Part one: Economic independence
The meaning of economic independenceThe importance of economic independence
Prerequisites of economic independence
The effect of cultural investment on economic independence
Preconditions of economic independence
The role of sustained economy in political and cultural independence
Part two: Economic sanctions
The effect of economic sanctions on economic progress
The Leader's view of Economic Independence and Confronting Economic Sanctions
Part one: Economic independence
The meaning of economic independence
Economic independence means that the country should be able to stand on its own feet in its economic activities. Economic independence means that the country should not need anybody's help. It does not mean that an economically independent nation should not do business with any country in the world. That is not the case. Doing business does not imply weakness. Buying and selling something, doing business, and engaging in trade negotiations do not imply weakness. But these activities should be such that first and foremost, the nation that engages in business with other countries can fulfill its main needs and second, the nation should have some weight in the economic equations of the world and global transactions. The nation should be influential enough not to let other countries brush it aside. Other countries should not be able to impose an economic siege on that nation. Other countries should not be allowed to devour the nation's resources and dictate whatever they want. Today if the countries that are economically advanced and powerful – and unfortunately, these countries are the forerunners of global arrogance and colonialism – decide to do business with a country, they impose some things on that country. Economic independence of a country means that the country should be able to produce whatever it needs. It means that all of the country's factories should remain active, and the workers of the country should feel responsible and consider working as their human and religious duty. Workers are not just the ones who work in factories. Anyone who does something useful for his or her country is a worker. A writer, an artist, a teacher, an inventor, and a researcher are all workers.
The importance of economic independence
Economic independence is more important than political independence. Our government officials, MPs, and the officials in charge of economic activities should know that they should end their dependence in monetary issues, in economic mechanisms, and in economic activities.
Economic independence is a necessity for all countries. When the economic activities of a country are controlled by foreigners, it means that the entire economy of the country is at the mercy of outsiders.
Most of the contemporary revolutions had a tendency to rely on the east. They were dependant on eastern governments and powers. For instance, after China had staged a revolution, Russia – which was considered its older brother and was a pioneer of the socialist revolution – used to provide China with technical and economic assistance. Russia used to send experts to China. The same is true of other communist countries. But in order to end its economic dependence, the Islamic Republic of Iran has only relied on its own nation and the prominent talents of Iranians.
Prerequisites of economic independence
Political independence is the first step taken by the countries that achieve economic independence. That is to say, a country that seeks to achieve economic independence should first establish a government that is not influenced by the interference of foreign powers. It is not enough to move towards economic independence. Compared to political independence, economic independence is more difficult to achieve, and it takes longer. It is not easy to end the influence of foreign powers' economic domination. If a country wants to move towards economic independence, it needs skillful manpower, lucrative resources, numerous facilities, knowledge, expertise, scientific and technical cooperation with the international community, and many other things. Revolutionary and newly independent countries will all have difficulties in obtaining these prerequisites of economic independence.
Independent countries should be able to produce the things they consider necessary. They should move towards complete economic independence and freedom by relying on their people's unanimity in achieving freedom and independence, by getting familiar with the enemies' plots and propaganda techniques, and by relying on their efforts and innovation which should be managed efficiently.
The effect of cultural investment on economic independence
Manpower means everything to a country. There will be nothing in the absence of manpower. Some countries staged a revolution many years before the Iranian Revolution, and they managed to make some achievements in economic, industrial, and technological areas. In the beginning of their revolution, they focused their planning mainly on training their manpower so that some of these countries are currently exporting skillful manpower. This is not to say that their own countries are now brimful of skillful manpower and that they do not need manpower any longer. That is not the case. Their countries are not prepared to accommodate so much manpower. Their economic situation does not allow them to make use of the huge number of experts they have trained. That is why they export manpower. It is their manpower that has propelled them to their current position in spite of the fact that they do not have such huge sources of income as oil.
If the budget of the country is spent on cultural work, it may not benefit our economy in the short term. But such investment will finally pay off in the medium term. If you consider it carefully, you will see that cultural investment will benefit the country economically. That is to say, the country will not suffer from the consequences if more financial resources are allocated to cultural work – especially, the educational culture of the country. That is because cultural investment will create further [economic] opportunities for the future of the country.
Preconditions of economic independence
First of all, everybody who is entrusted with a responsibility in the country should do his best. As the Holy Prophet said, "May God bestow his blessings on the person who carries out his responsibility seriously." We should try to do our duty seriously and appropriately. We should work as hard as we can. If we fulfill this precondition, we can achieve economic independence.
