TEHRAN, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday called for economic initiatives and boost of production to offset U.S. sanction pressures.
He hailed what he called the nation's "fortitude and prudence" against conspiracies.
Khamenei made the remarks, broadcast live on the state TV, on the occasion of the Iranian New Year, Nowruz, which began on Thursday.
Over the past year, "the Iranians also showed a strong and robust reaction to the severe and allegedly unprecedented sanctions imposed by the United States and Europe both in the political and economic areas," he said.
In the meantime, Khamenei acknowledged the enduring economic woes, including hardship in people's livelihood, and urged the Iranian administration to address people's economic concerns.
