TEHRAN- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Saturday called exporters as “the officers and soldiers” of bypassing and neutralizing sanctions whereas the country is grappling with ramifications of sanctions.

Speaking at a ceremony on National Export Day, the president said the economic diplomacy should be aided by political diplomacy.

“With the help of economic actors and producers, the Iranian nation would win and shine in the sanctions war,” Raisi said, adding that "exporters and producers are the officers of the sanctions war and they should try to win this fight."

Iran prioritizes export of non-oil products, sees this as the engine of economy in the post-oil world. 

Raisi also presented awards to the top 5 exemplary exporters on behalf of the successful 57 exporters of the current Iranian year 1401 (March 2022-March 2023).

"The commitment of exporters and economic activists is shown by the 40% rise in exports last year and the 13% growth of non-oil exports this year," he said.

The bodies working to increase exports and remove hurdles to exports, according to Raisi, "should give more attention to the ideas and opinions of exporters than others."

The president said, "This year, all our efforts should be in the direction of production growth, notably knowledge-based and technology-based production." 

Leader of the Islamic Revolution has insisted on knowledge-based and technology-based production. 

Ayatollah Raisi pointed to statistics given by the Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade regarding 5% growth in production sector as very good news and stated, “Also the news of the growth of production equipment and tools, the growth of listed companies in the stock market, reduction of unemployment rate, linking the economy to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Eurasian Union, removal of neighborhood communication barriers and the activation of various communication with neighboring countries are good news for the production (sector).”

Concerning the growth of economic contacts with the regional countries, the president stated, "We must reinvigorate Iran's role in the region's economic interactions, particularly in the transit of products, monetary and financial circulation, and other economic spheres."

Raisi viewed the accomplishments as proof that economic growth in an ideal country is not unattainable.

"Achieving a growth rate of about 5% in the first six months of this government's activity, i.e. in the second six months of 1400 (March 2021-March 2022), means that we will have more than 5% growth in production this year."

The president went on to say, “We have men and women and strong-willed people in the economic field who, if the obstacles are removed, have the motivation and idea to work together and cooperate in the direction of advancing the economic growth of the country.”

The president stated that the country's economic growth has enraged the foes, saying “sanctions on Islamic Iran is all for the country not to develop, not to create and export, not to be productive and not to be a consumer.”

"When you want to have the upper hand in production and export in the region and around the world, the enemy gets angry," Raisi continued, "because it says that we made a plan in the U.S. Treasury Department, we put many forces everywhere in the world to stop you, but you raise your hopes, production, economic growth, and export amid all these sanctions and threats."

“The enemy does not want this to happen, therefore, they incite riots. They officially say this and act on it. Wherever you Iranian economic actors are present and you want to market and offer your goods, they create obstacles so that your goods do not have a market. This is a war of wills,” he said.

The enemies are determined to halt Iran’s progress, he pointed out. “The enemy does not want the Iranian nation to have a say in economy, production, or export, but the Iranian people is resolved to capture markets by providing the greatest products. We have demonstrated that we will not back down.”

If factories and production centers are revived, export and production increase, trade balance becomes positive, and oil and non-oil exports rise the foes will become “angry”, he said, adding, "Let them be angry and die of this anger, but we will not stop."

“Today, when we talk to our enemies, we talk with the support of the people and farmers, artisans, engineers and activists in various production fields…. The enemy doesn't want you to have production. Yesterday, you needed barbed wire and they didn't give it to you, but today when in New York, in Samarkand and in many other countries where the heads of the countries meet with me, one of their demands is to buy military industries from Iran.”

"When today in the military and nuclear industries, we have reached a point where we have something to say in the region and the world," Raisi noted, "it turns out that strong-willed people and young people have worked day and night in this field; this is a battlefield, and the enemy does not want you to have the upper hand."

The president remarked that ill-wishers are willing to offer “us ready-made products, but would not give us the manufacturing recipe.”

“The reason for this is to prevent us from becoming self-sufficient. They want to be able to stop us from receiving items whenever they choose.”

The president also pointed to importance of improving quality and its role in better marketing goods, saying, “An increase in exports will lead to an increase in production and as a result to economic growth, and this cycle depends on quality production.”
"Exporters and producers are the officers of the sanctions war, and they should try to win this fight," he suggested, emphasizing that the Iranian nation, just as it excelled in the imposed war against Iran in the 1980s, will likewise win and excel in the sanctions war.

Raisi underscored the need to facilitate the export of goods and provide the country's foreign exchange resources from the income derived from it. 

He added, “We should take seriously the added value and make up for the backwardness in this field faster. For this purpose, political diplomacy should serve economic diplomacy. The first concern of all our diplomats should be economic issues. The role of diplomacy should be considered in the development of the country.” 

In reference to the activation of commercial offices in some countries he has visited over the last year, the president said, "The country's production facilities and capabilities are exposed to the target countries through these centers and commercial offices."

The president also emphasized border market activation, adding, "Activation of these markets helps in growth of commerce, but their operation should be legalized."

“Today, the Majlis (parliament) and the government and all the institutions of the country are determined to follow the orders of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution to increase and promote production in the country, increase and promote exports, especially non-oil exports, and all relevant departments must support and monitor production and exports,” Raisi pointed out.

The president concluded his remarks by saying “the Leader wants all of us to do double work in the country. What has been done is very good, but with your efforts and the support of related sectors, it is possible to realize more economic growth, higher production, more and better exports.”