Calls for Unity, Hope to Overcome Economic Challenges

TEHRAN — Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, in a meeting with President Masoud Pezeshkian and the Cabinet on Sunday, emphasized the necessity for Muslim countries to cut all political and trade relations with Israel to isolate the Zionist regime.
“Countries protesting, especially Islamic countries, must completely sever commercial and political relations with the Zionist regime and isolate it,” he said, referring to ongoing atrocities against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The Leader described Israel as “the most isolated and despised regime in the world” and stressed that “one of the main diplomatic lines must be encouraging governments to cut political and trade ties with this criminal regime.”
Addressing domestic priorities, the Leader underscored the importance of strengthening national power and dignity, pointing to the livelihood of the people as a foremost concern. He called for “more serious measures for market discipline” to alleviate public concerns regarding unchecked price increases.
Ayatollah Khamenei urged the government to promote “a climate of work, effort, and hope” over a “neither war nor peace” status, which he said should be overcome. He stressed the need to strengthen production, follow up decisions until results are achieved, and utilize the current consensus for important tasks, including addressing the housing issue.
The Leader also highlighted the need to “avoid wastefulness, especially in government agencies,” and encouraged officials and media figures to focus on explaining the country’s real strengths and sources of hope.
Expressing appreciation for the government’s efforts, he thanked President Pezeshkian, officials, and especially those who showed dedication during the recent 12-day imposed war on Iran. He also praised the president’s “motivation, spirit, and diligence” and called for follow-up on the economic and political opportunities arising from his recent diplomatic visits, such as the trip to China.
Ayatollah Khamenei advised officials and media professionals to “narrate power, strength, and the country’s abundant capabilities” and to “avoid narrating weakness and incapacity,” emphasizing that “the press and broadcasting also have responsibilities in this regard.”
Referring to the president’s remarks during the meeting as an “example of narrating power, hope, and ability,” the Leader said, “Motivation, determination, and strong spirit are the foundations for achieving goals.”
He further stressed making use of
every available opportunity to serve the people and warned against inefficiency and duplication, noting that “problems will certainly be solved in the medium term if we avoid neglect and distraction.”
Highlighting the economy and livelihoods, Ayatollah Khamenei stated, “More serious action in the economic arena and livelihood issues is necessary,” adding that solutions should not depend on external developments. He emphasized that “we must overcome the ‘neither war nor peace’ condition imposed by the enemy with motivation, hope, and effort.”
The Leader called strengthening national power and dignity a government responsibility, with key elements including “the spirit, motivation, unity, and hope of the nation,” which “must be fostered in words and deeds and protected from weakening.”
On governance, he advised proper prioritization of work based on urgency and foundational importance and thanked First Vice President Muhammad Reza Aref for his efforts in following up government decisions.
Ayatollah Khamenei described the government’s role as responsible for “meeting common public needs such as livelihood, security, health, culture, and lifestyle,” and stressed the importance of clearly defining priorities in these fields.
He reaffirmed the foundation of the Islamic Republic on “Islamic objectives, teachings, and laws,” noting, “Imam Khomeini emphasized these principles from the beginning.”
Regarding decision-making, he called for persistence until full implementation, praising President Pezeshkian’s provincial visits and close contact with people and managers, while urging the same dedication throughout administrative levels to prevent dilution of decisions.
Expressing satisfaction with national consensus, the Leader commended the cooperation among the three branches of government but called for continued engagement from all decision-making bodies.
He highlighted the current climate as a unique opportunity to streamline government by reducing redundant bodies, and urged using this chance for important reforms.
Addressing economic concerns, Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized “attention to production and revival of industrial units,” cautioning against cutting electricity supply to factories except in emergencies.
He called for “timely and full provision of essential goods” and maintaining sufficient reserves to directly impact the market and food security.
Criticizing monopolized imports, he urged authorities to “make import processes competitive and source goods from different channels,” a move experts say would lower costs.
The Leader returned to the livelihood issue, stating, “People should be able to obtain about ten essential goods without worrying about price increases,” and mentioned ration cards as a possible means.
On market regulation, he said, “Manage the market so that people do not feel it is uncontrolled or that prices vary drastically from place to place or day to day, as this harms public morale.”
He emphasized preparing for winter gas needs and planning for shortages through imports.
Regarding housing, Ayatollah Khamenei noted “existing proposals to partially solve the problem” and called on officials to pursue them until results are achieved.
On oil production, he pointed to outdated methods and equipment, urging the use of young experts’ knowledge to enhance production and calling for more dynamic oil exports with diversified buyers.
Finally, he stressed “controlling consumption and avoiding wastefulness,” highlighting excessive use of water, electricity, gas, and government resources, as well as unnecessary travel and costly accommodations, and called for strict measures to prevent these.
Before the Leader’s speech, Pezeshkian provided a detailed overview of his administration’s key programs and challenges during its first year in office, highlighting progress in energy management, economic reforms, and national cohesion.
Pezeshkian identified energy imbalance, drought, and foreign policy issues as the main challenges facing the 14th government. He emphasized the direct impact of energy on production and said the government’s extensive efforts have improved the situation compared to the previous year, though the energy deficit remains unresolved. He offered apologies to citizens and producers for unavoidable power and gas outages.
The president praised the Ministry of Energy’s effective electricity consumption reduction program and noted that expert teams comprising prominent academics have been formed to address ongoing drought concerns.
Pezeshkian announced a government plan to install 7,000 megawatts of solar power capacity by the end of the year and reported that fuel reserves have increased to over 3 billion cubic meters to ensure a more secure energy supply during winter.
He underscored national unity as a vital government priority, stating that collective solidarity will prevent any external force from undermining Iran, recalling how public cohesion during the recent war frustrated adversaries.
Economic growth and inflation control were identified as top priorities, with Pezeshkian attributing inflation in part to government expansion and increased expenditures. 
He pledged to work with parliament and other bodies to reform administrative structures, streamline government operations, and implement performance-based budgeting. Banking system issues were also cited as inflation drivers, with the Central Bank tasked with enhanced oversight.
Pezeshkian highlighted efforts to expand educational equity through the inauguration of 2,400 new schools following a community-centered model, emphasizing a large-scale school construction movement.
On foreign relations, Pezeshkian pointed to improved ties with neighbors and key partners including Russia, China, Iraq, Turkey, and Eurasian countries, stressing that enhanced cooperation negates Western hopes that sanctions could halt Iran’s progress.
The government aims to increase daily oil production by 250,000 barrels and has successfully collected over 10 million cubic meters of flared gas this year, valued at approximately $700 million, with plans to fully reintegrate flared gas into the energy cycle within one to two years.