Leader rules out both negotiations and war with the US (2)

Now we present you the second part of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution’s memorable speech on “Neither War Nor Negotiations” with the US, the first of which you read and heard yesterday.

Ayatollah Khamenei, said: “Another point is that we should really activate the capacities of the people. We have vast popular capacities. We have excellent youth who are knowledgeable, educated, entrepreneurial, intelligent and creative in different areas and therefore, we should trust them. We should invite them. We should summon them for different tasks so that they focus on one particular area.

“For example, the administration should focus on the issue of the value of national currency and it should ask youth to participate, to think and to work hard so that they put forward solutions and take action. And you should rely on God. You should accomplish these tasks with reliance on God. In my opinion, these will be carried out.

“Another matter which is absolutely necessary is that the administration should confront the destructive forces in various economic areas. Everyone should support the administration in this regard. Today, we are faced with smuggling, hoarding and very detrimental brokerage deals. We have received reports about the treasonous purchase of wheat, meat, public foodstuffs and the like and I have shared my concern with officials. These are treasonous acts which should be confronted. They import certain products and keep them in stores. This is hoarding and it should be confronted.

“Of course, when you confront them, some noise might be made. Some individuals will cause a commotion and create an uproar. So, everyone should stand behind the administration and help it so that the punitive divisions of the administration can fulfil their function in the true sense of the word.

“I have written down a number of fundamental tasks that should receive attention. All officials are thankfully present here. Members of majlis, high-ranking executive officials and judiciary officials are present. It is you who are in charge of these tasks. If we accept these fundamental tasks as an indisputable thought, then we will be able to help and add to one another.

“A significant task is eliminating the obstacles ahead of production. We chose “Boost in Production” as the slogan of the year. This is the key to many of our economic problems. Production is like this. If we can really boost production, if we can eliminate the hurdles – which are many in the country – in the way of production, something which is possible with jihadi determination and by employing skilled youth, many problems such as the issue of employment, inflation, public welfare and the people’s income will be resolved and exports will be boosted. Production is the mother of all important economic matters in the country.”

The Leader said: “Whenever we trusted and relied on our youth, whenever we provided them with facilities and resources – minimum resources: most youth are able to work with minimum resources – we managed to advance. You have witnessed the examples in recent years. One example is in the area of our military production. Well the issue of military production on which the enemy is very sensitive, is a very important matter. Our accurate missiles – whether ballistic or cruise missiles, which can be launched at a distance of 1,500, 2,000 kilometers and which can hit the target with an error rate of five, six meters at most – are a very important achievement. The reason why they cause a commotion on the issue of missiles and the like is because of these achievements. Who has made these achievements? Our own youth! Our pious and motivated youth work tirelessly.

“Another example is the day when we needed 20-percent enriched uranium for pharmaceutical and medical purposes and the like. We used to import 20-percent enriched uranium before that. We had imported some, years before that and we were running out of our stock, as a result of which our nuclear medicines produced through radioactivity and used for different purposes would be left idle.

“So officials were informed of the matter and they pursued it in a diligent way. The other side said at first said they would be willing to sell. Later they set different terms. As a result, we witnessed that there would be many problems with those terms and that they were not willing to sell. Consequently we asked our officials to produce it on their own. We said to them that they should pursue it on their own. No one would have believed it, but they pursued the matter and they managed to accomplish such a great and important feat. They managed to achieve 20-percent enriched uranium.

“It was at the same time, in the same meeting I suppose, that I said that the most difficult part of the enrichment process is achieving the 20 percent. After that, the subsequent stages would not be a problem. It is much easier. So they managed to accomplish this difficult part of the job. Who did? Our youth. Therefore, why can they not be able to solve the problems of our industries? Why can they not find the missing pieces of the puzzle regarding our financial and industrial affairs? They can do this and they must be trusted. This is a fundamental task.

“The issue of boosting production should be taken seriously. The officials should be very sensitive about the closing down of factories and production centers. We sometimes receive news which is really sad. For example, such and such a factory – that manufactures many products – is closed down because of a certain problem. The officials in charge of the Ministry of Industries should look and find the shortcomings in the areas that need help – whether the area of machinery and components, intermediate goods or necessary resources for production. They should prepare a list, issue a call and ask the various officials in the country to help.”

Ayatollah Khamenei said: “It is difficult to buy from abroad. We can produce many of these substances inside the country. There are certain products that have nothing to do with the nuclear matter, but they have put a ban on selling them to us out of sheer malice and they do not allow us to have them. Very well, we can produce them inside the country. Our youth are creative. We should hold permanent exhibitions and define the needs and the necessary products there. This is one issue.

