If we are to overcome our economic problems and shortcomings and raise our economy to an acceptable level of growth and development we must begin to pay attention to the international market and try aggressively to penetrate it. But first we have to look after, improve, and develop our production with a view to exports. By contrast, Iran has always been a good import market and Iranians have always been keen on foreign products and very responsive to publicity. Exporting counties have always made good use of publicity and advertising in Iran. Many attempts have been made in recent years to change this situation to no avail.
Some sacrifice is needed on the part of the nation.
During the coming four years a serious crusade must be put up by the Iranian government for production and exports, for satisfying the home market as well as producing export-oriented goods in sufficient quality and of suitable quantity. Iranians will thus be encouraged to prefer their own products to that of other countries. We have been too generous in our imports, so much so that we now find ourselves unable to pay some of our debts to foreign producers. We must make sure that this will not happen again. Iran's revenues from non-oil exports increased from one to 2.8 billion dollars.