TEHRAN - Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said late on Tuesday that the Iranians have repelled the enemy in various military, political and security arenas.

"Both friends and foes should know that we have repelled the enemy in military, political and security issues,” the Leader stated.

The statement by the Leader came after protests erupted in some cities against the government’s measure in rationing gasoline and substantially increasing its price. The protests turned violent with reports of clashes between security forces and certain elements vandalizing public property.

“The recent actions were security issues, not from the people. We have repelled the enemy in various areas, and by God's grace, we will also definitely repel the enemy in the economic war,” Ayatollah Khamenei remarked.

Ayatollah Khamenei says the current U.S. government has launched an economic war against Iran “in a brutal, hatful and criminal way”.The Leader made the remarks during a meeting with a group of entrepreneurs and producers.

The Leader also said that no one should wait for end of sanctions to save the economy.

“If the Iranian people, entrepreneurs and the country’s thinkers neutralize the effects of sanctions through reliance on domestic capabilities, imposers of sanctions will stop sanctions because they will be harmed,” Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out.

He noted that the country should not pin hope on foreign countries.

Elsewhere, he said that Islam attaches value to increase in national wealth and well-being.

He said that “producers are commanders and front runners of domestic production and economic boom and promotion of public well-being.”

The Leader also said that there have always been economic war among the countries and arrogant powers, adding, “However, during tenure of the current president of the United States, this war with China, Korea, Europe and other countries has been expanded and this war has been launched against Iran through sanctions and in a brutal, hatful and criminal way.”
Ayatollah Khamenei also said that the country will turn sanctions into opportunities through relying on domestic capabilities and economic activities.

He noted that the policy of reliance on domestic capabilities should not be changed even if sanctions are removed.

The Leader also said that foreign countries will never transfer fundamental technologies, especially in areas of automobile, petrochemistry and oil sector, to Iran and the country must use domestic capacities to reach such technologies.

Elsewhere, he noted that the country can have good economic relations with its neighbors.

NA/PA