Supreme Leader Urges Iranian Nation to Grow Stronger, More Powerful

(FNA)- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei felicitated the Iranian nation on the advent of Nowruz, the start of the New Persian Year, and called on people to double efforts to become stronger and more powerful against the enemies' plots.

A nation is not powerful only because of arms; "if three elements of economy, culture and science are in a country, it will become strong”, Ayatollah Khamenei said, addressing a large group of people in the holy city of Mashhad, Eastern Iran, on Friday.

“That’s my word today: Iranian nation should make itself strong. If a nation is not powerful, it will be subject to force; the world bullying powers will receive blackmail from it; they will trample upon it and invade and insult on it,” he added.

“Also in the field (economy), if we make our resolve firm and join hands, we will be able to flourish our economy. We should not pin hopes in enemy when to lift sanctions. We should look what should ourselves can do,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

He went on to say that culture is more important that economy even. “Culture means an air you breathe. If the air is clean, it will have an effect and if it is dirty it will have another effect.”

Praying God Almighty for a life full of blessing for both Iranians and Muslims, the Supreme Leader wished that the new year will be a year deserving the Iranian nation.

Nowruz, which coincides with the first day of spring on the solar calendar, is mostly celebrated in Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan.

The International Day of Nowruz was registered on the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on February 23, 2010.

For Iranians, Nowruz is a celebration of renewal and change, a time to visit relatives and friends, and pay respect to senior family members.

Iranians welcome the New Year by wearing new clothes and setting the Haft Seen, a table containing seven items starting with the letter 'S'; Sabzeh (freshly grown greens), Samanu (sweet wheat paste), Senjed (jujube), Seeb (apple), Seer (garlic), Serkeh (vinegar) and Somaq (sumac).