Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, addressing a large and lively crowd of pilgrims to the holy shrine of Imam Reza and residents of the holy city of Mashhad on the first day of the Persian New Year, in an important address elucidated the real meaning as well as the “hidden and dangerous objectives of the submissive thought” the United States and some people inside the country are trying to insinuate into the minds of elites and the public opinion of the Iranian nation by presenting a fabricated and artificial double-track approach.

Ayatollah Khamenei expressed ten main proposals for “practical steps and action” with regard to the Economy of Resistance and noted: “This logical and at times revolutionary approach will immunize dear Iran to threats and sanctions and will enable the administration to present an objective and trust-building report to the people by the end of the current year [on the Iranian calendar] in the light of public empathy and contribution and coordination of the three branches [of government].”   

Once more congratulating the Iranian nation on the New Year, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said the coincidence of the start and the end of the year 1395 [on the Iranian calendar] with the birthday of Hadhrat Fatima Zahra was a source of benediction for the country. 

Ayatollah Khamenei went on to elucidate the motto of this year, which is “the Economy of Resistance, Practical Steps and Action”.

Noting that the choice of the slogan for the year 1395 is logically based and precisely deducted, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution invited all people, particularly youth, to reflect on the deductive basis of this motto. 
“Perhaps some preferred a cultural or ethical motto to be chosen for the current year, but after the issues facing the country were considered in their totality, it was decided that an economic motto be chosen this year, like the past previous years, so that it would be promoted as a ‘public discourse’.”

“The choice of motto for the current year relies on an analysis and a general view of the country’s issues,” said Ayatollah Khamenei. 

Explaining the general view of the country’s affairs, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said: “At the present juncture, the Americans are trying to inject a specific thought into [the minds of] elites in the society and then the country’s public opinion, and that is the Iranian nation is facing a two-track way and has no other option but to choose one of these tracks.”

“The two-track [approach] they claim is that the Iranian nation has to come to terms with the US or constantly remain under US pressures and problems associated with those [pressures],” said Ayatollah Khamenei.

Referring to the “wealth, political tools, the massive propaganda apparatus and the military equipment of the US”, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said: “Based on this specific thought, one has to reach agreement with a government like the US and, by accepting its impositions, back down from certain ‘positions, principles and red lines’.” 

“In the recent nuclear agreement which was endorsed and our country’s negotiators were qualified, the same happened. In certain cases, the esteemed minister of foreign affairs [Mohammad Javad Zarif] told me: ‘We could not preserve certain red lines’.” 

Ayatollah Khamenei added: “This means that when the opposite party is a government like the US, coming to terms with it means ignoring some issues which one insists upon.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution reiterated that certain people inside the country have accepted this dangerous way of thinking, which is the existence of a fabricated two-track approach and are trying to convince others to accept it. “These people say Iran’s economy enjoys great potential and benefiting from these potentialities is not possible only through [the application of] the [recent] nuclear agreement and that there are some other issues with the US, which the Iranian nation and the country’s officials must make decisions about and take action.” 

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution cited dialog and cooperation with the US about “issues in the West Asian region” and also “dialog about Tehran-Washington differences based on Iran backing down from its principles and red lines” as cases which this special attitude is pursuing following the nuclear agreement. 

Emphasizing that based on this special attitude the country’s economic problems will be resolved only if Iran and the US hold dialog and Iran backs down from its positions, Ayatollah Khamenei said: “These people say as the nuclear agreement was named the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), dialog with the US among other issues and even the issue of the country’s Constitution could be [subject to negotiations under] JCPOA 2, JCPOA-3 and JCPOA-4, so that through these dialogs and agreements, people would live more comfortably and their problems would be solved.”

“The real meaning of this dangerous attitude is that the Islamic Republic will gradually back down from its strength and security bases and the fundamental issues to which it sticks based on Islam and within the framework of the Islamic establishment, like the issue of supporting [anti-Israeli] Resistance and politically supporting the nations of Palestine, Yemen and Bahrain, and will bring its positions closer to the US’s demands,” added the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

“On the basis of this specific attitude, the Islamic Republic of Iran – like certain Arab governments that brazenly extended a hand of friendship to the Zionist regime – will finally have to come to terms with the Zionist enemy,” said the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

Emphasizing that within the framework of this dangerous attitude, retreats will continue step by step, Ayatollah Khamenei said; “If [Iran] acts based on the US’s demand and desire, the Islamic Republic [will] have to ditch its defense tools and constantly remain accountable to the US’s excessive and various whys.”

