According to IRIB World Service, speaking on Wednesday in a meeting with thousands of workers from all regions of Iran, the Leader outlined the duties and responsibilities of all workers, officials, and managers employed in the manufacturing sector, and pointedly added:  “The key to solving economic problems is not in Lausanne, Geneva, or New York, rather, we should look inwards, at our own resources and abilities, to find such a key.”

He added: “If economic problems are to be solved, attention should be focused on domestic production.”

In further remarks, the Leader said all of us have a responsibility to support domestic manufacturing, since this is the only way to solve Iran’s economic problems.  He further added:  “Unjust sanctions against Iran have contributed to Iran’s economic problems, but sanctions cannot stop us from redoubling our efforts – a well-planned and organized effort to boost and support Iran’s domestic manufacturing sector.

The Leader went on to cite a number of examples where sanctions have failed to hamper   Iran’s progress in industrial fields such as biotechnology, dam construction, nanotechnology, aerospace and defense technologies, peaceful nuclear technology and other hi-tech industries.

The Leader pointedly added: “In some of these hi-tech fields there has been considerable sanctions pressure on Iran, but sanctions haven’t been able to slow down Iran’s remarkable progress in all of these fields.”

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader praised the awareness and astuteness of Iranian workers, who have not been swayed at all by considerable enemy propaganda during the past three decades, both from inside and outside of the country.

Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei added: “The workers of Iran have passed the test with flying colours. They have withstood hardships, they have worked tirelessly for Iran’s advancement for decades, they came through with flying colours, and senior managers and officials must repay this hard work by looking after them, and making sure that worker’s problems are solved”.

Elaborating further, the Leader said: “A healthier economy, a stronger economy, will certainly boost Iran’s bargaining power and clout round any negotiating table.”

Turning to the issue of “contraband”, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei emphasized that one way of supporting Iran’s domestic manufacturing sector is not to allow contraband to enter the country. The Leader said: “If we stop the illegal smuggling of goods into the country, then this will be a great boost for the manufacturing sector.”

The Leader added: “The private sector deals with importing of certain classes of goods and products, but the government can ensure that the manufacturing sector remains unharmed by closely supervising the importation of goods into the country.”

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader said: “There are some highly educated and expert individuals serving as ministers and senior managers. It is hoped that with their help, and with more hard work by everyone who is connected with the manufacturing sector, the problems of domestic production can also be solved, just as we have done in other sectors.”