Minister Vows Bright Prospects for Oil Industy Despite Sanctions

“The fifth decade of the Islamic Revolution will be auspicious for the oil industry,” Zangeneh told reporters in Tehran on the sidelines of nationwide February 11 rallies marking the 40th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

“We are a resilient nation and we will overcome sanctions proudly as we did during the imposed war,” the oil minister added referring to the 8-year long war of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussain against Iran started in 1980.

“Brilliant work has been done in the gas and petrochemical sectors in recent years and we were unique in the world and I hope that we will continue the path in the future too,” he added.

“We will also do our best to pass this era of sanctions successfully,” the minister vowed.

Elsewhere in the interview, Zangeneh said sanctions cause problems for people and officials and efforts are underway to minimize them and get successful.

Huge masses of people from all walks of life converged on streets and squares all over the country to express their support for the cause and ideals of the Islamic Revolution.

A sum of 6,500 Iranian and foreign journalists, reporters and photographers covered the Bahman 22 (February 11) rallies this year.

In Tehran, demonstrators then congregated at the Azadi Square, Tehran's main square and the site of major national rallies over the past four decades.

The nationwide rallies also prove to the world that the brave Iranian nation is fully ready to resist and challenge the enemies of the Islamic Republic.

Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei had in December warned the Iranian nation to remain vigilant against new US plots for the next year, saying that Washington might have made done the propaganda this year, but be readying to stage the main part of its plot in 2019.

"Earlier this year, the US claimed that Iran was to have a hard summer and that the revolution wouldn’t see its 40th anniversary. To their dismay, this summer was one of the best summers; and the Iranian nation will magnificently celebrate the 40th anniversary of the revolution on 22nd of Bahman (February 11)," Ayatollah Khamenei said, addressing the family members of the Islamic Revolution's martyrs in Tehran.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution of Iran called for the Iranian nation to keep vigilant in the face of deceits by the US, saying, "The Iranian nation should maintain their awareness. When the US says in 2018 they will do this or that, it could be a deceitful plot. They might want to stir controversy in 2018 while their actual plots are for 2019. You should be completely ready and alerted."

Ayatollah Khamenei described the US as a vicious enemy, and said, "The US is a wicked enemy, united with the Zionists and the reactionary regimes of the region. We are of course stronger and until now they have been unable to do a thing, and they won't be able to anything in the future."

Led by the Founder of the Revolution, Imam Khomeini, Iranians confronted the forces of US-proxy Mohammad-Reza Pahlavi in late 1977 to end his oppressive, cruel and autocratic rule over the country.

By December 1978, millions of Iranians would take to the streets in protest against the policies of the Shah on a regular basis.

Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned from exile to Iran to be received by millions of cheering crowds after the departure of the Shah in mid-January 1979. Two weeks later, the country saw the victory of the Islamic Revolution.

The final collapse of the Shah's regime came on February 11 when the military renounced its loyalty to the Shah and joined the revolutionary forces.

On this day 40 years ago, people took to the streets to celebrate the collapse of the Pahlavi Dynasty and the emergence of the new era.

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