Second, there should be innovation in our workplace and economic activities. It would be very good if state-owned and private factories could allocate some of their income to research and to improving the quality of their products. Why should the developing countries wait for Europe or other parts of the world to carry out research and pass on the results to them? They should do research. They should be innovative. They should improve their industry and their products. They should improve their products qualitatively and quantitatively.
Third, the scientific organizations of the country should come to the aid of national economy. Academic intellectuals should help the government, and the government should rely on the intellectuals and scholars of our universities. They should not think that, for instance, what a particular European researcher says is definite. What one researcher says is subsequently contradicted by another scholar in a matter of 5, 10, or 20 years. Why should we take what westerners say for granted and constantly wait for them to say something new? You should do research and find the appropriate solution. For instance, economists of every country should find what is appropriate for their own particular context.
The countries under domination have never had a good economy. Their economy has only had a period of apparent success at times. But the economic structure is flawed. That is to say, even if the dominant countries only impose some limited sanctions on such countries – and freeze an asset, for instance – they will be economically devastated. For example, one single capitalist managed to throw a number of Southeast Asian countries into bankruptcy in a matter of two or three months. The countries that went bankrupt in Southeast Asia were fairly advanced and economically successful. The leader of one of these countries was in Tehran at that time, and he met with me. He said they became totally poor overnight! A Jewish American capitalist did something and the domino effect ruined everything all of a sudden. Americans allocated billions of dollars to the economies they needed. But when they no longer need a country, they do not allocate any financial assistance and devastate the economy. Of course financial assistance only sets up another flimsy structure. Anyway, they do not allow the countries under their domination to become economically strong.
The role of sustained economy in political and cultural independence
The Islamic Revolution brought about political independence for the Iranian nation. It gave our nation the courage to stand up to the unfair system of domination in the world. But if our nation wants to keep this political independence and cultural show of power in the face of the domineering powers of the world, it should strengthen the foundations of its economy. That is how independence is established in the country. And this depends on production, hard work, blossoming of efforts, and innovation. This innovation should exist everywhere, including research centers, laboratories, workshops, farms, and all other places. Then the bloodthirsty and disrespectful enemies of the Iranian nation's independence will shut their mouths in despair and will creep into a corner.
Part two: Economic sanctions
All the progress by the Islamic Revolution was achieved while the enemies – that is, America and its political and economic allies – were constantly threatening us. They constantly threatened the Islamic Revolution with economic siege. They constantly told us, "You will starve" and "The path to your country's prosperity will be closed." They made tens of other threats. Thankfully, we have achieved all this progress in spite of their threats, enmity, and pressure.
The effect of economic sanctions on economic progress
The Islamic Republic has made impressive progress since the imposed war. They keep threatening Iran with economic sanctions and economic siege. Our country has achieved this progress under their economic sanctions. Economic siege only causes the faithful, sincere, and talented manpower of the country to make more serious efforts. During the most difficult periods of economic sanctions, Iranian youth managed to manufacture some weapons that could only be made in America and some other countries that had close relations with it. For instance, they managed to manufacture the TOW anti-tank missile under sanctions. All the doors had been closed to them, yet they managed to manufacture this missile. Of course Iran's advances in nuclear technology have been internationally highlighted because the world is sensitive to it, otherwise similar advances have been made in other areas which are not really less important than the advances in nuclear technology. These achievements were all made under their economic siege and their political and economic pressure. These achievements were made while the countries that had economic relations with Iran failed to keep their promise to our country. But Iran managed to make progress.
We should appreciate it when some doors are closed to us. If all the doors were open, laxity and laziness would prevent us from making an achievement. When everything is provided for a nation, it needs a lot of motivation to do something. Innovation is encouraged when people are forced by their conditions to be innovative. Today westerners have dominated the world through science. They have the motivation to be innovative. The countries that have been kept backward in scientific areas should also motivate themselves to move forward and make progress. One factor that can create motivation is when you are faced with closed doors.
The camp of arrogance and capitalism is using all its political and economic power and all its propaganda machines to force the Iranian nation to retreat and surrender. They want to force Iran to give up its nuclear rights as well as its right to glory, independence, scientific progress, and independent decisions. The Iranian nation is currently treading the path of scientific and technological progress, and it is determined to make up for two centuries of backwardness imposed on it during the rule of taghut [government not sanctioned by God]. They are panicked, and they do not want Iran – which is located in this strategic part of the world and is considered as the standard-bearer of Islam – to make such achievements.