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In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

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الحمدلله ربّ العالمين

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و الصّلاة و السّلام علي سيّدنا و نبيّنا ابي‌القاسم المصطفي محمّد

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و علي آله الاطيبين الاطهرين المنتجبين سيّما بقيّةالله في الارضين

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Blessed be on you dear ones the Labor Day!

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For me, every year, this meeting that I have here with a group of laborers is a pleasant meeting;

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there are [many] things to say and the higher and more superior of all of them is to thank and show gratitude to the country’s labor society.

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Today, I also offer my gratitude to all of you and to the entire labor community of the country

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and I ask Almighty God from the bottom of my heart to help us

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be able to fulfill our duty with regard to the labor community; we have difficult duties, [and] we have heavy duties.

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First of all, it is the [lunar] month of Rajab; we are between the auspicious birthday anniversary of Amir al-Mo’menin [Imam Ali] (PBUH)

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and Ordainment of the Honorable Prophet [Mohammad] (PBUH);

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[Rajab] is the month of recourse [to Infallible Imams (Peace Be Upon Them)], is the month of prayer, [and] the month of remembering [God frequently]. This honorable verse [of the Quran] which this dear reciter of us recited here, [says:]

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“O you who believe! Remember Allah with much remembrance, and exalt Him morning and afternoon; it is He who confers blessing upon you, and His angels [ask Him to do so].”

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[Therefore, the Quran says:] you remember God, and [in return] Almighty God confers blessing upon you,

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[and] salutes you; both the sacred Divine Being Himself and His angels salute you, the faithful.

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And know that remembrance of God, and having God in one’s mind is a guide, is a solution [to problems], [and] is [a good] helper,

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[because] it can enable us to overcome problems; we have many problems

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and it is the powerful hand and the ability of us, humans,

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which must resolve these problems, but God gives us this power [and] this ability.

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Remembering God helps us to be able to break deadlocks and open [new] ways.

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Today, I have written down a few sentences and points to tell you.

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One discussion [I will offer here] is about the general concept of labor  [and] the expanded concept of labor;

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[and] one discussion is about the labor community in the common sense [of the word].

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As for the first discussion, which is [about] the expanded concept of labor,

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any person, who is doing a job in the society, is a laborer in this sense;

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production jobs, services jobs, managerial jobs, [and] scientific jobs, these are all [different forms of] labor.

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A manager is also a laborer in his managerial job;

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a university professor, a seminary teacher, a [university] student, a seminary student, [and] all those who do these jobs,

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[I mean] religious jobs, [and] publicity jobs, are all laborers in this sense.

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Well, labor in this sense has a blessing, and this blessing exists in nothing else.

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Labor, in this extended sense that I said, is constructive;

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both constructive for the person himself, and constructive for the society, and constructive for others; therefore, it is a value.

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Joblessness, laziness, passing time idly and without a purpose, [as well as] wasting

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the strength of youth, the intellectual power, [and] the physical power [are all] cause for blame, [and] are against value; this is the logic of Islam.

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Any person at any place, who is doing a job, is [actually] creating a value.

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If [this job] is accompanied with divine intention, then it is [also tantamount to] worship [of God] and entails [spiritual] reward.

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Well, as for this meaning of labor, the general recommendation is that we must expand [this form of] labor;

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[we must] recommend everybody to work at any place they are,

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[in order to] boost the quality of [their] work, [and] do the job in the best possible manner.

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Assume that if a student does not study well, he has not done his job properly;

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just in the same way that if a teacher does not allocate [enough] time to teaching,

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does not prepare himself [for the class], does not study, [and] does not spend time [on teaching], he would not have done his job properly;

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if a manager, who has been assigned to a post – for example a minister, for example a director, for example a Majlis deputy –

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does not devote himself to this job, he would not have done the job properly.

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If we assume responsibility for management [of a place]

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but do not dedicate ourselves, our time, [and] our forces

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to the job for which we have accepted responsibility and [instead] focus on other jobs,

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[then] that job has not been done properly.

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This is why my recommendation to state managers, [and] government officials

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– both in the executive branch, and in the judiciary branch, and in the legislative branch, and in various [other] institutions –

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has always been that if you accept a responsibility, pursue it with all your power.

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It should not be like that I would accept a responsibility [and] then spend part of my time on that responsibility

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and spend the rest [of my time] on personal affairs and other jobs; no, [in this case] that job has not been done properly.

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Therefore, these are general recommendations that I have [to give you] with regard to labor in its general sense; [and] I have said a lot [about this issue];

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[and] have said many things in this regard; [therefore,] I do not want to repeat [them here.]

