Addressing the opening ceremony of a steel mill in the southern province of Fars, Ahmadinejad said on Thursday that no power is capable of blocking the Iranian nation’s progressive drive.
He noted that certain parties may be able to slow down the pace of Iran's progress temporarily, but they will never be able to block it entirely.
Ahmadinejad also hailed Iran's extensive achievements in various areas, saying, “News about Iran’s breakthroughs are so numerous that certain people cannot believe it … [and] some others close their eyes and say nothing has been done; however, what has been done is quite clear and tangible.”
He further stressed that no power can hinder the progress of a powerful nation.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Ahmadinejad welcomed the opening of the Pasargad Steel Mill in Fars as a sign of the country’s dynamic industry, and called on officials, banks and other sectors to join hands and facilitate the country’s progress.
The plant, situated in the town of Kovar, 972 kilometers (603 miles) south of Tehran, is to primarily produce four million tons of sponge iron, six million tons of iron ore pellets, 1.7 million tons of steel billets and 2.75 million tons of steel slabs on an annual basis.
The USD 5.5-billion project which was entirely financed by the private sector has directly created jobs for more than 800 people.