TEHRAN -- President Masoud Pezeshkian said Thursday oil sanctions by enemies against Iran cannot harm the Islamic Republic as long as Iranians rely on the country’s internal capacities, resources and assets.
Pezeshkian made the remarks at a meeting with artists and artisans from southeast Tehran province, stressing that the enemies’ conspiracies against the Iranian people will lead nowhere.
“As long as we have the national assets of specialists, elites, producers, industrialists, and artists, we will not be worried about oil sanctions,” he said, referring to the capabilities of Iran’s scientists, specialists, artists, and producers.
“We face problems when we lose our assets. Any nation dependent on its material resources will eventually face ruin; therefore, we must focus on human capital—producers, artists, traders, and scientists. If we support them and do not hinder their activities, threats and sanctions will be ineffective,” Pezeshkian said. 
The president said the United States is pressuring Iran since “we made ourselves reliant on oil and gas.”
“As long as we depend on the resources beneath our feet, if those resources are taken away or their sale is blocked, we will be in trouble. But if we create art and produce, no power can stop us,” Pezeshkian said, stressing that the government gives unconditional support for artists and is committed to providing a platform for their work.
The president highlighted human capacity for innovation, stating, “If we believe that we can solve problems with our own hands, intelligence, and abilities, no power can bring us to our knees.”
“We are sitting on treasure in Iran—this land is full of treasure. It is not befitting for us to be in the state we are in now. To overcome these conditions, we need a fresh outlook, unity, and renewed support. We must envision new possibilities for ourselves, and only in this way can we live together with dignity and pride.”