Touching on the recent propaganda campaign by Western media about Iran’s missile drills, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said: “While from time to time the Americans stage joint maneuvers in the Persian Gulf region, which is thousands of kilometers away from them, they kick up a fuss about the Islamic Republic’s drill in its territory and within its security perimeter.” 

Ayatollah Khamenei noted that the US’s excessive demands and retreats by Iran will be open-ended if this specific attitude is accepted, adding: “With this trend gradually continuing, the Islamic Republic must naturally explain to the Americans why it has established the [Islamic Revolution] Guards Corps and the [IRGC-affiliated] Quds Force, why domestic policies must comply with religious criteria, why the three branches [of government] must act based on the Islamic sharia and why the Guardian Council does not endorse laws non-compliant with religion.”
 
“If we step back in the face of the US, the enemy will move forward step by step and we will reach a point where the Islamic Republic of Iran will be devoid of content and only its appearance will survive,” Ayatollah Khamenei noted.

“Based on this ‘enemy-satisfying analysis and attitude’, if the Iranian nation wants to get rid of the US, it has to abandon the content of the Islamic Republic, Islamic concepts and its security,” added Ayatollah Khamenei. 
After elucidating different aspects of this special analysis, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution went on with its pathology and said: “Among issues ignored in this analysis is that any agreement with the US would mean Iran’s obligation to fulfill its commitments and the US’s failure to keep promises, deception and trickery in fulfilling its obligations. We are currently witnessing this issue and it means ‘pure loss’.”

Citing proof, Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the nuclear issue and said: “In this nuclear agreement, the Americans did not deliver on what they had promised and in the words of the esteemed foreign minister, they gave commitments on paper, but in practice they prevented the fulfillment of those commitments by following detours.”   
“Now, despite the [entry into force of the] nuclear agreement, our banking transactions are still facing problems and Iran’s assets have not been returned because the Western countries and countries under their influence are afraid of the Americans,” said Ayatollah Khamenei.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed that another issue ignored under the cover of the fabricated two-track approach is the “reason and root of the US’s enmity and grudge against the Iranian nation”, adding: “Given ‘Iran’s strategic position in the region’, ‘abundant oil and gas resources’, ‘high population’, ‘abundant talents’ and its ‘ancient history’, Iran is the ‘center of the region’, but this unique country was under the Americans’ domination for dozens of years and the Iranian nation freed the country from the Americans’ absolute domination with the [1979] Islamic Revolution.” 
“Not only did the Islamic Revolution take Iran out of the Americans’ hold, but it promoted the spirit of resistance and steadfastness against the US’s hegemony in the region and even beyond the region,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.
 
“The Americans consider the Islamic Republic of Iran as the main factor behind the failure of the policy of ‘establishment of the Greater Middle East’ and the Zionist regime’s dominance on regional affairs as well as its failures in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Palestine, therefore their enmity with the Iranian nation is fundamental and deep-rooted and this enmity will end when they could regain their domination over Iran,” the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said. 

Ayatollah Khamenei went on to enumerate the reasons behind “Britain’s longtime domination over Iran, followed by the US’s”, saying: “The Britons and the Americans had created fortresses in this country and these bases facilitated the continuation of their dominance, but the Islamic Revolution, led by young revolutionaries, destroyed these fortresses and built new fortresses to safeguard the Islamic Republic and the nation’s interests.”

“By planning and making use of the tool of diplomacy, the Americans are seeking to repair the destroyed fortresses and remove the fortresses of the Revolution,” said the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

“The ‘despotic and diabolical Pahlavi regime’ was the most important fortress of the US in Iran, but the Islamic Revolution uprooted the monarchial regime and individual sovereignty and instead founded a solid-based fortress known as the ‘sovereignty of people’,” said the Leader of the Islamic Revolution. 
Ayatollah Khamenei said fearing big powers, particularly the US, provides the ground for dominance, adding: “Unlike the rein of the former diabolical regime, today in the Islamic Republic no aware, well-informed person who relies on religious values is afraid of the US.” 

