Domestic Production Key to Generating Employment

Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said higher employment is not possible unless domestic production is boosted and this objective will not be attained without the government's careful supervision.

"Everyone needs to know that if domestic production is not promoted, employment opportunities won't be created and unemployment gives rise to social predicaments such as addiction, corruption, family problems and dissatisfaction toward the government," he said.

The Leader made the statement in a Monday meeting with a group of government officials on the onset of the new Iranian year (started March 21), his official website reported.

In his New Year message, Ayatollah Khamenei had named it as the year of "Resistance Economy: Production and Employment", a designation similar to that of the previous Iranian year, "Resistance Economy: Action and Implementation."

The economic concept, first raised by the Leader in 2011, embodies a set of principles aimed at curbing dependence on oil export revenues, improving productivity and reducing the government's role in the economy to make the country immune to economic wars waged by foreign powers.

Ayatollah Khamenei told government executives, "You should focus on production and employment and this cannot be achieved merely on the order of senior officials. This requires a serious supervision and follow-up."

The Leader said his call for limiting imports to encourage production does not mean he favors blocking imports, but he believes only imports that would lead to "the shutdown of domestic factories" should be stopped.