Statements of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Meeting with a Large Group of Guilds

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

I welcome all dear brothers and sisters and congratulate you on the blessed birth of Imam Askari - the eleventh Imam - peace be upon him, and I hope that the Awaited Savior, may our souls be sacrificed for him, grants a gift to the Iranian nation on this auspicious occasion.

Your gathering is a significant collection of those involved in the country's economy. The issue of the economy - which we have repeatedly emphasized - is more important today than at any time in the past twenty-two years. On one hand, due to the resources available today - we are not at war; political stability and calm prevail in the country; the country's foreign reserves are, thanks be to God, considerable; there is a sufficient workforce for the country's needs; and the country's officials have gained extensive experience, having tested various economic methods through trial and error over the years - if a group of officials does not utilize these resources of a government, they have committed an injustice. On the other hand, the unfavorable economic situation can pose a serious threat to the country, and the enemy exploits this. We have achieved numerous successes in various sectors. In these twenty-two years, our country has witnessed a volume of positive and constructive efforts exceeding that of a hundred years of normalcy; however, the enemies of the revolution and the Islamic system ignore all these positive points to mislead public opinion, highlighting unemployment, inflation, stagflation, and various economic problems in the country, attempting to portray the Islamic system as ineffective through this malice. This should serve as a significant motivation for those involved in the country's economy - especially government officials and managers. Thus, the issue of the economy is important from this perspective as well.

If we were to express a brief statement in this regard, it would be that Islamic Iran can achieve appropriate economic prosperity. We are capable of this; however, it requires certain conditions. The points raised by the responsible officials and managers are part of the necessary conditions that must be considered. Those who think it is impossible to work, to progress, or to resolve issues are mistaken in their outlook and suffer from a lack of will. With compassionate and effective management, a sense of commitment, and the utilization of human creativity and talents, we can overcome all deadlocks. We lack nothing in this regard. I have repeatedly stated that wherever committed, faithful, and compassionate management has been in charge, and where work has been carried out with wisdom, insight, faith, and commitment to the people and the Islamic system, we have achieved success. Look at the country's landscape; we have reached an optimal level in some of the most complex industries - which once seemed unimaginable to the industrialists of this country - due to effective management. Many foreigners, enemies, and competitors are even unwilling to believe this reality; however, they will eventually come to believe it, as they see its effects in various corners. From where have we come to where we are in the defense industry? During the war, we faced difficulties in producing the simplest military equipment; however, today, some very complex tools - which many countries with a longer history in industry are deprived of - are being produced by our committed youth and compassionate managers in our defense sectors. Industrial capability is not exclusive. If there is talent and capacity in one area, it can be generalized to the entire industrial sector. The same applies to other production sectors. We have built dozens of dams in this country. I recall that in the early days of the revolution, there was a leak in one of the dams. At that time, some individuals gathered and said that the engineers who built this dam should be invited from a certain European country to stop the leak. However, our committed and faithful youth and managers have built dozens of dams over the years. Today, the largest dam in the region - the Karkheh Dam - has been constructed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Four or five years ago, when the Karkheh Dam was being built, I visited it and saw that on the mountain opposite the dam, in large letters - readable from several kilometers away - the words of Imam were written: "We can." Yes, we can. Both in the commercial sector and other service sectors, as well as in industry and mining, and in agriculture, compassionate and committed management must take the reins. The announced general policies in these sectors are clear. I do not know whether the officials in various sectors of industry have considered and studied these policies or not. If programs are developed according to these policies and executed with management, we will noticeably witness the opening of work and pathways. In the agricultural and livestock sectors - which are among our important sectors - the focus should be on achieving self-sufficiency in the main consumable products of the country; just as this was once experienced, and the Construction Jihad in recent years has made the country independent from importing dairy products. Our people had to consume cheese and other dairy products imported from abroad; however, today they do not need to, as we have achieved self-sufficiency and are now exporting. Recently, officials in the agricultural sector informed me that they are capable of bringing the country to self-sufficiency in the main consumable items; meaning we will not import wheat, rice, vegetable oil, and corn. We have this capability; however, it requires effort, commitment, faith, and belief in the Islamic system, as well as fear of divine accountability in management for these tasks to be accomplished. If managers adhere to these principles, success will be achieved.