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My major discussion, [and] my main discussion is about the labor community;

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labor in its specific sense, that is, productive labor, service labor, [as well as] industrial or agricultural labor;

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this is the main topic of today’s discussion.

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Well, firstly, I consider it my duty to say a few words about virtues of the labor community in our own country;

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I have said [this] one hundred times, but [even] if I said it one hundred more times, it would not be too much.

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Our labor community is a community loyal to the country and loyal to the [Islamic] establishment;

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I say this because I have been closely in contact with labor issues during these [past] 37 or 38 years.

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The labor community demonstrated loyalty in [the course of the Islamic] Revolution, [and] showed its presence [in all issues related to the revolution];

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[and] was present in very important and determining development [that unraveled] in early [years of the] revolution.

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In early [years of the] revolution leftists of that time, [and] Marxists of that time, all of whom later became proxy and mercenary of the American arrogance and so forth,

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were trying inside the country to turn the general movement of the Iranian nation into the

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same closed and frozen shapes, which they called “labor revolutions,”

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and take the control out of the hands of people, the hands of religion, and the hands of Islam,

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and give it to a [certain] group under the [false] title of labor government and as labor revolution; these steps were [being taken] in early revolution.

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I myself went into a factory along this very old road of Karaj, took part [in their gathering],

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[and] met with laborers there. [Once in there,] I saw up-close non-labor elements, who had gone there in order to

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turn it into an origin for a movement to pit the country’s laborers

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– first the laborers in Tehran, then as a function, [the laborers across] the country

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– against [the late] Imam [Khomeini] and the revolution and people.

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I went there – [I] went [there both] by day, and by night – [and] I saw how the faithful laborer(s), [and] Muslim and Muslim-born laborer(s)

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showed insight and awareness in the face of the enemy’s plots; and our laborers demonstrated this insight;

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that [development] was in [early years of] the revolution, [and] this [development] took place during early revolution’s incidents; then

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then there were various political issues and different political currents in this country;

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in all these [developments] our laborers demonstrated their loyalty to the [Islamic] establishment; not only loyalty in words,

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[but] they entered the arena with their body, [and] with their physical body

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and made their presence known and made an impression;

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this is a reality, [and] it has been like this up to the present day.

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Livelihood problems of workers do exist – and the esteemed minister [of labor and social affairs] mentioned some of them;

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well, efforts are being made and I hope Almighty God would make him and all officials successful to be able to,

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God willing, put into action these issues they referred to;

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[because] what has been done so far, will be accepted [and] blessed by God; [and] what has not been done [I hope] they would be able to do [in the future]; we must work

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– there are problems, but despite [these problems] the labor community did not pay attention to the message of counterrevolutionary [elements];

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they wanted all the people to stand against the [Islamic] establishment, the labor community stand [against the establishment],

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[and] the academic community stand [against the establishment], [but] the labor community did not stand [against the establishment], but threw its weight behind the establishment and defended [it].

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This is the virtue of the labor community.

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First of all, I bend down in supplication to thank Almighty God –

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because this is the power of God, [and people’s] hearts are in His control –

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[and] secondly, I thank the labor community from the bottom of my heart; you did well, [and] are [still] doing well

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with regard to the issues of the revolution and the issues of the Islamic establishment; this is the first point

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However, [now we must talk] about the role of laborers and the issue of labor

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as well as labor and workers’ enterprises in the Economy of Resistance, and this is an important issue.

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The Economy of Resistance is not just a word, but when I said [it must be implemented through] “practical steps and action,”

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it meant that all clauses in the policies of the Economy of Resistance

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must be implemented genuinely and in reality. That is, for every one [of those clauses],

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these very brethren, [and] responsible officials, who are thank God, interested [in this issue],

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sit down and make plan and follow up on that plan step by step;

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the issue of labor plays a role in [the implementation of] the Economy of Resistance.

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Well, what a laborer must do to have a share in [implementing the policies of] the Economy of Resistance?

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Everybody has a role [to play]; laborer has a role, employer has a role, administration has a role,

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[and] various officials, all of them, have a role. The role of laborer, in the first place, is to feel responsibility;

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that is, a laborer must feel responsible in the work that has been assigned to him – all of us must [also] feel responsible –

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and he must do the work that has been trusted to him in a responsible manner [and] must boost [its] quality.

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All laborers must think about this, [and] be determined to boost the quality of the work;

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this creates blessing both for him [and] for the society.

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There was a shoemaker in the Grand Bazaar of [northeastern Iranian city of] Mashhad, who was famous [for the fact] that when he made shoes,

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the leather top of that shoe and the sole of that shoe would be torn away [in the course of time], but the sewing of the shoe would remain intact; I mean, this is how a strong job is done.

