Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the government's reliance on oil revenues and its control over all aspects of the economy are the two major challenges plaguing the Iranian economy that should be properly addressed.
In an address to a gathering of people from East Azarbaijan Province in Tehran on Wednesday, Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the "resistance economy" as the answer that can resolve the economic woes, Fars news agency reported.
He noted that cutting reliance on oil revenues is difficult but not impossible. He said tax incomes, increased trade, human resources and potential and domestic production are among the alternatives that can be utilized to propel the economy forward.
He said when the foundations of the economy are reinforced using domestic potential, sanctions and falling oil prices could no longer be a cause for concern and the country could easily withstand global shockwaves.
The “resistance economy” is referred to a set of principles set out by Ayatollah Khamenei which mainly calls for measures to boost domestic production to reduce reliance on oil revenues and counter the West’s economic pressure.
“Lack of proper planning and serious measures in the economy leads to a situation that the enemy uses the lever of sanctions over our nuclear program and sets conditions for us,” the Leader said.
“Their main goal is to humiliate the Iranian nation and slow its progress … and I believe if we accept their dictates; sanctions will not be lifted because of their enmity toward the foundation of the Islamic Revolution.”
The Leader called for “serious work… to resist sanctions and neutralize and foil the enemy’s goals”, noting that otherwise “the enemy will proceed and place conditions on our nuclear program and impose sanctions.”
Ayatollah Khamenei, elsewhere, warned that “If sanctions are to be the way, the Iranian nation can also do it... A large portion of the world’s oil and gas is in Iran so Iran, if necessary, can withhold the gas that Europe and the world are so dependent on.”
The Leader also touched on the US double standards in the fight against militants of the self-declared Islamic State (IS) terrorist group and said, “The Americans wrote a letter to our foreign ministry saying they do not support Daesh (IS); however, only a few days later photographs of such support were published.”
