The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution referred to the great measures taken in South Pars as well as construction of the Persian Gulf Star refinery under the US sanctions, and considered the practice of weaning the country's economy off petrodollars as the silver lining of the sanctions period.

According to leader.ir, Ayatollah Khamenei said on Friday in a live televised speech on the occasion of Eid al-Adha: "Although sanctions are a great crime, but people, especially youth, officials, scientists and politicians used the issue to bolster national self-reliance.”

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution added: “Production of training jets and sensitive and delicate parts, launching of several thousand knowledge-based companies, construction of the Persian Gulf Star refinery by the IRGC, major actions in South Pars, plans of the Ministry of Energy in the field of water and electricity, plans of the Ministry of Roads and amazing defense productions, all were made during the embargoes.”

Ayatollah Khamenei described another effect of the sanctions era as the practice of separating the country's economy from oil, and said: "Because the country's oil is sold less, the separation of the economy from crude oil is happening naturally, which should be pursued by the government and parliament."

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution in response to the important question "Can sanctions be cured?," said: “Sanctions are definitely curable; But the cure is not to retreat and succumb to the United States’ wishes, because retreat leads the aggressor to advance.”