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Let’s do something that our sewing, that work which has been trusted to us, would be done correctly and with quality and with strength; this is the duty of the laborer.

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Well, this is easier said [than done], [but] how it can be [really] done?

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[The fact] that Almighty God said through Prophet [Mohammad] (PBUH) that

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“God bless that man, who works and does it with strength,”

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– I have quoted this hadith perhaps tens of times so far –

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[it means that] God’s blessing be on that person who does something and does it with strength, [and] does the job strongly. Well, this has requisites [to be realized].

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What must we do to enable the laborer to boost the quality of [his] work?

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Some of these requisites are on the administration, part of it is on [state] managers,

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one part is on people, [and yet] another part is on laborer himself.

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One of the steps that must be taken in order for the laborer to be able to increase the quality of work is to boost [their] skill.

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[Take] this technical [and] vocational [training], which he [the minister] pointed out [as an example]; for years, any minister of education [or] any minister of labor

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who has taken office, I have laid emphasis on this issue of technical [and] vocational [training]; this [issue] must be taken seriously, [because] this is a basic job [to do].

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Laborer’s skill must be elevated; a simple laborer cannot continue by merely relying on his own experience;

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well, of course, experience is also effective, but training is essential.

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[Increasing laborers’] vocational skill is on officials; these technical [and] vocational [training centers are effective]

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and various kinds of other measures can be taken to boost skill of laborer(s);

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employer is also effective [in this regard], [and] the administration is also effective.

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One issue is the issue of job security for laborers; if the laborer’s mind is occupied [with the idea]

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that whether he will be [working] at this workshop tomorrow or not, he would not be inclined to work; [therefore,] job security must be created;

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doing this has [its own] ways, [and] this is again among responsibilities of various state officials and managers and employers and other [people];

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[and] it is not simply related to the Ministry of Labor; [but] it is [also] related to various sectors; [and] they must do something that job security would exist.

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Shutdown of workshops is among major scourges; among calamities of [any] laborer one is that this workshop [where they work may] be shut down.

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There are two types of shutdown: one shutdown is because an employer’s facilities are not sufficient for the work.

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For example, he is short of money or does not have raw materials or his machinery are dilapidated and cannot [renovate them];

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well, this [situation] leads to certain duties for those people who control raw materials, control liquidity,

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[and] are in charge of manufacturing and converting machinery; it is their duty and must help this employer. Banks are responsible,

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organs [involved in] imports and exports are responsible, industrial and technology sectors are responsible,

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knowledge-based companies and totality of these currents are responsible. This is one type of workshop shutdown;

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here, the employer is not to blame that his workshop is shut down. However, there are factors that cause shutdown [of workshops],

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[and] these factors can be done away with; this is difficult [to do] but possible. [Officials] must search and find these factors and do away with them;

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this is one of the important and major jobs for our organs and our managers.

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This is one type of shutdown. One [different] type of shutdown [of workshops] is a result of abuse.

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A given person has bought a plant – for example [it] has been transferred [to him] through state organs or has bought it one way or another –

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then he sees that it is more to his benefit to use this plot of land, [and] take advantage of its area [for another purpose],

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[and] this workshop will cause him loss; [therefore,] he shuts down the workshop under an excuse. We have such cases as well; I have reports [that prove this].

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These [cases] must be also dealt with; [and] these [cases] must be dealt with seriously. Perhaps, I have said this one more time in this very labor gathering;

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[a given person] takes the loan [from banks] – for example, assume, for importing raw materials or for production at the workshop – then spends this loan

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on construction at a given point whose income is many times higher. These [cases] should be dealt with; [and these cases] must be followed up;

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our judicial organ is responsible, the administration is responsible, various organs are responsible, [and] intelligence organs are responsible [for following up on such cases].

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The problem is not that a person wants to get rich and is using a way [to do this];

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we are not against this or that person getting rich; well, let them get rich,

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but why this getting rich should take place by treading down and trampling on the labor community

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and the less fortunate people? This must be prevented.

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See, here, organs are linked to one another like a chain; banks, the country’s banking system,

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the system concerned with imports and exports, [and] the system concerned with production and industry,

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these are all interrelated; [therefore,] every one of them can be synergistic toward the other, or can obstruct [its work];

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the large-scale management of the country must try to prevent [all kinds of] obstructionism.

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Everybody [must] be synergistic in order for the work to be done.

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One of those things, which cause the labor movement to be a successful movement,

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is to promote the product of the Iranian laborer’s work.

