Americans and some Europeans used to make all the decisions for Iran before the Islamic Revolution of 1979, while the country has made totally independent decisions in the last 40 years owing to the Revolution, President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday. RNA - Addressing a weekly cabinet meeting here in Tehran today, the president hailed national sovereignty and people’s right to vote as the greatest achievements of the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
The Iranian president referred to the anniversary of the uprising of the people of Qom, and, “Qom and the seminary in the city had a key role in the Islamic Movement as the pioneer of the Revolution.”
He also called promoting the 40-year achievements of the Islamic Revolution essential.
Rouhani added, “The changing of the structures in the country through the victory of the Revolution, the eight-year war Imposed (by Iraq), and the unjust sanctions of the enemies against Iran have been three important incidents affecting the economy of our country throughout these 40 years”.
“Today, we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution, and youth employment and people’s living are the two top priorities for all of us,” he added.
Referring to sanctions as the third incident after the revolution and the war, he said, “US’ sanctions on oil and gas investment are in place since Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani’s tenure as the President.”
“All of these, except sanctions that started since 1980, have happened to us after the war and then, UNSC sanctions began under the pretext of the nuclear issues until 2015,” he said.
“They put pressure on our country and people again through US radicals and Zionists and some countries in the region,” he added.
“What we were pursuing in the Revolution was to get rid of individual ruling and establish people’s vote for parliament and Assembly of Experts,” he said.
“The Islamic Revolution brought us independence,” President Rouhani said, adding, “Before the Revolution, the Americans and some Europeans used to make all the decisions for us in all fields such as army and the armed forces, the defense industry, economy, culture, radio and television; but today, it’s our people who make the main decisions.”
Earlier today, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani also touched upon the anniversary of the uprising of the people of Qom against the Pahlavi regime on January 9, 1978, and said that the US’ failure to challenge religious foundations of Iran is because of the Islamic culture rooted in the heart of the nation, adding that Iranians will resist all the pressures to safeguard their religion.
Larijani said that the United States may seem to wage security, political and economic war against Iran, but in principle, Americans are targeting religious foundations, as the source of their adventures.
“The Americans’ failure, in this respect, despite all the economic pressures, is due to the Islamic culture rooted in the heart of the Iranian nation who will never lose their great heritage,” he highlighted adding that the nation will resist all sanctions and difficulties imposed by the US to protect their religion.
Earlier on Tuesday, Iranian First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri underlined the US inability to continue pressures and sanctions against Iran for a long period of time.
"The US created al-Qaeda and ISIL but Iran confronted them and finally Trump himself was forced to acknowledge that they have spent $7,000bln in the region but gained nothing," Jahangiri said, addressing an economic forum in Tehran.
He referred to Washington's embargos against Iran, and said, "This period will not last long because the US sanctions are very irrational and lack backing."
According to Fars News Agancy, Jahangiri said the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal indicated the country's bullying policies, cautioning that Washington does not want a powerful Iran in the region.
In relevant remarks on Saturday, Jahangiri said that the Americans had taken aim at the Iranian people’s livelihood but their dream to bring Iran’s oil sales to zero was not fulfilled.
Jahangiri said that the Americans have taken aim at the Iranian people’s livelihood, as they impose sanctions on basic goods and raw materials needed for production.
“US is trying to stop major Iranian income resource, that’s to say oil sales, as they in their own imagination wanted to bring oil sales to zero but they failed with the grace of God,” he said.
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