Iranians to Wisely Respond to US, Saudi Support for Protests: MP
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The spokesperson for the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission said the people of the country would wisely respond to US and Saudi moves to back protests in Iran against high prices.
“The Americans have imposed extensive sanctions to put the Iranian people under economic pressures…,” Hossein Naqavi Hosseini told the Tasnim News Agency.
“How can it (the US government) now claim to be defending the demands of the Iranian people?” he wondered.
The parliamentarian further emphasized that the Iranian nation hates the Riyadh and Washington regimes and will not allow them to use it as an instrument.
Some cities in Iran have been scenes of demonstrations in the past days after prices of several staples rose by up to 40 percent.
During the rallies, people called on the government to help control rising food prices and inflation, but some opportunists attempted to turn the situation ugly and materialize their vested interests at the cost of social security.
The US president also sided with the opportunists, tweeting, “…Iranian govt should respect their people’s rights, including right to express themselves. The world is watching!”
That is while according to Article 27 of the Iranian Constitution, “public gatherings and marches are allowed so long as the participants do not carry arms and are not in violation of the fundamental principles of Islam.”
Iranian officials maintain that peaceful protests are the right of every citizen as long as the rallies comply with the legal conditions.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani began his second term in office in August, with the country’s economic issues high on his agenda.
Rouhani’s administration has managed to reduce the inflation rate, but it still faces many economic challenges.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei has said economic issues were the country’s top priority, urging Iranian officials to make relentless efforts to solve problems facing the people, including unemployment among the youth.
“Economy must be the top priority of all members and sectors of the government,” the Leader said in a meeting with President Rouhani and the members of his administration in August.
In a speech on Wednesday, Ayatollah Khamenei once again called on officials to pursue the Resistance Economy with determination in order to address “high prices, inflation and recession.”
