Speaking on the sidelines of the last cabinet session of the present Iranian calendar year (to end March 21), Hassan Rouhani told reporters that positive measures have been taken in the field of economic and production infrastructures.
“Major proceedings include advancement of economic and security programs with assistance of people, self-sufficiency in wheat production, success in imports and exports, compensation of lags in energy sector, satisfactory growth in food, agriculture, railroad, road and air transport, tourism industry and opening of new dams and power plants,” he emphasized.
He recalled that the leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei has named the current Iranian year as the ‘Year of the Resistance Economy: Action and Implementation’ saying “appropriate steps were taken in this regard by planning short- and long-term projects and people will be informed on all taken measures.”
Rouhani went on to enumerate a number of steps taken in line with implementation of Leader’s guidelines on Resistance Economy including reduced reliance on oil, excess of exports over imports, good steps in terms of economic growth, regaining of pre-sanction levels in crude sales, launch of banking relations and resolving transport barriers.
He stressed that despite regional crisis and issues, the government managed to maintain peace and security inside the country and appreciated all relevant forces who protected the country’s security.
Referring to the Leader’s special attention to social pathologies and the government’s effective measures to tackle these damages, the Iranian President said “Social Council of the Interior Minister was upgraded to an organization chaired by the President in a bid to deal with existing social pathologies.”
He clarified that statistics revealed success of the government in the fight against social damage though a long way had yet to be taken.
Hassan Rouhani also touched upon the occasion of anniversary of birth of Fatima al-Zahra (as) and the Founder of Islamic Revolution Imam Khomeini in the wake of New Year’s Eve saying “Fatima brought pride and glory to all Muslims and women and revealed the path of happiness, lifestyle, obedience to God and fight against deviance.”
On the measures taken by the government as regards offering serviced to women in the society, the official said “Iranian women are moving forward along with men in the fields of education, science as well as social and political life though long-lasting gender discriminations need to be alleviated.
Rouhani emphasized on the need for more presence of women in management arenas asserting that the government had put the issue on the agenda.
He expressed hope that the new year will be a year of friendship and brotherhood calling for abandonment of hatred and replacement of divisions and factional moves with solidarity and security in line with national interests.
President Rouhani also stressed that differences had to be set aside by forming new relations and spaces in a bid to reach social cohesion with unity, solidarity and brotherhood.
He also pointed to environmental and natural issues in some provinces like Khuzestan voicing optimism that the new year will be bereft of deplorable and troubling events.
“The nation has always backed the government in economic, social and political fields,” underscored the official calling for joining hands and greater cohesion in all sectors in order to reach success, growth and prosperity.
At the end of his remarks, President Hassan Rouhani referred to the importance of the vital taksk performed by journalists and media throughout the country concluding “with timely and accurate reporting, the media needs to help achieve greater national interest.”
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