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I will explain this later. I have many things to say about promotion of the product of [the Iranian laborer’s] work,

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and I will say a few sentences [in this regard] later. One of those things which

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are necessary for the success of [any] laborer in doing a suitable work is healthiness of the work environment;

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[another] one of the things that needed is increasing share of wages in production cost.

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This can be planned in a way that it would do no harm to the employer;

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additional and surplus costs must be reduced in order to boost share of the laborer’s wage;

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if this is done, the laborer would be encouraged.

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There are correct methods [for doing this]; [and] some [countries] in the world have experienced these [methods].

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Fortunately, our officials really want to serve [their people]. We can find these methods by taking advantage of the power of faith and enthusiasm and interest

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that exist [among officials]; we can work in these fields.

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Well, another part is the approach to employer. Since many years ago, I have frequently repeated

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that employer and laborer complement each other, [and are] not opposite to each other.

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The basis of the Marxist thought and Marxist dialectics was conflict and opposition,

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[but] the basis of the Islamic thought and Islamic dialectics is accompaniment and collaboration and cooperation and being like a couple and getting along [with each other].

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Employer and laborer are two members [of labor community], who can help each other; they are not two opposites and two enemies; [but] they are two colleagues

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and each one of them has its own rights. After all, employer is the one who could take this capital elsewhere

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and, for example, deposit it at a given bank and take advantage of its interest without any concern; perhaps, it would be more beneficial to him than the revenue of labor;

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[but] he has not done this, [and] has entered the labor arena; this is a very good thing.

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If this [investment] is based on a divine intention, Almighty God will reward [such employer] with Heaven for this work;

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I knew someone, a faithful man who lived a simple life; [of course,] he was rich, but lived a simple life;

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he once told me that ‘time and again they tell me have you gone mad to invest your money

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in these production machinery with this – as they said – [high] risk and with this risk that it entails? Go deposit this money in bank

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and get its interest, [and] take advantage of it. [But] I said, no, I must use this money for the progress of the country and production’.

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Very well, this is a very valuable thing [to do].

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One of the rights that exists here is sincere cooperation by laborer with employer; you must sincerely cooperate with each other.

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One of employer’s rights is that the administration and relevant executive bodies must facilitate the work for employer;

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just as I said before; assume that [if] he does not have liquidity, [the administration must] provide it for him; [if] he does not have raw materials,

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[if] his workshop or machinery are dilapidated, and the likes of these, [executive organs must] help [employer] so he can be able to procure these [raw materials or machinery].

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An assistance, which can be given to employer is to provide [him] with [suitable] grounds for exports.

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Of course, the main ground for export is provided by the owner of the commodity – [that is] employer –

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but state organs are facilitators, which can help, [and] provide [necessary] ground.

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Here, our Foreign Ministry can play a role; [and] various ministries can play a role.

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An assistance that the administration can give employer is to support employer

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in the face of foreign customer.

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Sometimes, our exporter exports a commodity, [but] in that foreign country, they start to finagle, [and] make it difficult for him;

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here, it is a responsibility for the administration to stand fast, resist, help [employer],

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[and] does not allow his right in that given country to be ignored because one person – or their government or businessperson – wants to misuse [the situation]; [our administration] should not allow [this to happen].

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These are cases in which employer can be assisted; these are his rights.

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One of the steps that must be taken is to enforce necessary supervision on the health and quality of export commodities.

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Some people defame the country by exporting unhealthy commodities;

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when this commodity goes into the foreign export market and its unhealthiness is made clear,

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this would be a blow to the country’s reputation; not only [to the country’s] reputation, [but also] a blow to exports of the country as well.

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Supervision should be enforced on healthiness [of export goods]. These are steps, which must be taken.

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Well, now let’s focus on domestic production. I have a lot of respect for domestic production.

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Domestic production must be considered as a sacred thing.

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Supporting domestic production must be considered as a duty;

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[and] everybody must consider themselves obligated to support domestic production.

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One of the ways [to do this] is that when a commodity has domestic counterpart, it must not absolutely be imported from outside [the country];

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I have said this frequently – now I will later explain the issue of smuggling; the issue of smuggling is on its own an important issue –

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[such a commodity] must not be officially imported. There are ways [to do this]; increasing tariffs or preventing imports

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where there is domestic counterpart.

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[Of course,] some excuses are given [to justify imports] – I know those excuses, [and] I have heard them; now I will mention them as well –

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[but] promotion of the domestic production must be a [fixed] principle. I have been informed

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that in Tehran – now perhaps it is also like this in [other] cities – some stores

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have become committed to sell nothing, but domestic products; [and] they have announced this on boards;

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[they] have taken its photo and brought it to me and I saw [those photos]. They have erected a board, a big board, [announcing] that in this store only domestic product is sold.