“Another important task in the area of the economy is the issue of self-sufficiency. From the beginning of the Revolution until today, we have been discussing the issue of self-sufficiency. In the early days of the Revolution, “self-sufficiency jihad” was launched in different divisions of the army and the military. Later on, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps stepped up and various courses of action were adopted in this respect. Youth were after these tasks in Construction Jihad and the ground was really prepared for self-sufficiency in the country.

“After that, the officials in charge of agricultural matters were asked to help bring about self-sufficiency in the area of wheat. They showed determination and we thankfully achieved that. This has happened in the last one, two years. Before that too, we were self-sufficient for one, two years. Self-sufficiency can be achieved in all areas. We can work hard on these. And the main areas are foodstuffs: wheat, barley, oil seeds and animal husbandry. We should achieve self-sufficiency in these areas.

“Unfortunately, a new thought and idea infiltrated our decision-making organizations which drove us away from self-sufficiency. It was an idea about economic profitability. They would say that producing wheat and self-sufficiency in that area is not economic and that it would be profitable to import wheat. Well, it is clear that importing wheat might be economic at a certain point in time, but when they prevent you from importing it, when they impose a ban on imports and refuse to sell you wheat, what do you do? Which wise government in the world would do that? At that time, they were saying that they should plant saffron and import wheat instead because it would be more economic and profitable.”

The Leader said: “The same is true of the area of oil and petrol. The natural gas condensate refinery that has been established in Bandar Abbas called “Star of the Persian Gulf” is an example of self-sufficiency. In the present time, about a third of petrol consumption – which is extravagant – is being provided by the same refinery. The present consumption patterns are excessive. The current figures – 90, 100, more or less, million liters per day - are excessive and it should not be like this.

“About a third of this rate, however, is being provided by the same refinery, anyway. The refinery began to work in the year 2007, but it stayed idle for a while and after that, it resumed work, again thanks to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC). In the present time, it continues to work. Self-sufficiency means this and we should attach great significance to it. We should think of self-sufficiency in all areas. The power of the country lies in self-sufficiency. The country’s power and reputation lies in self-sufficiency. We should be able to satisfy our main needs on our own.

“The third issue, which is another fundamental task, is facilitating the environment of business. There are really so many contradictory laws in this and that organization, making production difficult. I firmly request that you take this matter seriously. You should strive to encourage production. Today everyone knows that the money volume has increased to a large extent. This money volume can be a source of disaster and inflation. It can invade everywhere and bring about destruction like a flood. If it is directed towards production, it can be a source of divine mercy like a lake.

“Why is it not directed towards production? One of the reasons is that because producers are in a difficult situation, they do not find it economically profitable to engage in productive work. I said in my new year’s speech – on the first day of Eid – that there have been some individuals who have gotten along with the problems related to production, for the sake of God. I myself have seen someone saying to me that he could put his money in the bank and receive the interest – in a long-term deposit account with very high interest and without any trouble – but that he wished to engage in production for the sake of God because the country needs such production. We should help increase the number of such people by eliminating the obstacles.”

According to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution: “An important matter regarding economy is prioritizing agriculture. Agriculture is of primary importance both because it provides the people’s food and foodstuff and because it provides the most employment opportunities in the present time. According to a report, about 30 percent of employment is created by agriculture. Besides, if the issue of agriculture receives attention and if you pursue the problems of villages and villagers by moving processing factories and industries to villages and help sell products through villagers, this will in my opinion, help the progress of the country to a large part. This is where it becomes clear how important agriculture is.

“In the area of industries and mines, we sometimes need such and such a component, substance and material for a particular industrial project and we have to import it from the outside. However, it is not possible to transfer money through banks because there are problems which make it impossible. We should show determination and produce it inside the country. One of the tasks that should definitely be carried out in the area of economic matters is to help industries and mines to pursue their work smoothly.

“Today we thankfully have many research groups. There are perhaps thousands of research groups in the country – both at universities and outside, made up of youth. I am in close contact with some of them. I have discussions with them. All of them are motivated with very good ideas. They say that they can produce such and such things. This is exactly what the government needs.

