Iran Prioritizing Broadening of Ties with Neighboring States

"The Islamic Republic of Iran attaches importance to its cooperation with neighboring states from security and economic points of view," President Rouhani told reporters before his departure for Turkmenistan on Monday.

He expressed the hope that during his visit to the neighboring countries he would be able to solve regional problems and lead the region towards further stability and security.

President Rouhani, meantime, pointed to the designation of the New Iranian Year as the 'Year of Support for Iranian Products' by Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, and said that supporting domestic products, improving their quality, marketing them properly at regional and international levels and fighting smuggling of goods will top his government's agenda.

In a televised address to felicitate the nation on the advent of the New Persian Year, Ayatollah Khamenei named the Iranian New Year as the year of 'Support for Iranian Products' to ask both the nation and the state officials to make industrious efforts to promote domestic production.

The Leader said improvement of domestic production would be the cornerstone of a better national economy that could lower the rate of unemployment and reduce social vulnerabilities.

"If national production is accelerated, many problems will be resolved. I have chosen this as the center of this year’s slogan. This year’s slogan is “Support for Iranian Products”: “The Year of Support for Iranian Products.” This is not only related to officials, all people from various social backgrounds can help in this area, and they can enter the arena in the real sense of the word. Of course, there are five, six dimensions for this support. By Allah’s favor, I will expand on these dimensions in my speech. God willing, I will discuss the things that people from various social backgrounds and the various officials of the country can do in this regard," he said.