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Well done! Good for this zealous person, [and] this reformist person! Anything that exists in this store is domestic production.

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The opposite point is those stores, which when one enters, the more you look, there is only foreign production.

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Unfortunately, some of these stores, which are big stores as well, are related to governmental organs!

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They are related to governmental organs! Why they do this? This must be considered [as an] ugly [thing to do].

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You want to make domestic laborer jobless, [but make] foreign laborer productive and well-off just to show off!

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They [bring] commodities under foreign trademarks, [and] a bunch of rich people – those upstart nouveau riche people,

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whose number in the country is, unfortunately, not low – go for foreign trademarks; [and] as they themselves say, foreign brands.

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I really hate this word “brand” as well.

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The sale of foreign commodities and consumption of foreign commodities must be considered as against value in the society,

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unless where a domestic counterpart does not exist. Where there is no domestic counterpart, well yes, there is no problem;

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we have not erected a fence around ourselves after all; we have contacts with the world, have interaction, we buy, [and] we sell.

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There may be some cases in which domestic production is not economical at all

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– we have cases like this as well – [and in these cases, imports] are no problem.

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[However,] where we have domestic production and want to have [domestic production] and our laborer is doing that work

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and is creating added value, [if] we put aside this domestic production there,

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[and] bring in its lookalike from outside [the country] at a price that is sometimes a number of times higher [than the domestic counterpart]

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and [just] because it carries a foreign trademark, [and] carries the trademark of that given famous plant from that given European country,

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[and] consume it, this must be considered as against value.

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[Entry of] imported goods [into the country], as I said before, must be rationally blocked.

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I do not advocate going to extremes in such cases, [but] I advocate wisdom and foresight in such cases.

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I don’t say [close] the gates; no, [but] be watchful;

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see what must be imported, [then] import it, and [see] what must not be imported, [then] don’t import it.

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I don’t know what this case of importing American automobiles is, which is now in the gossip and some people talk about it.

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American cars were not used by Americans themselves; this was reflected in the American press and I saw it;

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they said their [fuel] consumption is too high [and] they are [also too] heavy. For example, assume that we

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would use [the product] of that given American automobile manufacturing company, which is headed for bankruptcy; and [imagine] that [we would use cars made in] America!

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These [measures] must be seriously stood against. [But] who must stand [against them]? Officials themselves [and] esteemed ministers themselves [must stand against such measures].

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I know that there are people who pressure from behind – [because] they have profit, they have interest,

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[and therefore] they put pressure [on officials] – [but] they [officials] must stand against these pressures, [and] do not give in [to them].

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I don’t know this [report] which says the worth of cosmetics imported into the country amount to a few billion dollars is correct or not? I have not examined this,

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[and] I don’t think that you have done a lot of inquiry on this either;

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if this is true, it is very bad. [Imagine importing] cosmetics [amounting to] a few billion [dollars]! And that [is happening] in our country,

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which now all these obstacles and problems are created for it;

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[and these imports are undertaken] so that a given rich, upstart, and nouveau riche family wants to have these [cosmetics].

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I have heard that some of these [imported cosmetics] are unhealthy. [Officials] must stand against these [imports], resist and do not allow it.

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One issue is the issue of smuggling. When I frequently

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talk about this issue of imports with state officials in different administrations, they say

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‘if we raise tariffs too high or [totally] block imports, the same commodity will [enter the country] through smuggling.’

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Do you think this is a good reason?

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Well, smuggling must be seriously blocked. We have not been very serious in fighting smuggling so far;

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in fighting smuggling, we must act seriously. What I mean by smuggling is not

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that poor courier in Baluchestan, who goes to the other side [of the border] and carries something on his back and brings it [to] this side;

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these [cases] amount to nothing, [and] these are not important; it will cause no problem [if these cases] are not fought against.

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I mean major organized [cases of] smuggling; [should we allow] tens of containers

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or hundreds of containers of various goods be smuggled into the country? Well, we must go and counter these [major smuggling groups]; we are a government,

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we have power, [and] we can [do this]; [we must] deal with these [major smugglers] in a serious manner.

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After they are dealt with seriously a couple of times, [smuggling] will either stop, or at least, will greatly decrease.

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Smuggling is a big scourge for the country;

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smuggling is much worse than imports by administration and through customs [because]:

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first of all, the healthiness of the [smuggled] commodity is not known; secondly, it generates no revenue for the government;

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[and] thirdly, it has the same problem as imports, which is causing stagnation in domestic production market.

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These [issues] are not small damage; [therefore,] smuggling must be seriously countered.