“We have a great source of wealth in this regard today. We have a unique source of wealth which is efficient and motivated manpower. Youth are motivated, patient and indefatigable. They are creative as well. The youth whom I know up close and with whom I am in contact directly or indirectly are pious, revolutionary, enthusiastic and energetic. The administration should benefit from such youth. The Ministry of Industries should present a clear plan. They should find the missing pieces regarding industries. They should issue a call asking them to work and providing them with the necessary resources. Such youth are usually able to achieve the goal with little money.

“Presently, one of the opportunities that exists is making up for the flood damages. The recent floods inflicted much damage to the facilities and living conditions of the people. Our factories should resume work. One of the most important tasks is to adjust, plan and direct the funds that we have considered for flood-stricken areas in a way that they will lead to the development of the country’s factories. We should not resort to unnecessary imports again. For example, we want to send such and such a product to flood-stricken areas, but we are short of that product or it does not exist at all in the country. In these circumstances, we can resort to imports, but this should not be the case. Instead, we should refer to domestic producers.”

As Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out: “Another issue is housing development. As it happens, housing development is an entrepreneurial field in the country. One of the areas where we showed negligence in recent years was failure to attend to housing. Building houses creates many industries. It helps many industries to resume work. In other words, it leads to employment and production. It causes a boost in production. Currently we need housing in flood-stricken areas – whether the houses that need to be renovated or the ones that should be built. This is an opportunity which should be grasped. There are many organizations willing to help the administration in this field. The private sector can participate in this area. You can issue a call to the youth whom I mentioned. This way, there will be a great movement regarding job creation.

“Notice that in confronting the enemy, the policy of the Islamic Republic and the Islamic Revolution is resistance. The enemy likes to transgress. There are two ways to tackle this. One is to step back, but the moment you take a back step the enemy advances. The more you retreat, the more it will advance. And another way is to resist. Our own experience in the Islamic Republic – let alone experience obtained from history, the early Islamic era and the like – shows that resistance pays off. Whenever we resisted, we achieved positive result including in the Holy Defense Era, in various areas, in the case of their security provocations and on economic matters.

“One day, our annual oil revenues – the only way to earn revenues – reached about six billion dollars. Is there a hardship worse than this? Of course at that time, the population of the country was much smaller but nonetheless five, six billion worth of revenues is nothing for a country. However, we managed to stand firm and resist. The people stood firm. And it was not very difficult. So resistance is very important.

“Well it is one thing to resist in the area of the military, but it is quite another to do so in the area of the economy. In the area of the economy, resistance means what I have already said: strengthening the domestic economic structure, solidifying the fundamentals, taking issues seriously and pursuing them as well. One of our problems is failure to pursue matters. Matters are left idle. We begin something well, we start to move forward, but after that it is gradually abandoned. We should do follow-up. All the issues that were discussed are instances of resistance.

“You should not pin your hopes on the outside to improve the affairs of the country. Others will not help us. They only inflict harm. Take the case of Europe for instance. European states are not the US. We did not have a fight going on between us. We did not have a disagreement. We even had so-called good relations with some of them, but notice how they behaved on the issue of the JCPOA, their commitments and the like.

“What is interesting is that they keep saying they are committed to the JCPOA. What does the commitment of Germany, France and England to the JCPOA mean? One should ask them, “What do you mean when you say that you are committed? What are you doing to preserve it? What commitment do you have to the JCPOA? What commitment have you honored?” They keep saying that they are committed. What does it mean? Well, things are like that. Therefore, we should not pin our hopes on the outside. We should look at the inside to improve the affairs. This is the main point.

Ayatollah Khamenei said: “Thankfully, there is not a shortage of forces. There are many forces. The country is big, the population is large and there are many young forces and human resources. The people should play their part on economic matters. I am not only addressing the administration and officials. A large part of economic work falls on the people. The people should coordinate.

“For example, in the area of production that we spoke about – boosting production – the people can really invest and help. They can buy domestic products. Last year, the slogan of the year was about producing domestic products. Well, many people acted on this and good courses of action were adopted. This should not stop, rather it should increase on a daily basis. Domestic products and domestic productions should truly be preferred to foreign products in the eye of every Iranian. If they want the economy of the country to improve, this is one of the tasks.

“One of the necessary tasks is to avoid buying things to an excess. Sometimes, we witness that on the basis of a rumor spread in such and such a social network – by malicious and untruthful individuals – suggesting that such and such a product might become expensive, the people rush to buy it. What is the necessity of doing so? They should not buy to an excess. They should not heed rumors and they should not consume in a wasteful manner. There are really some instances of wastefulness in certain cases, but it should not be done. These are the people’s roles.

AS/ME