This afternoon (Monday), the Leader of the Islamic Revolution met Alexander Lukashenko, the Belarusian President, and the accompanying delegation. He stated that bilateral relations had the potential to grow far beyond their current limited levels. He went on to emphasize that given the spirit and the will that exists on both sides for operationalizing existing agreements, relations should be substantially upgraded.
Referring to the many commonalities between Iran and Belarus, such as the sanctions imposed on both countries by America and some European bullies, he said that countries sanctioned by the United States should cooperate in blunting this weapon, describing this as doable.
Alluding to the US policies on Iran, the Leader of the Revolution stated that since the victory of the Islamic Revolution, particularly in the past twelve years, America had imposed its harshest sanctions on the country. Those sanctions, he said, had drawn the attention of Iranians to their own inherent abilities and strength and, during the course of sanctions, paved the ground for Iran's many advances. Our country was able to achieve remarkable progress in different fields, including science and technology, medicine and biology, aerospace, and nuclear and nanotechnology.
Ayatollah Khamenei stressed that if countries subjected to the US sanctions could utilize each other's capacities, they would all reap substantial benefits.
Referring to fields of cooperation between Iran and Belarus, including science and technology, trade, and political cooperation in international organizations, he raised the issue of the North-South corridor. He added that this corridor would benefit Iran, Belarus, Russia, and the region and that Tehran and Minsk should strive to make it a reality.
He stated that "agreements should not remain on paper. Rather they should be pursued and implemented within a specific time frame."
The Leader of the Revolution said that today's world was in need of spirituality, which "can drive the nations towards progress."
During the meeting, which President Hujjat al-Islam wal Muslimeen Raisi attended, Belarusian President Mr Lukashenko expressed his pleasure at meeting with the Islamic Revolution's Leader. He added that he had come to Iran to assure the Iranian side that he was determined to open a new chapter in bilateral relations. Given the Iranian President's cooperation and willingness of the Iranian President, he would follow up on all agreements and implement them within a specific time frame.
The President of Belarus stressed that the Islamic Republic of Iran had made incredible strides under the sanctions and that he believed that if the circumstances created by sanctions were used correctly, they could present an opportunity for progress. He added that the purpose of his trip was to familiarize himself with Iran's achievements.
Mr Lukashenko concluded his statements by saying that the complicated international situation had helped him distinguish between his real and fake friends. He added that he was determined to cooperate seriously with his country's true friends.