In a meeting with officials in charge of arts administration and a group of artists, the Supreme Leader said that the administration of the artistic community is expected to support the genuine young talents emerging in the community. The Supreme Leader advised the officials to carry out training programs for the young artists who believe in arts to be directed to promote sense of responsibility and progress. Ayatollah Khamenei appreciated the achievements made in different branches of arts and said that the arts contribute to foresight, progress and social harmony with reliance upon realities. The Supreme Leader pointed finger to certain cultural works which are directed to distort the history of the Islamic Revolution and the heroic sacred defence against Iraqi imposed war and termed those events as the strong source for creating magnificent artistic works. SS/AR End Leader urges three branches to cooperateTehran, Dec 22, IRNA -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei here Saturday night called on the three branches of government to exercise more cooperation and coordination in order to resolve issues and problems bogging the country. During a meeting attended by President Mohammad Khatami, Majlis Speaker Mehdi Karroubi, Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi and Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the leader called on all officials of the country to sincerely cooperate in order to remove existing barriers to effective government. The participants also reviewed important regional and international developments. FM/LS End Leader lauds performance of High Council for Cultural RevolutionTehran, Dec 17, IRNA -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday that the High Council for the Cultural Revolution is expected to fulfil its heavy duty. In a meeting with members of the high council, the Supreme Leader said that the council is in charge of macro decision making in all political, economic and administrative fields which should correspond to the cultural integration. The Leader said that culture is the origin of individual and public behavior on which the High Council should focus as the second duty to deal with the detriment in this respect. The Supreme Leader underlined the requirement for social discipline, honoring law, trust in national identity, pride in Iranian nationality and national dignity as well as insight in religious belief as the yardstick for social norm. The Supreme Leader recommended the high council to study the cultural developments abroad and make use of the positive aspects and their impacts on domestic developments. The Supreme Leader appreciated performance of the high council and said that the approvals of the High Council are binding for all government organs. Prior to the Leader's remarks, Head of the High Council for the Cultural Revolution President Mohammad Khatami briefed the Supreme Leader on the achievements of the Council. Citing examples for the decisions the High Council has made so far, the president said that the Internet is a necessity, but, there exists a concern that those powerful take advantage of such means like satellite and put impacts on national culture. That's why the high council has taken precautionary measures in this respect, he said. SS/AR End Supreme Leader stresses generating jobs, fighting povertyTehran, Dec 7, IRNA -- The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei on Saturday called on the official to adopt measures to alleviate poverty and to generate jobs for the large number of job-seekers. Speaking in a meeting with members of the Parliament Commission for Budget and Planning, Ayatollah Khamenei said generating jobs and tackling poverty must be given high priority by the executive and legislative powers. He said the government has to use its powers to solve drawbacks including unemployment and poverty as part of attempts to contribute to the public trust in the system. He said the acute tug-of-war between the political camps in the country would disappoint the people and would damage the system. He highlighted the need to establish social justice as the best remedy to stem poverty and to narrow the gap between the haves and have-nots. A top Iranian official said earlier that 15 percent of Iran's population live under the poverty line. Based on figures each urban household which earns less than rls 710,000 monthly and rural households earning less than rls 480,000 monthly is considered to live below the poverty line, added the official. Ayatollah Khamenei stressed the measures to promote the trust of the investors and those having huge capital and said the financial corruption would disappoint those involved in the economic activities and would provide grounds for corrupt elements to reap unfair benefits. The government has to make serious efforts to deal with the unemployment which is among the main concerns of the officials, the leader stated. The unemployment contribute to the economic, social and security challenges and that is why effective measures should be adopted to tackle it, he noted. Effective strategies should be drawn up to deal with the dilemma, he said adding that attracting foreign investments could be fruitful in generation of jobs. Press reports said earlier about 3.5 million people of the active population are currently out of job in Iran. At least 5.5 million high school graduates would join the jobless group within the next four years to increase the unemployment rate to 24 percent. The inactive population comprises 13 million students under 10 years of age, 13 million housewives and 1-3 million retired. Iran has, with support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the International Labor Organization (ILO), launched a new job creation initiative to tackle unemployment in the country.