Noting that some people may be still afraid of the US, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution added: “[Iran’s] former diabolical regime’s fear of the US was reasonable because it had no support in the face of the US, but in the Islamic Republic, fearing the US is unreasonable because the Islamic Republic enjoys the backing of the great Iranian nation.”

Ayatollah Khamenei said another way for the US domination is the “insinuation of a lack of self-confidence and the absence of the spirit of national self-confidence”, adding: “Following the victory of the [Islamic] Revolution, this fortress of submission to dominance turned into the big fortress of ‘We can’.”  

Ayatollah Khamenei said “separation of religion from state” is another ground for the US to dominate Iran, adding: “The Islamic Revolution razed this fortress, too.”
 
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution clarified his remarks that by enemy he means the “US” and added: “One the one hand, the American politicians and the secretary of treasury of this country are practically keeping sanctions in place through specific and complicated methods and threaten with sanctions in a hostile tone while on the other they set the Haft Seen table at the White House and with ‘child-fooling’ methods they send New Year messages sympathizing with your youth for employment.” 

“The reason behind this contradictory behavior is that the American officials have not yet got to know the vigilant Iranian nation and they do not know that this cognizant nation fully understands the overt and covert objectives and methods of its enemies,” added the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

Ayatollah Khamenei went on to note that “we do not have any problems with the American people, like every other nation, but we counter the hostile policies of this country” and expressed facts that would illuminate the right path for the country to move ahead. 

The first fact highlighted by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution was “abundant natural and human assets and potentialities for maximum endogenous progress, international opportunities and the power of influence on the region and in certain cases at the global level.”
Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted “the US’s obvious enmity with the Iranian nation and the Islamic establishment” as another fact, citing as clear evidence the Americans’ constant threats and their relentless efforts to prevent Iran from benefiting from the results of the JCPOA. 

“In the months-long run-up to the presidential election in the US, presidential hopefuls are competing with each other in inveighing against Iran. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that the next administration would remain committed to these minimum JCPOA obligations. Under such circumstances, when there is talk of the US’s animosity, some inside the country become disturbed and anxious,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

The third fact which the Leader of the Islamic Revolution pointed to was that the “tools of the US’s enmity with the Iranian nation are not unlimited.” 

“The Americans wield three major and influential tools: ‘propaganda’, ‘infiltration’ and ‘sanctions’,” said Ayatollah Khamenei.

Focusing on the issue of sanctions, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said: “The fact is that the enemy feels the sanctions will be effective in harming Iran. Of course, our behavior has also been effective in strengthening this feeling.”
 
To that effect, Ayatollah Khamenei said: “During a specific period of time inside the country, we magnified the disadvantages and losses caused by the sanctions. The effects of the lifting of sanctions were also magnified during a specific period of time. That is the case while nothing has happened in this regard and if this situation continues nothing will happen again.”

After proving the enemy’s main focus on the issue of sanctions, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution raised a basic question: “What is the correct way of confronting this ‘tool of pressure and hostility’?” 

In response, Ayatollah Khamenei once more highlighted the two-track approach of “submission” or “pressure and sanctions”, which has been fabricated by the Americans vis-à-vis this question. “Of course there is a real two-track approach in this regard: Either we content ourselves with tolerating the problems of sanctions or by relying on the Economy of Resistance we resist and overcome the problems.”   

Ayatollah Khamenei went on to focus on the meaning of this year’s motto “Economy of Resistance, Planning and Action” and said: “Of course the administration has done certain jobs like the establishment of a Command Center for the Economy of Resistance and has announced good results, including a more positive trade balance and reduction in imports, but basic work is needed to be done in this regard.” 

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution underscored the necessity of a roadmap and continued his address by offering ten basic proposals for planning and action with regard to the Economy of Resistance. 

Ayatollah Khamenei’s first proposal was “identification of and focus upon advantageous economic activities and chains” in order to open numerous new channels for economic strength and prosperity. 

