TEHRAN – In a Noruz (Persian New Year) message to the Iranian nation the Supreme Leader calls the year 1390 the “Year of Economic Jihad”.

“I call this year the ‘Year of Economic Jihad’ and I expect the officials of the country and also our dear nation to work in a jihadi way in the economic areas,” Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, Leader of the Islamic Revolution, said in his televised message.
The year 1390 started on Monday, March 21.
The Leader wished success for all Iranians in the year 1390 and also congratulated all foreign nations who celebrate Noruz.
“I congratulate this auspicious Noruz and the arrival of spring and the new year to all dear countrymen across the country, and also to all Iranians who live in other countries, and also to other nation who respect Noruz.
“I particularly congratulate those people and families who are at the service of the country, the revolution, and the system, the families of the dear martyrs, the disabled war veterans and their families…,” the Leader said.
However, the Leader added the violence against people in certain countries including Bahrain, Yemen and Libya “prevents one to fully feel the happiness of eid (the New Year).”
Elsewhere in his message the Leader said during the year 1389, which was named the “Year of Double Effort”, many great works were done by the nation and the government.
Fortunately, the Leader said, many great works were done in the economic, political, and technological areas during the last year.
The executive power did many great works during the year 1389 especially by implementing the “sensitive and great” task of reforming the subsidy system, the Leader noted.
The Leader went on to say that the country has started an efficient move in the path toward progress and this move has been taking a greater speed day by day, and this is the result of efforts during the consecutive years.
For example, according to statistics released by certain international bodies Iran has had an 11 percent share in scientific inventions despite the fact that Iran forms only one percent of the world’s population, the Leader explained.
Ayatollah Khamenei added a regional country which after Iran has had the greatest share in scientific studies has recorded less than 6 percent in the world.
“Therefore, the country’s progress in different areas has been very good and this rapid move must continue seriously.”
He said the enemies have launched a great economic, cultural and media war against Iran and the economic sanctions that have been imposed on the country are intended to undermine the country’s rapid progress
“Among the most important moves that the enemies have launched against our nation is countering our country in the economic areas. Of course, they are also active in cultural areas, in political areas… but in the economic moves (against Iran) they are very active; (and) these sanctions that the enemies of the Iranian nation have prepared or enforced against the Iranian nation were intended to do a blow to the country’s progress and prevent its rapid move.
“However, their whims were not realized and they did not succeed to get the desired results from sanctions…, therefore in the current year which starts from this moment we should pay attention to the most basic issues of the country and in my opinion all things center around economic issues, therefore I call this year the ‘Year of Economic Jihad” and expect the officials of the country, whether in government, whether in Majlis, whether in other sectors which are related to economic issues, and also from our dear nation to work in a jihadi way in the economic areas.