In a meeting with the president and members of the 12th administration this morning (Saturday) on the occasion of Administration Week, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei pointed to the need for redoubled efforts and endeavor by the officials to solve problems. He gave characteristic, behavioral and work-related recommendations to the Cabinet members, and described economy and the livelihood issues of the people as the most important concern of the country. He reiterated that orientations must shift from an oil-and-rente-driven economy to one reliant on production and the people. 
Commemorating Administration Week and the memory of martyrs Rajai and Bahonar as two enduring and symbolic names, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said, “Although the tenure of these two great men was very short and we cannot pass any judgment about their executive performance, these two beloved martyrs are always fondly remembered, the reason for which is their characteristic and managerial spirits, including being revolutionary, faithful and sincere.”   
Stressing that the traits of martyrs Rajai and Bahonar must be an example for all of the officials and statesmen, Ayatollah Khamenei appreciated the efforts by the 11th administration and ministers not present in the 12th administration, adding, “I hope with the appointment of the energy minister, who runs an important ministry, and the science minister, who heads a much more important ministry, the 12th administration will fully discharge its responsibilities.” 
He described as important and unprecedented the prompt formation of the 12th administration and the facilitation of the process of the formation of the administration, including in the holding of elections and the endorsement and swearing-in ceremonies and then the Majlis vote of confidence. He then reiterated, “Now it’s the president and minister’s turn to begin work and action.”  
Highlighting the quick passage of time and the need to make ever-more and correct use of the four-year term of responsibility, Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated, “This period is not a short one for the implementation of fundamental measures just as Amir Kabir (Iran’s chief minister in mid 1800s) carried out important deeds in his three-year tenure and the country needs activities of that kind.”   
Continuing, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution outlined recommendations in an address to the president and the members of the 12th administration, the first of which was “having a divine will for offering services to the people as the servants of God and resolving their issues,” and “affinity with the Quran and prayers.”  
 In his second recommendation, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the necessity of having “a jihadi spirit and redoubled and indefatigable efforts devoid of any expectations [of reward]” and in the third, he added, “As well as having a joint responsibility in the decision-makings of the administration, the members of the administration must cooperate with each other and work as a team.” 
In another recommendation to the administration, he said, “Tolerate opposing voices and by increasing your patience, which is that very same internal capacity, welcome and utilize criticism.”  
“Close ties with the people in order to better understand the realities of the people’s lives” was the fifth recommendation of the Leader of the Revolution and in this regard, he reiterated, “Having a strong popular communications sector and provincial visits are very good and useful.”
Ayatollah Khamenei dedicated his sixth recommendation to the issue of “the need to maintain and raise popular morale and avoid aristocratism,” and stating the seventh recommendation, added, “Contribute to and facilitate popular movements, which are mostly spontaneous, be it cultural, economic or service-related such as jihadi or cultural groups.”
“Taking into account the efficiency, religiosity, revolutionarism, diligence and jihadi work in choosing colleagues and managers” was the eighth recommendation of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and in this regard he said, “If your colleagues and managers are not individuals with these characteristics, objectives and goals would not be achieved just as the Education Overhaul Plan and the National Comprehensive Scientific Road Map have not borne fruit as they should despite all the efforts put into them.”
Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted the issue of “attending to and monitoring subordinate bodies,” and “having a precise, systematic and scientific plan,” and in outlining the eleventh recommendation said, “In making decisions and moves, demonstrate courage and a risk-taking spirit by considering overarching documents and the [20-Year] Outlook Document and legislation approved by Majlis.”
The final recommendation of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution was the issue of taking into account priorities in every field and focusing on the main priorities.
In another part of his remarks, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution described “the economy” as the actual priority of the country and highlighted the relentless efforts by officials to settle the livelihood woes of the people such as unemployment among the youth, saying, “The economy should be the priority of all members and sectors of the administration.”
Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated, “Even though ministries such as economy, industry, mines, trade and agriculture are directly responsible in important issues such as production and employment, other departments of the administration such as the foreign ministry, education, science and [culture and Islamic] guidance can facilitate and assist in the settlement of economic problems.”
He added, “Statistics offered in the economy sector are provided based on scientific principles but these statistics do not fully and everywhere reflect the real condition of the country and people’s lives; thus, there is a problem here that must be identified and resolved.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said, “According to these statistics, inflation has reached below ten percent from several dozen percent, but has the public’s purchasing power and the value of national currency also gone up on the same scale?  
In another example, Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated, “Statistics offered on stagnation are also correct, but there are still small or medium-sized enterprises that are working under capacity or have shut down and this reality shows that there is a problem somewhere that must be identified and removed.”  
