Rouhani: Inclusive Governance Crucial to Development

President Hassan Rouhani highlighted the importance of an inclusive approach to government by underscoring the need for the contribution of all groups to the government's plans aimed at steering the country out of the current unpleasant economic situation.

"Today, we need help from all the principlists, reformists, moderates and all those who have faith in the Islamic Republic's Constitution to develop Iran and promote prosperity," the president was quoted as saying on Sunday by his official website.

He was delivering a public speech to marchers who thronged the streets of the capital Tehran, in parallel with demonstrators in other Iranian cities, to mark the 39th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

"Followers of all Shia and Sunni sects of Islam and all other religions and everyone believing in the Constitution are considered revolutionary and should be treated with respect," Rouhani said.

  Peak of Power 

"An important feature of this year's celebrations is that we are entering the fortieth year of the Islamic Republic, which should be the year that the revolution reaches the peak of its power and we witness the strongest ever national unity and solidarity," he said. 

The Rouhani government has been facing serious economic challenges since taking office in 2013.

It has been struggling to curb inflation, tackle high employment and eliminate corruption.

Rouhani championed the 2015 nuclear agreement with the six powers to secure relief from economic sanctions in exchange for time-bound constraints on Iran's nuclear development.

He hoped that much-need foreign investment and technology would pour into the domestic economy in the wake of the sanctions removal.

But foreign trade has been slowed by US President Donald Trump's increasingly hawkish stance toward Iran and the landmark nuclear agreement.

He cast a shadow over the fate of the multiparty pact last month by setting a four-month ultimatum for Washington's European partners and the US Congress to address what he says are "disastrous flaws" in the Iran deal. Otherwise, the republican hawk threatened, he would not extend waivers of sanctions against Iran, a move that could deal a potentially fatal blow to the broadly supported agreement.

  Walkout's Repercussions 

Rouhani warned his US counterpart about the consequences of walking out of the deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensives Plan of Action.

"The Americans have attempted several times to destroy this important regional and international agreement, but to no avail. I should repeat that our nation will abide by its JCPOA commitments as long as the other side upholds its end of the bargain," Rouhani said.

"If [the Americans] quit the pact, they will suffer its consequences very soon."

Trump has raised concerns over Tehran's missile development and regional role, which are not part of the JCPOA, and has demanded the Europeans draw up a separate side deal to address those concerns.

Britain, France, and Germany, all parties to the accord, have said they are open to discussions on those non-nuclear issues but have rejected Trump's call for reopening the JCPOA to impose tougher restrictions on Tehran's nuclear activities.

Elsewhere, in an address to foreign envoys in Tehran a day earlier, Rouhani said the Islamic Republic could have considered new talks with the West on non-nuclear issues had the US remained committed to ensuring the full implementation of the nuclear deal.

"If the JCPOA had been fully implemented, Iran would be ready to engage in negotiations over other important, complicated issues," he said.