US targeting Iran’s economy, industry

Ali Shamkhani, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran (SNSC), paid a visit to Iran Khodro industrial complex in western outskirt of Tehran.

When he was visiting the semi state-owned giant car maker, which is the biggest in the Middle East, he was asked why he was visiting an industrial complex while he was serving as the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran.

Shamkhani responded that as the focus of Iran’s enemies is currently on the sectors of economy and production, the issue of industry is now more important security-wise.

“Recently, we have formed an anti-corruption committee in the SNSC to address the issue in a more precise and broader manner and help the Judiciary with staging a serious campaign against corruption,” he added.

“Wherever the enemies are focused to sabotage our efforts, we will be there for sure,” he maintained.

He then stressed the link between the country's industry and economy sectors and areas of defense and security, adding “I remember that in the time of the Sacred Defense (the Iraqi imposed war on Iran), part of the needs of the Iranian troops and military requirements were manufactured by Iran Khodro and that was why the factory was bombarded by Iraq."

“Today, sanctioning our auto industry, economy and other industries are among the agenda of our enemies, especially the US, and as a result we have to make more use of the potentials of Iran Khodro factory to tap some domestic capabilities which were neglected in the past 40 years and to provide more incentive for more activity and diligence,” Shamkhani stressed.

“We should take advantage of the sanctions era as an opportunity to tap into domestic capabilities. We are here today to see to what extent we are capable of supporting the managers of this complex,” he told the media.

He was then asked why a car manufacturing industry is hit by sanctions if the enemies claim that they are focused on hurting Iranian officials rather than common people.

“These sanctions are not merely against the car industry but they are targeting other areas as well, like airplane manufacturing, train industry, and food and medicine. It should be noted that while the Western bloc imposed heavy losses on Iranian people with providing chemical weapons to Saddam in the war era and now are advocating human rights, they will never hesitate to levy the harshest sanctions against the people of Iran,” he said.

 “We would also prove that as now Saddam is buried in Tikrit and Baghdad is ruled by the freedom seekers of the region, we will defuse the strategy of sanctions with a host of measures in domestic, economic and political areas and we will stop US from achieving its goals,” he added.

Message end/