By The Journal of Turkish Weekly

Iran currently is at economic war with the U.S., Gen. Gholamreza Jalali, the head of Iran's Passive (civil) Defense Organization and a former commander of the Revolutionary Guards said, Mehr reported.

Jalali proposed for Iran to establish a special headquarters, which would be coordinating work between country's economy related companies and institutions.

"We should admit that the U.S. is well aware of the our economic vulnerabilities, and they've been making extreme preparations," Jalali said, adding that the U.S. uses international organizations such as Council of Europe, European Union, and also mass media outlets for applying economic pressure on Iran.

He continued by saying that thus far the economic factor has been the main one, as far as the conflicts between the U.S. and other countries go.

He mentioned Iraq, N. Korea, Cuba among those countries, adding that Iran is being pressured by the same tools.

"We must be oriented towards the needs of the public, putting those public demands upfront," Jalali said. "It is important that we understand what the public needs, to establish our priorities".

Jalali noted that the less important issues must be put aside, and it is necessary to concentrate on those issues more important at the moment.

For the past several months, with applied economic pressure and international sanctions on Iran, the economic situation in the country has become worse.

The industrial sector has decreased production, consumer goods prices increased, the national currency rate has been jumping, the unemployment rate has increased as well.

Despite the economic difficulties in the country, the Western governments have imposed another set of sanctions on Iran, to make it stop the enrichment of uranium for its nuclear program.

The EU imposed fresh sanctions Iran a few days ago, targeted against major Iranian state companies in the oil and gas industry, and strengthened restrictions on the central bank.

This move by EU complements previous moves by the EU, such as this year's embargo on Iranian oil imports to Europe and a previous decision to ban gas purchases.

Iran says its nuclear energy program is totally civilian and aimed at power generation adding it needs the 20-percent-enriched uranium it produces for production of fuel for a reactor that produces medicine for cancer and other patients.

 

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