Iran Starts Year of Innovation, Flourish

TEHRAN (FNA)- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei on Thursday called the new Iranian calendar year of 1387 (March 20, 2008-March 20, 2009) as the year of “innovation and flourish.”

The Leader made the remarks in his televised address just after the start of the New Year on Thursday.

“One of my two expectations in the year 1387 is making innovations in different social, economic and servicing sectors, including the diplomatic section,” he said.

“My second expectation this year is completing and flourishing the activities that started in the previous years and the projects that government has initiated since recent years,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

He stressed that in the New Year the atmosphere of innovation should dominate the country and all officials should consider themselves duty bound in using all the financial and spiritual facilities to present new and innovative works.

The Supreme Leader also said that the New Year will mark the 30th anniversary of establishment of the Islamic Republic system after years of successful defense of the country’s independence and national dignity as well as brilliant achievements in the scientific fields.

“All the efforts will remain ever outstanding and permanent in Iran’s history,” the Iranian Leader added.

“We cannot move smoothly and normally. We should try to proceed ahead by making double and more serious efforts that will ultimately gain further, more calculated, regular and disciplined momentum,” he said.

“In the domestic and complicated international domains too, we should use all capacities in order to make big progress,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

The Iranian Leader’s remarks came at a time of tensions between the Islamic Republic and Western countries over Tehran’s progress in the field of nuclear science.