Iran cleric stresses resistance economy, self-reliance

A senior Iranian cleric has stressed the implementation of the policy of the “resistance economy” as instructed by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution has repeatedly stressed, defined and set the outlines of the “resistance economy,” Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani said in his sermon to worshipers at the weekly Friday Prayers in Tehran.

“Therefore, the country must be independent when it comes to living conditions, and must be self-reliant in [the areas of]… production, and economy,” the senior cleric added.

“The resistance economy must be implemented as it can resolve many problems in the country,” he said.

On February 25, Ayatollah Khamenei called on the three branches of the Iranian government to seriously pursue and implement the general policies of the resistance economy.

Ayatollah Khamenei noted that there is a great deal of hope that economic flourishing will occur in the medium-term and will partially alleviate the people’s economic concerns if the policies of the resistance economy are seriously implemented.

The Leader had outlined the general policies of Iran’s resistance economy in a decree issued on February 19.

As part of the program, the government must take action to promote “knowledge-based economy and domestic production, especially in strategic products and services, and the consequent reduction of dependence on imports.”

The decree also encourages greater privatization and increased exports of goods and services through legal and administrative reforms as well as foreign investment for export purposes.

In his Friday sermon, Ayatollah Kashani also referred to the agreement reached between Iran and the P5+1 group over Tehran’s nuclear program – known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – and expressed hope that the JCPOA would be implemented “properly.”

He said that if the JCPOA is “fully” implemented, it can solve some of the existing problems in the country.

On July 14, Iran and the P5+1 group of countries – the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany – finalized the JCPOA in the Austrian capital of Vienna.

‘Riyadh serving Western interests’

Elsewhere in his remarks, the senior cleric touched on the Saudi aggression against Yemen, lashing out at the Riyadh regime for killing people in Yemen.

He said Saudi Arabia launched the war against Yemen to serve the West’s interests.

Yemen has been witnessing ceaseless military attacks by Saudi Arabia since March 26. The military strikes are supposedly meant to undermine the Ansarullah movement and bring fugitive former Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi back to power.

The Saudi aggression has reportedly claimed the lives of more than 7,100 people and injured nearly 14,000 others.

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