We must pay attention to the position of the industrial sector in the country; because - as has been pointed out and is indeed correct - the vanguard of the country's economic development is the industrial sector. The industrial sector must be advanced with wisdom, management, and by enabling and providing opportunities for people's investments - so they can invest in the industrial sector. We have included this in our policies as well. This action must be free from any kind of opportunistic and self-serving movements; whether for the public sector or for those who benefit from privileges. We firmly believe that financial and economic corruption in the organizations of responsible officials spreads to the economic body of the country; therefore, it must be prevented. This struggle, which we recently invited the officials of the three branches to engage in, must be taken seriously. This is a means of providing security and assurance for the honest investor; an investor who does not intend to exploit but to benefit. Of course, anyone who invests does so for profit; there is nothing wrong with that; legitimate profit is acceptable. A distinction must be made between legitimate and illegitimate profits. We must prevent illegitimate profits - which are primarily due to a lack of commitment and compassion, as well as various lapses by some officials and managers - and combat the phenomenon of smuggling - in the true sense of the word. Recently, I have mentioned this point to the esteemed officials, and I emphasized it to the esteemed President as well, that the phenomenon of smuggling and smuggling sales is a blow to the economy and national identity of the country and all planning. This is, from a religious perspective, a prohibited and absolutely forbidden act; as it leads to corruption. The fight against smuggling should not be limited to borders. The smuggled goods must be traced until they are offered for sale. Smuggled goods weaken domestic production, promote unhealthy employment, and restrict healthy employment. The commercial sector and the production and industrial sectors can assist each other. The country's commerce can serve to promote domestic products. Thanks be to God, we have many faithful, diligent, interested, and compassionate individuals in various economic sectors and guilds; why should we be pessimistic about these pure and sanctified motivations? These guilds and markets were the ones who helped this movement during the period of oppression. Imam said that the guilds are the powerful arm of the movement. And so it was; they made efforts and struggled. A merchant and a market trader risked his capital to the unjust agents of the tyrannical regime to help the religious authority and his faith and the Islamic movement. These should not be forgotten. In the months leading up to the victory of the revolution, the industrialists and workers of the country dealt the greatest blow to the decaying tyrannical Pahlavi regime. These should not be forgotten. During the war, our workers and many of our industrialists, through their sacrifices, were able to rescue the industrial movement in the country from stagnation, recession, and death. The people are faithful and committed. Officials must continue this great movement with the same spirit of commitment, concern for the people's interests, attention to the higher interests of the revolution, and integrity and honesty.

We hope that the government that will come to power, in cooperation with the parliament, will give true importance to the healthy economy of the country. This requires sitting down, scientifically reviewing, and finding solutions. It cannot be achieved merely by words; action and follow-up are necessary to identify and eliminate the obstacles to optimal production, complete the industrial cycle, and address the barriers to exports and domestic investments. If the possibility of attracting foreign investments in the country is created, it must genuinely consider the interests of the nation and national identity and not sacrifice the interests of the country. It should not be the case that we focus on one aspect and forget others. Attracting foreign investments should be done in a way that benefits the country's economy, not harms it. We have seen some balloon-like growths in some East Asian countries. The Prime Minister of Malaysia told me in Tehran that we went from a wealthy country to a poor country in just a few days! Is this good?! This means that the fate of the country's economy is in the hands of a foreign trader who, if he wishes, can bring a country with billions of dollars of capital circulation to its knees in a matter of days! When he told me this, his face was filled with sorrow and despair. We do not consider these balloon-like growths as economic progress. The country relies on human and natural resources and its inherent identity and deserves genuine economic growth and prosperity; but not in a way that the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund prescribe for us, and we follow their prescriptions to formulate our economy; no. We have our own programs and policies, and - as I said - we can. If someone says that we cannot make economic progress except by submitting to these programs, a benevolent judgment would be that they do not understand the country, the nation, and the internal resources; of course, pessimistic judgments can also be made. The officials of the country and you brothers and sisters who are engaged in various sectors should, with hope and reliance on God, with confidence in the intellectual and practical foundations of Islam, and with high and noble ambition, begin your efforts, and God willing, by God's grace, this country will witness growth and prosperity in all areas; provided that the officials fulfill their duties.

I strongly advise both the economic officials of the government and the Islamic Consultative Assembly to reduce peripheral, secondary, non-essential, and non-urgent issues and focus on the main issues. They should not create distractions and preoccupations for themselves; they should address what is needed by the country and the people today, and what God Almighty will question us about. This is the duty of all, and certainly, it must be pursued. We also have the duty to demand this from the officials, and we will do so. Those who can achieve success in this path will be honored by the people; otherwise, without a doubt, the people will hold them accountable. We hope that, God willing, God Almighty grants success to the officials, the esteemed government, the Islamic Consultative Assembly, and others who can perform great duties in these areas; may He reward them for their efforts and pave the way for their future endeavors.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.