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Nov 12, 2008
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Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: Iran Is the Only Country Capable of Presenting New Economic Models to the World

#1924 | 02:38
Source: Channel 1 (Iran)

Following are excerpts from a speech delivered by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, which aired on Channel 1, Iranian TV on November 12, 2008:

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: The claim that the market should be allowed to regulate itself is a great lie, as we have already seen. [The Americans] have had to intervene in the market. They intervened big time. Let me give you a parallel that I often use: Economics is like all other aspects of human life. Imagine that one day, the police declares that it would leave some city alone, so that society could regulate itself. If this were to happen, what kind of people would take over the city? Would it be anybody other than the aggressive, the greedy, and the wicked? Would it be anybody other than those who do not heed the law? They are the ones who would rule.

[...]

Some articles and views expressed in the media suggest that the writers are sorry that this [crisis] befell the Western economy.

[...]

Nobody should be sorry when an inhumane, unjust regime comes to an end, or to imply that when they collapse – we should cry. Why should we mourn? Other people say: "This economic development and the disruption to their economy will have an even worse impact on our economy [than on theirs]."

[...]

Who says that we cannot present the world with an economic model? Why should anybody here believe that we have to import everything from [the West]? Why? We can do it ourselves. Today, the world is in growing need of [an economic model], and this appeal will be directed to us. Let there be no doubt: Iran is the only country with the capability, the potential, and the skill to present the world with new economic models. The other countries lack the strong theoretical base which is necessary to do this.

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