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Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a November 20, 2019 speech that aired on Ofogh TV (Iran) that he believes the economic sanctions that have been imposed on Iran since the beginning of the Islamic Revolution will continue for the foreseeable future. He said that Iran needs to address the fact that its economic reliance on oil makes it vulnerable and assured the audience that Iran will fend off the enemy in the economic war being waged against it just as it has fended off the enemy politically and in battle. Ayatollah Khamenei also said that the recent demonstrations in Iran have been "security-related" rather than a popular movement (for more about the demonstrations, see MEMRI TV Clip No. 7612.) The audience chanted: "Allah Akbar! Khamenei is the Leader… Death to America! Death to England… Death to Israel!"
Following are excerpts:
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: There have been sanctions since the beginning of the Revolution. Obviously, they have become more intense over the past 10 years. Okay… And these sanctions are here to stay for now. If anyone hopes that the sanctions will be over in a year or two… These are false hopes. I am telling you. In light of our familiarity with the various aspects of this front, I think that these sanctions will remain for the foreseeable future. They are supposed to continue and they will continue.
[…]
In principle, our economy relies on oil. Well, oil is a vulnerable thing. When we want to use the oil revenues for the government budget… Even if we want to use them for the current budget, and not just for building up our country, this is what happens. We become vulnerable. This is what we need to address.
[…]
Everybody – friends and foes alike – should know this: We fended off the enemy in the battlefield. We also fended off the enemy in political war. In addition, we fended off our enemy in the security-related war. The events of recent days have been security-related events, not popular acts. The [demonstrations] were security-related and they were fended off. We fended off the enemy in various fields. With the help of God, we will fend off the enemy decisively in the aspect of the economic war as well.
Audience: Allah Akbar! Allah Akbar! Allah Akbar! Khamenei is the Leader! Death to those who oppose the Rule of the Jurisprudent! Death to America! Death to England! Death to the hypocrites and the infidels! Death to Israel!
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