Supreme Leader Calls for Ditching US Dollar in Trade Ties

In a televised annual New Year address on Tuesday – the first day of the Iranian New Year – at the holy shrine of Imam Reza in the city of Mashhad, the Leader emphasized that dependence on the US dollar is one of the problems the country’s economy is suffering from.

“Some of the sanctioned countries put an end to their dependence on the US dollar and their situation got better. We know certain countries, which I won’t name, that have been heavily sanctioned by the West,” he stated.

“Their link to SWIFT, which is a Western-led international mechanism, was cut. They then put aside the US dollar and conducted transactions and imported and exported with national currencies, and their situation got better. We should do the same thing,” Ayatollah Khamenei stressed.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Supreme Leader pointed out that the main objective of the enemies in broaching the concept of “structural transformations” is to change the identity of the Islamic Republic.

“The goal of the enemy is to eliminate the country and establishment’s points of strength and to get issues that remind the people of the Revolution, pure and revolutionary Islam fade into oblivion,” he noted.

Underlining that the ultimate goal of the apparently pro-change and transformation statements by the Arrogant Powers is to turn Islamic democracy into one-man and submissive government or one that is superficially democratic but is submissive to the West in practice, he said, “In everything they do, they seek to politically and economically dominate Iran and plunder it.”

The Leader considered “the strong and firm internal foundation of the Iranian nation” as one of the country’s prominent points of strength.

“This intrinsic firmness and strength stems from the people’s faith because even those of individuals who apparently do not fully practice some of Islam’s laws, they do believe in God, the Qur’an, and the [Twelve] Imams,” he added.

In explaining the overt indications for the internal cohesion and strength of the Iranian nation, the Supreme Leader pointed to “the overcoming by the nation over the cycle of the enemy’s consecutive and decades-long hostilities of the world’s Arrogant Powers”.

“Which country and revolution do you know that has been able to resist the blows of the world’s most powerful countries? The Iranian nation has stood firmly against a long chain of the enemy’s schemes, including coup attempts, sanctions, and media assaults,” he further stated.

Ayatollah Khamenei considered “coups, political pressures, unprecedented media assault, security conspiracies, and unprecedented economic sanctions” as being dimensions of the enemies’ nonstop conspiracies.

“During recent unrest, US president and heads of states of certain European countries openly offered weapons, and financial and security support to rioters to at least weaken the Islamic Republic. But what happened was the opposite,” he added.

The Leader described making progress under economic siege and the most severe pressures possible as indicative of the Iranian nation’s bright performance.

“The US said the economic pressures they’ve put on Iran are unprecedented in history. Despite all their lies, they were true on this,” he continued.

Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted the progress made in science and technology and Iran ranking among the top countries of the world in fields such as Nano and Biotechnology, health, aerospace, nuclear, defense, infrastructure, medical centers, oil refineries, etc.

“With regard to foreign relations, the West’s efforts to isolate Iran have failed,” he underscored, adding, “Our relations with Asia became 100 percent stronger and we will continue to do so.”

Referring to Iran’s membership in important treaties, the Supreme Leader said the strengthening of ties with Africa and Latin America is one of the definite plans.

“We haven’t refused to have any relations with Europe. We are ready to work with any European country or government that does not blindfoldedly follow US polices,” he continued.

Ayatollah Khamenei also underlined the need for raising awareness among the people regarding hybrid warfare and the enemy’s policies in this regard.

“There is no military attack in hybrid warfare. But foreign propagandists and their followers in the country attack the political and religious beliefs of the people with temptation so that they undermine the nation’s will, sow despair among the youth, and make them disappointed at the future, work, and progress by fudging the facts,” he underscored.

“In a hybrid warfare, the enemy uses the media and cultural, security, and economic elements as well as its influence to bring blockades against the nation, to cause despondency, and to cause a people to ignore their own potential,” he further said.

Dismissing the allegations of the ill-wishers, the Leader noted, “It’s been years that the enemy vociferously asserts that they want to bring the Islamic Republic to its knees. But the Leader says in response that ‘You can’t do a damn thing.’ This is not a repetition but endurance and insistence on the righteous thing as per order of God.”

Emphasizing Iran’s support for the Axis of Resistance, the Supreme Leader rejected the lie that Iran is involved in the Ukraine war.

“We categorically deny any presence in the Ukraine war. And such a thing is not true at all,” he stressed.

Ayatollah Khamenei also referred to the US role in the Ukraine war, stating that America waged the Ukraine war in order to expand NATO to the East.

“And now while the people of Ukraine are in trouble and grappling with problems, America and its weapons manufacturing companies are making the most of this war in terms of profits. And for this reason, they stand in the way of the necessary things to end this war,” he added.

Ayatollah Khamenei also pointed to the Americans’ confusion in the region.

“The path and policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran toward the region is clear and we know what we’re doing. But the Americans are confused and desperate because if they stay in the region, like in Afghanistan, they will face the increasing hatred of nations and will be forced to leave the region. And if they leave, they will lose their ambitions. This confusion is indicative of their obvious weakness,” he stressed.