According to ILNA, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, in today's (Sunday, October 25) open session of Parliament, said in his pre-agenda speech: We are in the sorrowful days of the oppressed martyrdom of Siddiqah al-Tahirah, Hazrat Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her); the lady whose courageous defense of the sanctuary of Velayat taught all of us the lesson of resistance against the enemy and of having insight in the most difficult conditions. I offer condolences for these days and hope that the mourning of the dear people of Iran is accepted and rewarded. But in the calendar of the days of the Islamic Revolution, tomorrow coincides with the historic and exposing outcry of Hazrat Imam Khomeini (may God be pleased with him) on October 26, 1964, against the disgraceful capitulation document.

The late Imam, in the year 1964, revealed that the abominable Pahlavi regime had slaughtered the destiny and economy of the country at the feet of the interests of America and the Zionists

He continued: Our great Imam, on that historic day, cried out against the subservient Pahlavi rule that this enactment is the 'document of the enslavement of the nation of Iran' and the selling of the independence and dignity of an ancient and Muslim nation in exchange for American dollars. But the strategic and insight-enhancing point of the Imam's words on that same day, whose truthfulness has now become apparent more than ever, was exposing the inseparable bond between America and the Zionist regime, that, too, in the year 1964. To remind myself and the new generation, I will state here a few sentences from this historic and wise speech of the Imam; our late guide said: 'Let the world know that whatever affliction the nation of Iran and the Muslim nations have is from foreigners; from America. It is the foreigners who have plundered and are plundering our precious underground treasures. It is England that for long years has taken and is taking our black gold at a negligible price. Yesterday the Islamic countries were afflicted with the clutches of England and its agents; today, with the clutches of America and its agents. It is America that supports Israel and its supporters; today the economy of Iran is in the hands of America and Israel.' On that day, the late Imam revealed that the abominable Pahlavi regime had slaughtered the destiny and economy of the country at the feet of the interests of America and the Zionists.

Today, Iran is not only not a colony of the advisors of the West and the East, but is a powerful and independent regional power

The Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly said: Today too, after the passage of 6 decades, if the bloodthirsty Zionist regime commits crime and genocide in the region and at the same time Washington, with sanctions, assassination, and military and economic wickedness, tries to break the will of our nation, it is the continuation of that same domination-seeking. But today's fundamental difference from the year 1964 is that the Iranian nation, under the guidance of the late Imam and the martyred Imam over the course of 47 years, has torn the chains of captivity, and our beloved Iran today is not only not a colony of the advisors of the West and the East, but is a powerful and independent regional power that has forever turned the dream of the renewed domination of arrogance and Zionism over the destiny of this nation into a nightmare, and beyond that, is in the process of removing America from the West Asia region. The Americans think that with a few media pressure levers or military threats they can make this great nation surrender to them; unaware that today's Iran is not the Iran of the Pahlavi era of humiliation, but a strong fortress of self-belief, defense authority, and an iron will that will never allow any foreign power to decide for the dignity of this land.

We will not be intimidated by the enemies / We are ready, in the face of any act of aggression against the territorial integrity of greater Iran, to give them a response beyond imagination

Ghalibaf said: We will not be intimidated, and we are ready, in the face of any act of aggression against the territorial integrity of greater Iran, to give them a response beyond imagination; therefore, the threat of extensive war or assassination is not an issue that would cause the Iranian nation to back down from its rights and interests, and until the Americans change their behavior, abandon their bullying and greedy nature, and compensate for their violated commitments in an objective, tangible, and real manner on the ground, no claim of theirs will, for the Islamic

Republic of Iran, have the slightest credibility. As I have also announced before, we have nothing new to say; it was America that, with wrong calculations and war against Iran, entered a quagmire, and now they are the ones who must take the necessary actions to save themselves. Another important point is the public demand of the esteemed government regarding the issue of the front line of the economy, namely the people's livelihood and table.

I thank the government for increasing the amount of the Kalabarg, and this action must continue in confronting the high prices and paying attention to the goods distribution processes

He added: The constant and ongoing high prices of basic goods have placed a heavy burden on the shoulders of all the people, especially the deprived, workers, retirees, and the underprivileged strata. We thank the esteemed government for the fifty percent increase in the amount of the Kalabarg for part of the people, which can be a help in supplying basic goods. This hopeful action must also continue in confronting high prices and paying attention to the processes of distributing basic goods, so that the people's livelihood and table are the last point to be harmed by war and sanctions. In this regard, Parliament has provided the necessary regulations and resources both in permanent laws and in the Seventh Development Plan, and is ready to help the government.

The head of the legislative power continued: Regarding the Kalabarg, another point that must be attended to is the situation of the guilds and stores implementing the Kalabarg scheme. Some field reports show that, unfortunately, occasional delays in settling the claims of the stores and small distribution units have put the working capital of the esteemed shopkeepers under pressure, especially in conditions of currency fluctuations, and Parliament's expectation is that the Ministry of Welfare and the financial departments regulate the process of settling accounts with the stores in a completely orderly and rule-based manner, so that both the people's livelihood is supported and the chain of the guilds and shopkeepers is not harmed.

The necessity of paying attention to the issue of preventing energy imbalance and national action to save in gas consumption

 Ghalibaf continued: Another vital issue that, on the eve of the cold season of the year, must be managed with national effort is the issue of preventing energy imbalance and national action to save in gas consumption. Waste and non-optimal consumption of energy have for years manifested themselves as a structural challenge, and the compassionate demand of the martyred Leader of the Revolution has always been the safeguarding of the country's vital resources. The Islamic Consultative Assembly, in the form of sub-paragraph 2 of clause 'P' of Article 46 of the Seventh Plan Law, has provided the precise and progressive legal mechanism of savings certificates, and today nearly 100 private companies have entered this arena.

Based on the Seventh Plan, the income resulting from gas saving must be deposited into individuals' bank accounts

He said: In simple language, it means that whoever saves whatever amount of gas will quickly receive, in their bank account, the income that will accrue to them from this saving, so that the effect of saving on the household economy becomes tangible for everyone. Our demand of the government, the Ministry of Petroleum, and the National Gas Company is that, by supporting investors, they accelerate the issuance of conditional certificates before the saving is realized. Getting through the coming winter requires a national mobilization, and we expect IRIB and other media, people's institutions, Islamic councils, and the governors of the whole country, by activating the capacity of neighborhoods and households, to realize the goal of reducing gas consumption by at least 10 percent, so that concerned compatriots benefit directly from the profit resulting from saving, not as a one-sided sacrifice, but as economic partners, and with the companionship of the proud people of Iran, this pass too is traversed with honor, God willing.

Source: ILNA News Agency