Pezeshkian: No power can force us to surrender

Tehran - BORNA - Speaking Sunday at a ceremony in which members of the administration renewed their allegiance to the ideals of the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini, Pezeshkian referred to the situation Iran faced when his government took office and the subsequent outbreak of war against the country.

“Since the government took office, war, sanctions, various forms of pressure and assassinations have been taking place continuously and on a daily basis,” Pezeshkian said.

He said the administration had also inherited major imbalances and problems in the water, electricity, gas and fuel sectors, as well as environmental and banking challenges, adding that the government had managed to reach its current position through the efforts of all its members.

The president said Iran’s adversaries had expected the country to collapse after assessing its domestic difficulties.

“They thought Iran would become Venezuela, but not only did that not happen, Iran instead became a power whose resistance, solidarity and cohesion astonished the world,” he said. “Our dear people accomplished something extraordinary.”

Pezeshkian said the government was doing everything in its power to address existing hardships, while acknowledging the problems facing the public.

“We are in a full-scale economic, military and security war,” he said. “They very easily say that they will impose the most crushing and terrifying sanctions on Iran. We are standing firm and trying to serve the people in this unequal war.”

He said the government had managed key sectors during the wars without experiencing the kind of severe market disruption that Iran’s adversaries had anticipated.

Fuel supplies, store shelves, roads, water distribution and other areas had continued to be managed, Pezeshkian said, thanking officials involved and expressing hope that the country could overcome the crises through collective cooperation and improve people’s lives and future prospects.

Pezeshkian defends memorandum reached after consultations

The Iranian president also referred to the process that led to a memorandum of understanding, saying the framework had emerged from lengthy discussions and represented the expert consensus of all those directly involved.

“The fighters who were on the battlefield, the officials maintaining security, the executives implementing decisions, lawmakers, judges and other experienced figures were all involved in this process without exception,” he said.

Pezeshkian said those same people had been responsible for Iran’s refusal to bow to its adversaries.

“If we stood firm and did not bow our heads before the enemy, it was because of these people, not anyone else,” he said. “These same people sat together and reached a framework, concluding on the basis of expediency, dignity and wisdom that this was how we should proceed.”

Addressing criticism of the memorandum, Pezeshkian said some opponents reject it because they either do not fully understand the circumstances or have not been directly involved.

Drawing on a Quranic reference, he said some people refuse to reason and therefore do not listen regardless of what they are told, adding that it is human conduct and decision-making, rather than God, that can lead to injustice and poor choices.

Government focused on inflation, livelihoods and jobs

Pezeshkian acknowledged that Iranian society faces significant problems and said his administration is working to improve inflation, livelihoods, employment and the public’s future.

“We are trying as much as we can to prevent people from facing hardship,” he said. “The enemy is also doing everything it can to stop us from achieving that.”

He pointed to US efforts to pressure other governments, including Muslim countries, not to trade with Iran in order to force Tehran into submission.

“When they speak with governments that are Muslim and claim to be so, asking them not to trade with Iran so that Iran will surrender, what further evidence do we need to understand the scale of the full-fledged war we are facing?” Pezeshkian said.

The president also praised national unity during missile attacks, saying even people who had grievances against the authorities stood with the country.

“Even those who were upset with us because of our behavior and rhetoric, and because we had treated some of them as though they were not part of us, stood for the country and Iran’s dignity,” he said.

He added that this unity disappointed adversaries who had expected those groups to take to the streets and create unrest.

‘No power can force us to surrender’

Pezeshkian said the government would continue resisting pressure and serving the public to the best of its ability.

“As far as we understand and know, we will not fall short,” he said. “Many of our problems arise because we act without sufficient knowledge and create problems for ourselves. If we act correctly, no power can force us into surrender or helplessness.”

The president said national strength depends on unity, cohesion, solidarity and following the country’s leadership.

“We must act on the basis of expertise, reason and thought, and through solidarity and consultation,” he said. “Once we make a decision and reach an understanding, everyone must stand behind that decision and implement it.”

“If we do that, we will certainly prevail. But if we make a decision and then violate it, the path we are taking will naturally become unstable.”

Pezeshkian expressed hope that national unity would endure, saying Iran’s adversaries are seeking to exploit economic and social problems to create divisions within society.

“We will do everything in our power to stay away from division, rifts, conflicts and selfishness,” he said. “We promise to continue on this path with strength, dignity and pride, and we will certainly act on the basis of knowledge and awareness.”

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