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[all state] organs must take [the issue of] countering smuggling very seriously; [therefore, we] must assign the most powerful of our men to this task;

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and this is possible; I personally believe that this is possible;

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[by doing this] it will either come to a halt, or if it is not blocked totally, [at least,] an important part of it will decrease.

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This is a very fundamental issue.

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Another issue, which is very important and I have shared this with a number of concerned ministers

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– including agriculture ministers, and industrial ministers and some other state officials –

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frequently in the past [is that] sometimes a commodity can be produced inside the country,

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[but] some people who pocket hefty profits through its imports move to prevent this domestic production;

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if possible by giving bribe – [for example, they tell an official] ‘sir, shut down this factory or don’t build it and take this money’ –

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[and] if [that official] does not accept, [they try to achieve their goal] by [posing] threats or [even committing] crimes.

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Now, I don’t want to mention the name of [such] commodities; I know of commodities, which can be produced inside [the country],

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but they are imported because a [certain] group is profited by their imports

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and [its members] do not allow [those commodities] to be produced inside [the country]. An innovative person, who has [enough] capital,

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wants to produce a given article [of commodity] which is highly consumed in the country; [such profiteer people] go to him and say, ‘Sir! Don’t produce this!

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Take 10 billion or 30 billion [tomans as bribe and] don’t produce [this commodity]’; [in this case] either that person accepts [their offer] and relieves himself [of such pressure],

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or if he does not give in, they put pressure on him and cause him all kinds and sorts of problems,

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put legal obstacles on his way, or at last, commit a crime [against him], deal a blow to him and make him change his mind.

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These are important matters, [and] these are security matters,

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these are not simple matters, [and therefore,] such matters cannot be taken lightly. Smuggling is like this;

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the [most lethal] poison for domestic production is smuggling.

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Another issue is the issue of advanced technology.

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Sometimes I say ‘why you import that given article and that given commodity while it is produced domestically’,

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[and] they say ‘the technology used in domestic production is outdated; today, the world has changed,

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new [ways of doing] work have come about, [and] new technologies have been introduced, [as a result of] which we have no choice, but to import from outside [the country].

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I have an answer for this claim. Of course, I am not [absolutely] against importation;

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I am not at all against importation, especially importing technology; I myself have been a president in this country,

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have been in touch with executive issues and know [how things work]; there is no problem; sometimes [importation] is necessary,

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but as much as is needed and sufficient. Whenever they run out of argumentation, they say technology [used for] domestic production is obsolete;

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well, we have all these active minds in the country; that mind that can make a missile,

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the missile travels for 2,000 kilometers and hits the target with a margin of error of less than 10 meters, is this a small matter?

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I [just] wanted to bring an example; now, missile was mentioned and young people became excited.

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I say that brain, which can produce such a missile,

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and our enemies own up to importance of this work, is this brain not able

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to bring down [fuel] consumption of a car, which for example, consumes 13 liters [of fuel] per 100 kilometers to five liters per 100 kilometers? Is it not able to do this?

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Is this brain incapable of doing this job? Why we don’t take advantage of [our] youths?

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Why you do not take advantage of these creative minds? Why you do not ask them for help?

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I have been constantly saying for a number of years that “cooperation between industry and university” [is necessary];

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the result of cooperation between industry and university will show itself here.

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Industry helps university so that university would present and create new methods for it;

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both this [side, which is industry] is benefited [by this cooperation] and that [side] will be benefited. Connect industry to university,

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connect [industry] to the group of elites [in our country], just in the same way that now, fortunately, many things have been done in the field of knowledge-based companies

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and we see that the Iranian youth can work. Here, in this Hosseiniyeh, they held an exhibition for me,

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[and] I came [here] and visited [that exhibition]; a group of young boys

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– high school boys – had gathered here, [and] they had worked.

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I came and said ‘what is it that you do’? One of them said ‘I have produced this’, [and] the other one said ‘I have produced this’;

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[just] a high school youngster! Well, our mind is like this,

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[and] our human capital is this; why we should not take advantage of this human capital

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and go for foreign automobile because it has advanced technology? Well, let’s create this advanced technology inside the country.

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I have many examples, which I do not want to say and cannot be said [here],

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[because] some of these [examples] are confidential; if you know in what places and in what fields

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our youths have done what great things, you would be really surprised;

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we have many [examples] of this sort and my information in this field is enormous;

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[so let’s] take advantage of these [talented youth]. It can’t be an excuse for imports that we [say] we have outdated technology.

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Well, these are my views. I am optimistic toward laborers

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and toward employers and toward managers and toward state officials – toward all of these [people];

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I am not pessimistic toward anybody. However, there are snags in some places;

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seek where this snag is, why there is a snag and where the problem is.

