TEHRAN - First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri has said Iran’s decision makers agree unanimously that economy is a top priority.

Jahangiri made the remarks in an oil conference held Saturday in Tehran.
To achieve this, there is a need for implementing the principles of resistance economy announced by the Supreme Leader.
“Officials of the country have come to the conclusion that economy is the top priority of Iran and that’s why resistance economy has been worked out.”
This is while, according to Jahangiri, the topic remained for almost two decades a pariah. “Over the past two decades we could hardly talk about the importance of economy clearly.”
Referring to ten development plans implemented before and after the 1979 Revolution, he regretted that the country is not still emerging from economic ills.
“The Supreme Leader has stipulated that the 6th five-year development plan must be based on the tenets of resistance economy.”
Jahangiri also denounced unjustified criticism levelled at the Rouhani administration on the ground that it has done nothing to act in line with principles of resistance economy.
“Although we have not hit record economic growth, economy has achieved worthy breakthroughs over the time via tactful decision-making.”
The vice president hinted at the naming of the current year by the Leader as the year of “Resistance Economy, Action, and Implementation,” highlighting that “action and implementation” should not be taken to mean that no step has been taken accordingly so far.
“Instead, this means that we have special plans for the year.”

AK/PA