Iran’s Economy Can Be Improved by Supporting Iranian Products: Leader

“Shoppers should sell Iranian products. Costumers ought to buy Iranian products. Officials must assist Iranian producers and prevent imports and the smuggling [of goods],” said Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in an Iranian New Year speech broadcast live on state TV on Wednesday.

Addressing a huge crowd in northeastern city of Mashhad, the Leader said officials would do well not to pin hope on foreign countries to help them settle economic problems, as the solution to all issues could be found inside the country.

In his New Year message on Tuesday, the Iranian Leader named the Iranian calendar year 1397 “Support for Iranian Products”, saying boosting domestic production could settle many of the country’s economic and social woes.

Increasing domestic production is a key principle of Resistance Economy, an economic concept aimed at curbing dependence on oil export revenues to boost Iran’s national power and make the economy immune to economic wars waged by foreign powers.

In recent years the Leader has frequently advocated Resistance Economy, which was first raised by himself in 2011, amid the tightening of international sanctions on Iran over its nuclear work.

The Leader designated last Iranian year, 1396, as “Resistance Economy: Production and Employment”.

Before that, the Leader had also named 1395 as the year of “Resistance Economy: Action and Implementation”.