Khamenei : Oil Price Drop Leverage to Pressure US-Independent States

Leader of the Islamic Revolution of Iran Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the decrease in global oil prices was leverage to exert pressure on countries that are independent from the United States.

“Rational resistance and steadfastness along with prudence in the face of pressure will definitely be followed by victory,” Ayatollah Khamenei said in a meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in the Iranian capital of Tehran on Saturday, according to Press TV.

The Leader added that the US plots and policies on the West Asian countries have failed.

 Ayatollah Khamenei said the issue of oil has been used to impose the current problems on independent countries.

“In the past when some Muslim countries moved to counter the Zionist regime (of Israel) by halting the oil [supply], Westerners made hue and cry under the pretext of the political use of oil, but unfortunately the same countries, together with some members of OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) and some states in our region which themselves are suffering from such policies, are now using oil as a weapon in full coordination with the US policies,” the Leader stated.

It is possible to overcome such conspiracies and hostilities by pursuing rational policies and improving cooperation, Ayatollah Khamenei added.

Ayatollah Khamenei also pointed to the failed US policies in the region and said, “Some think that the US cannot be defeated. This is while this imagination is a big mistake.”

The Leader added that Washington’s continuous mistakes over the past 15 years have put it into a very deplorable situation in the region.

Ayatollah Khamenei further said Venezuela’s impact on anti-arrogance moves in the Latin America indicates the country’s great capabilities.

The Leader stressed the importance of making use of the opportunity of Venezuela’s current presidency over the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

Ayatollah Khamenei said the West is not interested in NAM’s progress but independent countries must take steps in a direction contrary to their demands and in that case the “future will definitely be better than the past.”

The Leader also expressed the Islamic Republic’s firm determination to bolster cooperation with Venezuela and said the two countries’ authorities and ministers play an important role in pursuing the precise implementation of agreements.

During the meeting, which was also attended by Iranian First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri, the Venezuelan president commended the Islamic Republic’s strong resistance against the US.

Maduro said the Iranian nation enjoys peace and security while many countries in the region are unfortunately suffering from war and discord.

He pointed to the steep drop in oil prices over the past two years and said the US imperialism made interference and pursued hostile policies on Venezuela several times. However, the Venezuelan people resisted against such an economic war and are getting out of the economic crisis, he added.

The Venezuelan president further pointed to the upcoming presidential election in the US and said either candidate who wins the vote, the next American government will be in decline.

H.M