He described banks, investment, the growth of cash flow and smuggling as important issues in economy and reiterated, “The officials in the administration who are directly linked to economy should make decisions and function as a coordinated team, and others must also help them.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution described the implementation of the policies stipulated in Article 44 [of the Constitution] as another key issue in economy and criticized the slow pace of work in that area, saying, “In most cases, the policies and problems are clear and some good decisions are made, but there is no advance as there should and could be and this fact shows that the real problem lies in the implementation of the decisions.” 
Ayatollah Khamenei described as useless economic enterprises and hubs changing hands in various sectors of the administration and added, “Through implementation, to the letter, of the policies of Article 44, the administration should change its status from domination to regulation and enforce monitoring and order by identifying the roads and policies.”
He said among other issues requiring special attention are dealing with economic corruption seriously, the issue of villages, management of imports and exports, and land-use planning, and reiterated, “Some work has been done with regard to provincial land-use planning, but we still don’t have any documents for nationwide land-use planning and a timetable must be devised for the compilation and implementation of this important document.”
Pointing to the activities of the Resistance Economy Commission and the good decisions made by the headquarters, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution added, “Not all of these decisions were implemented and there is the expectation that there be monitoring and follow-throughs, so that the responsibilities assigned to government bodies are appropriately implemented.”    
Highlighting the need for a shift in the economic orientation of the country from an economy based on rente-seeking and oil to one dependant on production and the people, Ayatollah Khamenei added, “We should wean the economy off oil [revenues] and this important goal is feasible given the country’s facilities, capacities and human resources just as has been done by some countries with no oil [resources].” 
In another part of his speech, Ayatollah Khamenei described as important the “preservation of the revolutionary and religious spirit in diplomacy” and reiterated, “We have to take pride in our Revolution in diplomatic issues and feel dignified by practicing national norms, namely norms emanating from the Revolution such as standing up to hegemonic powers, fighting oppression and opposing the hegemonic order.”   
He reiterated, “While commitment to revolutionary norms and stances results in self-esteem and  wins others’ respect, it does not contradict the use of the flexibilities, nuances and maneuvers of the art of diplomacy.”  
“Unfurling the diplomatic umbrella over all of the world, and not focusing on relations with a few countries only,” were among the other points that the Leader highlighted in the foreign policy arena.
He added, “In the diplomatic arena, agile, up-to-date, swift and vigilant action is needed, and with divine grace, act in the future as you have acted and stood up to the enemies so far.”
Prior to the remarks by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Mr. Rouhani presented a report on the measures adopted by the 11th administration and the objectives pursued by the 12th administration.
The president described the issue of unemployment and economic woes as the most important predicament facing the administration and added, “The banking system, pension funds, budget imbalance, the water issue and environmental woes are other matters that must be resolved in the next four years.”
Enumerating the main objectives of the 12th administration, Mr. Rouhani reiterated, “The first goal of the administration to solve the problem of unemployment and we will try [to see] more than 900,000 jobs created annually.”
The president cited “the realization of an eight-percent growth, fight against poverty and the materialization of social justice” as other objectives of the administration and stated that in order to reach an eight-percent growth, we require 775 thousand billion Tomans (USD 234.2 billion) in new investment per year. He added, “To attain this goal, the budget and facilities of the administration do not suffice and banks, the Capital Market, National Development Fund and the capital in the private sector should be taken on board as well, and foreign investment should be absorbed, too.”
Mr. Rouhani cited the annual inflation as standing below eight percent and added, “The 12th administration strives to keep inflation at single-digit levels.”
The president added, “Last year was an exceptional year for the country’s economy because we witnessed a double-digit economic growth and ranked first in the world in terms of economic growth.”
Pointing to the need to popularize the economy and reform the banking system, Mr. Rouhani said, “If we want to achieve this goal, banking interests should be reduced and ministries and banks should abandon controlling enterprises.”  
Stating that we have promised the people to uproot absolute poverty by the end of the 12th administration, the president reiterated, “To accomplish this objective, the gap between the two top and bottom income deciles of the society should be narrowed through an overhaul in the tax system  to see poverty uprooted.” 
Mr. Rouhani cited “industrial renovation and reconstruction,” “transformation in the knowledge-based economy” and “reliance upon non-oil revenues” as other priorities on the agenda of the administration and added, “The 12th administration is more familiar with problems now than in the past and everyone should help the administration solve the country’s problems.” 
The president also added, “In choosing ministers and vice-presidents, every effort was made to pick efficient and qualified individuals not affiliated with any party or group.
At the end of the meeting, noon and afternoon prayers were held and led by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.