Addressing the President and members of the Cabinet during a meeting
held on Thursday, marking the anniversary of the martyrdom of Prime Minister
Mohammad Javad Bahonar and President Mohammad Ali Rajai, as well as in
observance of Government Week, the Supreme Leader lauded the government's
strong performance, particularly in critical areas such as "infrastructure
projects," "macroeconomic growth," and "foreign
policy."
In a report emanating from the Office of the Supreme Leader, he
expressed, "While the government's foundational achievements deserve
admiration, unfortunately, livelihood issues act as a veil obscuring these
fundamental accomplishments. It is imperative that double-digit inflation be
reduced as much as possible, and values such as justice, social equality,
market stability, inflation reduction, exchange rate stability, and production
growth be prioritized in all government decisions and actions, including the Seventh
Development Plan."
Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted the strong performance of the 13th
Government in the economic sector, noting significant growth indicators,
including economic expansion, especially in the industrial sector. He also
praised the surge in capital investment, decrease in liquidity growth,
reduction in unemployment, decline in the Gini coefficient, and increased
exports.
Furthermore, he stated, "Strengthening the tax system, expanding
petrochemical production, and valuable undertakings in the oil and gas sectors,
along with the revival of several thousand idle or semi-idle workshops, are
praiseworthy initiatives by the government. However, the impact of these
efforts on the macroeconomic indicators and foundational actions in people's
lives will require time to fully manifest."
On the topic of inadequate communication of the government's positive
activities, the Supreme Leader identified two key issues: "Firstly, the
government's artful communication is lacking, and secondly, the significant
livelihood challenges, such as the severe inflation of some food items and the
pervasive housing cost escalation, hinder the recognition of the government's
fundamental endeavors."
Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized the importance of humility in governance,
stating, "We do not have the right to speak to the people from a position
of superiority and arrogance, for we are nobody; whatever exists belongs to the
people. If we have been given a responsibility, it is because the people have
entrusted us with it."
The Supreme Leader commended the government's simplicity in leadership
and revolutionary positions, as well as the deployment of young individuals in
various managerial positions.