TEHRAN – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has shrugged off the anti-Iran “noise” made by the “thugs” ruling the United States, adding Iran’s economic problems are solvable.

“The economic and livelihood problems of the people can be resolved, therefore, the noise made by the thugs ruling the American nation should not occupy anyone’s mind,” Ayatollah Khamenei said in remarks on Monday.

The Leader added that the thugs in the White House make nonsensical remarks about Iran’s missile and regional capabilities due to the precise and wise calculations of the Islamic Republic to reach such capabilities. 

Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks during a videoconference with the military commanders and certain military units attending the joint graduation ceremony for the cadets studying in the academies of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Armed Forces.

“Of course, we do not ignore the malicious role of the Americans and their sanctions, which truly are crimes, and we continue to resist until, with God’s grace, we turn the U.S.’s maximum pressure to maximum disgrace and a cause of regret for them,” he pointed out.

Tensions started to build up between the U.S. and Iran after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the 2015 deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in May 2018 and imposed sanctions against Tehran in a bid to put “maximum pressure” on the Islamic Republic. 

“Wisdom means correct calculation.”The Trump administration has also made empty calls for talks, but the Islamic Republic maintains that as long as the sanctions are in place and the U.S. refuses to return to the JCPOA, negotiations will be meaningless.

The commander-in-chief of the Iranian Armed Forces also described security as a major value, lauding the young cadets for ensuring the country’s security by enrolling in military universities.

“Security is a vital element. Without it, all other important values such as education, justice, welfare, and so on are disrupted,” he said.

The Leader further said that in addition to ensuring security, the Armed Forces carry out other important tasks in serving the nation, both infrastructural and in the health services. “In the case of the coronavirus, the Armed Forces have truly come forward.” 

The Leader noted that certain people speak about wisdom and being wise but what they truly mean is fear, passivity, and fleeing in the face of the enemy.

“Those fearful persons are not justified to speak about wisdom, because wisdom means correct calculation,” he said. “Of course, the enemy strives to imply the wrong meaning of wisdom, and some people in the country, unknowingly, repeat the enemy’s words.”

The Leader pointed to the dire situation of millions of poor people in the U.S., saying that on the other hand, the Iranian nation will overcome their problems, many of which were created by the U.S. in the first place.

The nation “will use sanctions as a tool to strengthen the country’s economy,” he said.

“Although many of our problems are related to outside of the country, but their cure is in the country,” Ayatollah Khamenei said, adding that in order to resolve the problems, one should not look for the cure outside of the country.

MH/PA