“Revival and activation of domestic production” was the second basic proposal offered to Iranian officials by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution for planning and action in the economic sector. 

“Some reports indicate that 60% of domestic production facilities are either shut down or working under capacity. The administration can revive domestic production in interaction with experts and critical economists,” said Ayatollah Khamenei. 

“Seriously refraining from foreign purchases that undermine the domestic production potential” and “management of Iran’s money and financial resources that are returned [to the country]” are two other practical proposals offered by Ayatollah Khamenei to executive officials.

“Of course Iran’s assets have not been returned to the country due to the Americans’ wickedness and under the influence of some other factors, but in any case one must be careful, so that these financial resources would not be over-consumed, not spent on unnecessary purchases and not squandered. 

The fifth proposal by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution for the officials’ planning and taking action was for the “important sectors of the economy to become knowledge-based”.
 
Ayatollah Khamenei noted: “The Iranian talent that can strike a target with a missile from a 2,000-kilometer distance with an error [margin] of [just] several meters is definitely able to be innovative and creative in other important industries including oil and gas and manufacturing of cars and airplanes and train engines. The administration must prepare the necessary ground.”

“Utilization of sectors that have already been heavily invested in like petrochemicals and power plant construction” and the “conditionality of all foreign deals on the transfer of technology to Iran” were the sixth and the seventh proposals of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution for the progress and strength of the country’s economy.

Ayatollah Khamenei criticized political and media hypes about “corruption”, saying: “The eighth proposal for taking practical steps and taking action within the framework of the Economy of Resistance is ‘serious and real fight with corruption, rent-seeking and smuggling’ that seriously harm the country’s economy.” 

“Enhancing energy efficiency” that can save several hundred billion [rials] and “special and supportive look at medium-sized and small-sized industries” for creating jobs and economic dynamism, were the remaining two proposals out of ten offered by Ayatollah Khamenei to executive officials with a view to the realization of this year’s motto of “Economy of Resistance: Practical Steps and Action”. 
“Of course other measures could also be taken on this path, but if these ten points become practical, a revolutionary, big and progressive move will start in the country that would immunize the Iranian economy and will totally blunt the impact of sanctions,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

“In case of implementation of this logical and revolutionary drive, nobody will shudder under sanctions any longer and there would be no need for overstepping and crossing Iran’s red lines and principles and fundamentals and values to head off the US sanctions,” the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said. 

Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted the necessity for people and political and economic experts to help the administration as well as promote coordination and consultations between the three branches of government, saying: “We hope that in the light of taking practical steps and action for the realization of the Economy of Resistance, the administration will be able to concretely report the revival of several thousand ‘industrial, manufacturing and agricultural’ factories and workshops by the end of the current [calendar] year and the people would feel these actions and become assured.” 

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution also highlighted “revolutionary action” as a measure that has paved the ground for successes of the recent three decades. Reiterating the necessity of praising and appreciating revolutionary and devout forces, Ayatollah Khamenei said: “The achievements of martyred nuclear scientists, successes of martyr [Abbas] Tehrani Moqaddam in missile [development], [Saeed] Kazemi [Ashtiani] in stem cells, martyr [Morteza] Avini and the late [Farajollah] Salahshour in cultural issues indicate how this revolutionary spirit and attitude undoes the knots and brings about success.”
  
In the concluding part of his remarks, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution underscored the high significance of cultural issues, saying: “Once more, I remind officials of [the necessity to] support self-motivated popular groups that are engaged in cultural activities across the country.”

“These groups must be expanded day by day and cultural organs, instead of opening their arms to those who do not approve of Islam and Revolution and values, must support practicing Muslims, pious, revolutionary and devout forces,” said Ayatollah Khamenei.

“The ‘country’ and ‘present and future’ belong to you, and if you are present on the scene and move with faith and self-belief, neither the US nor anyone more powerful than the US could do any dam thing,” said the Leader of the Islamic Revolution addressing the country’s youth.

Ayatollah Khamenei also referred to the recent departure of the combatant, servant and faithful scholar who managed the Imam Reza Holy Shrine Foundation, the late Ayatollah Abbas Vaez Tabasi, saying the loss of this revolutionary and combatant cleric was a big loss.