In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

O, Reformer of hearts and sight
O, Planner of day and night
O, Transformer of conditions and circumstances
Change ours to the best of conditions

(Arabic prayer)

I congratulate all of you, dear fellow countrymen, on the auspicious birth anniversary of Hadhrat Fatemeh Zahra (PBUH) and [on the occasion of] Eid Nowruz [which marks the beginning of Iranian New Year]. May this festive occasion be blessed for you, dear fellow countrymen, the great nation of Iran, the dear youths, [and] people from various walks of life. And I especially felicitate the dear families of martyrs and war veterans and those, who have made sacrifices, as well as all nations that are familiar with Eid Nowruz and venerate it. 
I thank the Almighty God for this opportunity that He has allowed me once against to congratulate you, the dear Iranian nation, on the occasion of Eid Nowruz. I hope a very good and blessed and auspicious year along with security and welfare would await the Iranian nation and the [Iranian calendar] year [13]96 [which starts on March 21, 2017], God willing, would be a happy year for the entire Iranian nation and for Muslims across the world. [I wish] all Iranian families, [and] all dear Iranians, God willing, would be covered by divine favor and mercy and blessing in this year, which started at this moment.
If we want to offer an assessment of the year that passed – the [Iranian calendar] year [13]95 – we must say that, like all other years, that year was also marked with joys and sorrows, [as well as] bitter and sweet developments. By bitter and sweet developments, I mean what is related to the nation, [and] personal issues are not considered here. We had sweet developments during the last year, [and] had happiness, and these happy moments are related to national dignity, national security, [and] youthful perseverance among the Iranian nation as well as widespread, faith-based moves across the country. We also had bitter developments, most of which are related to economic and social issues, to which I will also refer.
The dignity of Iran and our dear nation was evident throughout the year [13]95; from the beginning of the year to its end. Our enemies at all corners of the world have confessed to the might of the Iranian nation, [and] to the grandeur of the Iranian nation; the identity of the Iranian nation demonstrated itself in all different developments [which took place during] this year. After an affront by the [new] American president toward the Islamic Republic of Iran, the enthusiastic and resolute and zealous people [of Iran] gave an [appropriate] answer to it through [their participation in nationwide rallies] on the 22nd day [of the Iranian month] of Bahman (February 10, 2016). [On the other hand,] on [International] Quds Day, during the holy month of Ramadan, the huge rally of [Iranian] people, showed the identity and goals of this country to the entire world.
Security of the country in this regional, and even international, tumultuous environment was a very pivotal and big index for the Iranian nation. Today, all around us, [and] those countries, which are our neighbors, from east and southeast of the country to its northwest, countries are plagued with insecurity, [and] the region is plagued with insecurity, [but] thank God, the Iranian nation experienced sustainable security throughout the year.
The youthful perseverance to which I pointed, comes from observation and being informed of the activities of thousands of young groups across the country, which are busy and occupied with their enthusiastic activities, both in scientific fields, and in cultural fields, both in [various] fields of sports, and in production fields, [and] are taking new steps and offering new initiatives and provide [necessary] reserves for the future of the country.
The faith-based movement to which I pointed, means energetic and sincere and effective religious sessions, which are held throughout the year. [Such sessions are] related to issues [regarding the Infallible] Imams (Peace Be Upon Them), [and are also] related to important religious issues from I’tikaf (staying at mosques for a few days for worship) and [other] acts of worship and the month of Ramadan and the march [on the day] of Arba’een and important gatherings [held on the day] of Ashura and during the first ten days of the lunar month of Moharram. These are positive and exhilarating points for our country and for our nation.
The bitterness and difficulties are mostly related to people’s economic and livelihood problems. The middle and lower classes were, and still are, grappling with these problems throughout the year. Since I am aware of the [economic] state of people, therefore, I feel that bitterness with my whole heart. The bitterness that people experience, especially the less privileged and poor people and lower classes, is related to economic issues and economic problems like high prices, like joblessness, [and] like social maladies most of which have economic roots, including discrimination and inequalities.
Well, we are all responsible; [and we] must answer both before the Almighty God and before the nation. During the year of “practical steps and action” – which was [chosen as the motto for] the [Iranian] year [13]95 – I asked the esteemed officials to establish a headquarters for practical steps and action and they established [that headquarters]. Fortunately, good steps were taken, whose report they have submitted to me. However, what has been done [so far] is far away from what is expected by people and is expected by me. In my [New Year] speech [in the city of Mashhad] I will explain that some indexes and figures offered by concerned officials are positive figures; some other [figures], which are [also] produced by officials themselves, are negative figures. [All of] these [figures] must be taken into consideration in their totality.
The Economy of Resistance is a collection [of various factors]. If this collection is simply paid attention to under the rubric “Economy of Resistance,” it may not be very effective. In my opinion, the solution is to divide this collection into important points and allocate a certain period of time to any key and important point, and ask officials and prominent people and all members of the nation to focus all their effort on those key points. I believe that the solution is for us to correctly identify these key points during the current year. I believe that these key points include production, [that is,] domestic production, and job creation and mostly creating jobs for the youth. If we could focus on these two points and plan and categorize measures [that should be taken] on this basis, it is believed that our work will greatly progress and will lead to remarkable and tangible achievements. In my speech [in Mashhad], God willing, I will explain about characteristics of these two key and basic points. Therefore, I declare “Economy of Resistance, production and job creation” as this year’s motto. This means that the Economy of Resistance is a general title, which is followed by production and job creation. These are those points on which everybody must focus. My demand and people’s demand of dear and esteemed officials is to focus on these two points and take [all necessary] steps with [suitable] planning and, God willing, they would be able to report to people on its results at the end of the year.

I hope all of you would have a happy and joyful year along with security and welfare under the attention of Hadhrat Baqiyatallah (PBUH) and through prayer of purified souls of martyrs and the honorable Imam [Khomeini].

Peace be unto you and so may the mercy of Allah and His blessings