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You are using a few large bore tubes to constantly pour water into this big pool, [but] it is never filled from above;

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well, [in this case] look and see where the crack is, [and see] where is the crack that exists in this pool from where water is being wasted and [does not allow] the pool to be filled;

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officials should search and find such things.

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My dear ones! The country can go ahead. [The fact] that I say the Islamic civilization time and again

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and say time and again that Iran can stand on the apex of the Islamic civilization

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is not [mere] slogan and ranting. This comes from looking at the realities of the country.

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We can; we can make our economy progress, make our industry progress, make our agriculture progress

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and create self-sufficiency in those sectors where self-sufficiency is needed;

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[therefore,] officials must make effort [to achieve this goal]. As I said at the beginning, anybody who is responsible [to do a job] must fulfill that responsibility in the best possible manner

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and make the necessary effort [to that effect]. Of course, we have enemy and that enemy is showing its animosity.

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We are not moving on a paved road;

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[but] obstacles are being constantly created in front of us. Who is creating these obstacles? Our enemies and on top of our enemies [are] America and Zionism.

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[they] sabotage [our efforts], pull tricks, [and] they want us not to recognize their trick;

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sometimes they complain from afar that ‘why you are so pessimistic toward us?’

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Well, we see things for which we must be pessimistic; we cannot close our eyes.

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At present, there is disruption in banking transactions of [our] country, this is being said by all officials.

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Communications and transactions depend on bank exchanges, now [these exchanges] are taking place slowly and with difficulty; why?

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They say big banks of the world are not willing [to work with Iranian banks]. Well, why they are not willing? Are they crazy?

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Bank has been established for the purpose of creating interaction.

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Why that given famous and big bank of the world should not want to have transaction with 80-million-strong market of a country with all this wealth?

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There is an obstacle; who is [creating] this obstacle? America.

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More or less, I have said one hundred times that America cannot be trusted; now [the meaning of what I said] is becoming totally clear.

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They write on paper that banks can transact with Iran

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– of course this is on paper and has no value – but in practice, they strike such a fear in the hearts of banks, so that they won’t get anywhere close to Iran; [this is] Iranophobia.

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They say that ‘Iran is a terrorist country

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and we may, for example, impose sanctions on Iran due to terrorist ways of [this] country’;

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well what does this mean? This is a message to banks that ‘be warned; sanctions may be imposed on Iran [at any time]; so, don’t go ahead.

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They write on paper: ‘banks, go and transact [with Iran]’, [and even] issue circular [to this effect],

356
00:55:43,680 --> 00:55:47,240
but in practice, they do something that banks would not dare to come forward,

357
00:55:47,480 --> 00:55:54,360
[and] foreign investor would not dare to come and invest [in Iran]; they are practically doing it.

358
00:55:54,520 --> 00:55:57,520
Now they themselves are worse than all terrorists;

359
00:55:58,760 --> 00:56:04,160
they themselves have helped notorious terrorists,

360
00:56:04,320 --> 00:56:10,640
[and] according to our information, are still helping [them]; then they call Iran terrorist!

361
00:56:12,200 --> 00:56:22,120
The opposite side – Mr. American – says the reason why investors and capitalists do not invest in Iran

362
00:56:22,120 --> 00:56:30,320
is domestic situation in Iran; what is wrong with domestic situation in Iran? Where is more secure than Iran in this region?

363
00:56:30,640 --> 00:56:38,280
Is America itself more secure than here? America, where according to their own statistics, several people

364
00:56:38,560 --> 00:56:44,560
are killed every day through assassination, is more secure than here?

365
00:56:45,440 --> 00:56:53,520
European countries with these popular protests, with these labor problems, [and] with these economic problems are more secure than here?

366
00:56:54,920 --> 00:56:58,320
[Iran] is a secure country, [and] is a united country.

367
00:56:59,360 --> 00:57:11,040
To the dismay of enemies, Iran’s internal conditions are very good conditions.

368
00:57:33,480 --> 00:57:44,400
When the American official says that the sanctions regime against Iran has not been dismantled,

369
00:57:45,000 --> 00:57:54,520
what does it mean? It means that foreign investor [must] be afraid [of investing in Iran] and does not get close [to the country]; these [American officials] are spreading Iranophobia.

370
00:57:55,240 --> 00:58:01,520
They are clearly scaring people of Iran

371
00:58:01,880 --> 00:58:08,000
so that nobody would get close [to the country]; this is our enemy. Well, this is [the true face of our] enemy;

372
00:58:08,400 --> 00:58:16,280
for every activity that we do, we must take the presence of this enemy into account.

