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Iran's Khamenei calls for making economy independent

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei spoke about the need for an economy that is not dependent on other countries.

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Iranian President Hassan Rouhani walks past a portrait of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as he arrives for a news conference in the capital Tehran, on Feb. 16, 2020. — Photo by ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images

During a virtual meeting with members of Hassan Rouhani’s Cabinet, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reminded members of the administration that they have one full year left and to not let it go to waste. He asked the administration to issue reports on what they were able to achieve and what they failed to achieve so that people can judge for themselves the accomplishments of the administration.

In the administration’s final year, Khamenei urged them to fulfill the promise of building 600,000 homes and reforming problems with the budget, the banking system and the tax system.

On the issue of the economy, Khamenei stressed again for the administration to focus on domestic production, calling it the “key” to resolving the issues of unemployment and inflation. Khamenei conceded that due to US sanctions restricting the sale of Iranian oil, some issues are out of the administration’s hands, but he urged them to focus on issues they have the potential to resolve.

Khamenei slammed what he called “wasteful imports” and claimed that domestic producers have complained about them because it has led to their bankruptcies. He referred to luxury imports as an “obstacle” to a better economy and asked the administration to block them.

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