President Hassan Rouhani has again appealed for national unity to help deal with economic problems visiting the country, saying that his administration is cognizant of the challenges and is doing its best to ameliorate the situation.
"We are making every effort to reduce the pain and suffering of the people. We have no doubt that we can overcome the problems through unity, cohesion and resistance," Rouhani said Saturday, his official website reported.
He made the rare admission about the gravity of the economic ills while speaking at the mausoleum of Imam Khomeini in south Tehran, where he and his his senior aides renewed their allegiance to the ideals of the late founder of the Islamic Republic. The occasion marked the annual Government Week, which began on Friday.
Blame Game
The president, who is under mounting criticism from both sides of the political divide for his handling of the worsening economic problems and growing tensions with Washington, cautioned against assigning blame for the current situation.
"Now is not the time to unload our burden on somebody else's shoulders. It will be a great mistake to think that anyone can wash their hands off the situation," he said, adding that addressing problems is the responsibility of everyone.
Working in Harmony
Rouhani's tenure has been marked by sporadic strikes and protests over the steep increase in food prices, a dramatic currency collapse and the reimposition of US sanctions after it abandoned the nuclear accord. The poor performance of his government has also been criticized in clerical circles.
The president sought to play down the differences, saying, "The clerical and religious institutions and the government are together."
Religious leaders have stood by the government since the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution and governments have followed their guidelines, he added.
He said Imam Khomeini had always called on the people, regardless of their differences, to support each other to help the country achieve its objectives.
