Outgoing Iran prez says government not always truthful
PTI, Aug 1, 2021, 2:35 PM IST
Dubai: Iran’s outgoing president on Sunday acknowledged his nation at times “did not tell part of the truth” to its people during his eight-year tenure, as he prepares to leave the office with his signature nuclear deal with world powers in tatters and tensions high with the West.
President Hassan Rouhani’s comments, aired on state television, come as officials in his government have appeared rudderless in recent months amid a series of crises ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to parching droughts fueling public protests.
After appearing just days earlier to be lectured by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei about their failures in the nuclear negotiations, Rouhani’s remarks appeared aimed at acknowledging the problems his government faced in its waning hours.
President-elect Ebrahim Raisi, a protégé of Khamenei, will be inaugurated Thursday.
“What we told people was not contrary to reality, but we did not tell part of the truth to people,” Rouhani said at his last Cabinet meeting as president. “Because I did not find it useful and I was afraid it would harm national unity.”
He did not elaborate on what he meant by his remarks.
However, during his tenure, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard mistakenly shot down a commercial airliner and killed 176 people on board in January 2020, which the government refused for days to acknowledge until Western nations went public with their suspicions.
Rouhani, a relative moderate within Iran’s theocracy, insisted he and his officials did their best.
“If we have a defect, we apologize to the people and ask them for forgiveness and mercy,” Rouhani said.
He pointed to the country’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which saw Iran agree to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.
However, that deal now sits in tatters after then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the accord in May 2018.
Rouhani blamed many of Iran’s current problems on Trump’s decision, which saw the value of the Islamic Republic’s rial currency crash.
The president said that while Iran had plans to upgrade its armed forces after the expiration of a UN arms embargo in October 2020, it couldn’t due to its financial woes.
“We did not have the money to buy due to sanctions and not selling oil, but the contract is completely ready,” he said.
Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.
Top News
Related Articles More
Baku climate talks: The ‘X’ factor that could determine future of Global South
India-US ties have strong foundation: White House confident in navigating crisis over Adani bribery charges
PM Modi leaves for home after concluding three-nation visit
China announces new policy measures to protect its exports from Trump’s new tariff threat
Pak government prepares for proposed protest by former PM Imran Khan’s party on Nov 24
MUST WATCH
Latest Additions
Public Alert: Cyber fraudsters impersonating traffic police to demand fines
Court acquits MLA Bachchu Kadu in 2011 Mantralaya clerk slapping case
Markets stage sharp recovery; Sensex reclaims 79k level, Nifty surges 557.35 points
UP: 25 people booked for attacking civic officials for encroachment removal
SC transfers cheating case against choreographer Remo D’Souza to Delhi court
Thanks for visiting Udayavani
You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.