Leader: US attack on any Islamic state will harm IslamTehran, Dec 6, IRNA -- Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei here Friday said that a possible US attack on any Islamic country would harm the whole Islamic world as he urged Muslims to close their ranks against the world hegemonism. "The enemy is interfering in the Islamic world under the pretext of fighting terrorism, but all Muslim nations know that the main target of the imperialists and Zionists is Islam and the Islamic ummah," he told representatives of Islamic countries in Iran, who met with the leader to congratulate him on Eid-ul-Fitr. "A US attack on any country, including Iraq, under any pretext is harmful to the interests of the Islamic world," he said, adding the US and Zionists had their eyes on Islamic resources and they considered Islam as a block to their hegemonism. "The main objectives of the arrogant powers are to eliminate the Palestinian nation and dominate resources and riches of the Islamic world and guarantee the survival of Israel as a cancerous tumor of the (Middle East) region," the leader said. "The Islamic ummah and officials of the Islamic countries are required to fulfill their grave responsibilities with total vigilance and beware of enemies' efforts to create discord among them," Ayatollah Khamenei added. The leader reiterated the Islamic Republic's "clear and explicit stance" on supporting the Palestinian nation and said: "We consider defending the oppressed Palestinians as a must and believe that all Islamic governments must also fulfill their duties in this respect." Earlier in the meeting, President Mohammad Khatami said the Islamic world faced a "critical situation" and prayed that the Palestinian people would achieve victory and the world would get rid of "global warmongers". On Friday morning, Ayatollah Khamenei led Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at the Imam Khomeini Prayer Grounds as tens of thousands of worshipers participated. Friday prayers were scrapped throughout the country in accordance with an Islamic trend which calls off the weekly congregation when the two prayers coincide. The leader urged Iranian officials, including the heads of the three constitutional powers, to "refrain from weakening one another and questioning their legal duties." "America and Zionists try to portray unimportant differences of views (in Iran) as (indicative of) deep ideological gaps. Thus, all officials and heads of (legislative, executive and judicial) powers should remain fully alert," he said. The leader's remarks come amid differences over the court's sentencing of university professor Hashem Aghajari to death as well as over other issues. The sentence triggered several days of student protests in capital Tehran and several other cities. Ayatollah Khamenei has ordered a review of the case. "All the nation whether Basij (militia), faithful youth, pious and diligent authorities or the clergy, must be careful that they do not fall into the trap of the enemy," the leader said. He also called on the Iranian media and its propaganda machine to promote frugality and refraining from extravagance, while he urged state officials to stem poverty. "The philosophy of tolerating hunger and thirst in the month of Ramadan is that all ... fight to wipe out poverty and deprivation from the society," he said. Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan. Muslims abstain from eating and drinking in this holy month of fasting from dawn to dusk.
Leader gives straightforward guidelines to cabinet ministersTehran, Dec 1, IRNA -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei on Sunday gave straightforward guidelines to the cabinet members to put into force measures to improve the living standards of the people. In a meeting with President Mohammad Khatami and his cabinet members at Iftar (ceremony of breaking the fast at dawn), the Supreme Leader said that the government is expected to carry out the emergency plan to create jobs and other short-term plans swiftly in a way the people see tangible results in their every day life. The Leader referred to Imam Ali (AS)' order to his governor Malek Ashtar as the model for the Islamic system of government urging him to observe justice in distribution of public wealth and not to allow friends or relatives to take more than what they deserve. The Leader drew the attention of the cabinet members that they are responsible before God and that they should respond to the questions they would face in the hereafter. The Leader advised the statesmen to lead simple life and avoid aristocracy. |
