TEHRAN, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Wednesday called for increasing the country's domestic output by engaging more people in economic development and production.
In a televised address to Iranians marking the arrival of the Iranian New Year, Khamenei emphasized that boosting domestic production was crucial to resolving the country's economic problems.
"If growth and progress are achieved favorably in the national production, many of the country's important economic problems, such as those pertaining to inflation, employment and national currency's value, will be resolved in a favorable manner," he said.
Khamenei also hailed the country's progress in scientific, technological and infrastructure development over the past Iranian year. However, he acknowledged the array of challenges in the same period, including economic and livelihood problems faced by the Iranians, the deadly terrorist attack in the southeastern province of Kerman, devastating floods in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, and the attacks on the country's security forces during the past few months.
The leader praised the incumbent administration's international political and economic endeavors and achievements in the past year, highlighting that the Gaza crisis was "the most tragic event" on the global stage.
In his televised congratulatory message on Wednesday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi expressed confidence in the continued expansion of the country's production and economy in the new Iranian year, vowing to bring down the inflation rate and improve government services.
Raisi put the country's economic growth in the previous year at six percent, adding the inflation rate had dropped from 55 percent at the beginning of last year to 35 percent in the final month. ■