373
00:58:17,160 --> 00:58:23,560
We have had this enemy for 37 or 38 years and [despite the enemy’s efforts] we have progressed. I tell you

374
00:58:24,880 --> 00:58:32,800
[that] if this enmity stays for one hundred more years, to their dismay, we will continue to progress for one hundred more years.

375
00:58:54,640 --> 00:59:00,120
America is the enemy, whether we say it to its face, or we don’t say it to its face;

376
00:59:00,600 --> 00:59:07,480
whether this humble one say in my speech that America is the enemy, or I don’t say it.

377
00:59:08,480 --> 00:59:16,280
They ask, “why you keep saying ‘enemy, enemy’;” well, suppose that I don’t say enemy, will [this cause their] enmity [to] come to an end?

378
00:59:16,760 --> 00:59:26,720
[America] is the enemy; [America] is the enemy of the essence of this public popular movement and of the essence of the revolution and of the essence of the [Islamic] establishment.

379
00:59:27,400 --> 00:59:35,200
Once America had the last say on everything here in this country; today, it does not even have an embassy [in Iran];

380
00:59:36,080 --> 00:59:43,560
because an Islamic establishment is in power; well, [America] is the enemy of the Islamic establishment and wants the same old situation to be in place.

381
00:59:44,840 --> 00:59:53,760
They say ‘open the windows’. His highness! [US President Barack Obama]

382
00:59:54,120 --> 00:59:59,200
had read a poem [written] by an Iranian poet in his [Persian] new year felicitation [message] which [said:] “open the windows.”

383
00:59:59,360 --> 01:00:05,000
[In response] I said, “yes, [he means] open the windows, so that we, who you had expelled through the door, would come in [through the windows]’;

384
01:00:06,760 --> 01:00:10,520
‘open the windows so that we would be able to enter [your country] with ease’!

385
01:00:12,920 --> 01:00:21,640
Officials [must] pay attention – both administration officials and the executive branch [must] pay attention, and the Islamic Consultative Assembly [must] pay attention,

386
01:00:21,640 --> 01:00:27,640
and judicial officials [must] pay attention, and revolutionary institutions and all the people [must pay attention]

387
01:00:28,360 --> 01:00:35,720
– [that] we are oppressed, but strong; just like our master, Amir al-Mo’menin [Imam Ali] (PBUH).

388
01:00:37,160 --> 01:00:43,720
Amir al-Mo’menin (PBUH) was the most oppressed, but [also] the strongest [of all].

389
01:01:17,120 --> 01:01:24,120
If we know our value, [and] know our power,

390
01:01:24,280 --> 01:01:32,120
[and] take advantage of this power in the best and most human and most Islamic way,

391
01:01:32,480 --> 01:01:39,480
[then] we will overcome all these obstacles. Yes, our way is not paved,

392
01:01:39,960 --> 01:01:46,600
but we are able to move on rugged terrain as well; today, fortunately, [our path] is not even rugged;

393
01:01:46,840 --> 01:02:08,080
in early [years after victory] of the revolution, our path was rugged. Today, officials [must] pay attention, [and] people [also] pay attention that we [must] rely on our own power.

394
01:02:08,560 --> 01:02:16,400
A few days later– that is, two days from now – there will be elections in a number of cities;

395
01:02:17,120 --> 01:02:22,200
consider elections as important; take part in elections;

396
01:02:23,240 --> 01:02:28,240
do not leave elections on their own; [because] elections are important.

397
01:02:29,560 --> 01:02:36,880
I have frequently said and told our dear people – both in these elections, which were held in [the Iranian month of] Esfand [February 26], and before that

398
01:02:37,160 --> 01:02:41,680
in [various] elections for the Majlis [Iranian parliament] and presidential elections –

399
01:02:42,320 --> 01:02:50,440
that take part in elections; participation in elections is [a] determining [factor].

400
01:02:51,160 --> 01:02:59,880
Some people don’t pay attention [to this issue]; when you don’t take part in elections, [and] do not transfer these feelings,

401
01:03:00,120 --> 01:03:09,400
this willingness, this pull, [and] this identity to the ballot box, we will face difficulty;

402
01:03:10,880 --> 01:03:19,400
[so,] take part in elections. The importance of the second round of elections is no less than the first round;

403
01:03:19,400 --> 01:03:25,200
just in the same way that I said there [in my speech before the first round] that everybody must take part in elections, here, it is also necessary for everybody to take part.

404
01:03:25,640 --> 01:03:30,920
Also ask Almighty God for [his] assistance, [and] Almighty God would, God willing assist all of you.

405
01:03:31,120 --> 01:03:32,360
Peace be unto you and so may the mercy of Allah and His blessings