Khamenei: Government Statistics Do Not Reflect the Real Situation of the Country

The Leader of the Islamic Republic once again stated that the statistics provided by Hassan Rouhani's government regarding the improvement of the economic situation, including the reduction of inflation and exit from recession, "do not reflect the real situation of the country and the lives of the people." According to the official news agency of the Islamic Republic, IRNA, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday, September 4, during a meeting with members of the government: "The statistics presented in the economic sector are based on scientific foundations, but these statistics do not fully and everywhere reflect the real situation of the country and the lives of the people." He added: "According to these statistics, inflation has decreased from several tens of percent to below ten percent, but has the purchasing power of the people and the value of the national currency also increased at the same rate?" Khamenei emphasized that the government's statistics regarding the exit from recession "are correct," but at the same time stated that not all decisions of the "Resistance Economy Command Headquarters" were implemented, and it is expected that supervision and follow-up will ensure that the tasks assigned to the agencies are well realized. The Leader of the Islamic Republic had also expressed doubt about the accuracy of the government's statistics regarding the improvement of people's economic situation during a meeting with members of the Assembly of Experts on March 19 last year, stating that "these do not affect the lives and livelihoods of the people in the short and medium term." Following this, many close associates of Ayatollah Khamenei, including Friday prayer leaders in various cities, severely criticized the performance of Hassan Rouhani's government in the economic sector. In contrast, Hassan Rouhani defended his government's achievements in controlling inflation, economic growth, and employment in his Nowruz message of 2017, calling it "unprecedented" compared to the past 25 years. In response to the criticisms, the Iranian President said that "even ten subsequent governments will not be able to solve all the problems," but the government has chosen a "correct" path that is moving towards reducing problems. During the presidential election debates, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Ebrahim Raisi also expressed doubts about the accuracy of the government's statistics. Meanwhile, some experts have stated that part of Iran's economic growth during Hassan Rouhani's government has increased due to rising oil exports, and this increase has not impacted employment growth. Khamenei's call for "maintaining revolutionary spirit in diplomacy" Ayatollah Khamenei, in his meeting on Saturday with members of the twelfth government, also considered it important to "maintain the revolutionary and religious orientation and spirit in diplomacy" and emphasized: "We must be proud of our revolution in diplomatic matters" and feel dignity in "standing against arrogance, fighting oppression, and opposing the system of domination." The Leader of the Islamic Republic also called for "opening the umbrella of diplomacy over the entire world" and "not focusing on relations with a few limited countries." Ayatollah Khamenei had previously asked Hassan Rouhani and his government to appear "with authority and firmness" against the United States during the presidential inauguration ceremony. In that same ceremony, Hassan Rouhani emphasized that in the next four years, he would continue with "more confidence than before" in constructive and effective interaction with the world within the framework of the constitution. Close associates of the Leader of the Islamic Republic refer to the Vienna nuclear agreement as "a loss" and severely criticize the government's foreign policies. On Saturday, the Leader of the Islamic Republic also asked members of Hassan Rouhani's government to "tolerate hearing opposing voices" and welcome criticism. He stated that "having a strong public relations section" and "provincial trips" is very good and useful. Khamenei had also told Hassan Rouhani during the inauguration ceremony: "Let the opponents criticize and express opposing views; you should not be disturbed, there are many shortcomings in our work, accept criticism as a form of tolerance." In the election debates, Ebrahim Raisi, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, and Mostafa Mir Salim, three candidates, accused their rival Hassan Rouhani of using at least 50 "offensive" phrases about critics. In response, Hassan Rouhani said in a speech in Urmia: "Those who cut tongues and sewed mouths now talk about freedom of expression and criticism. Over the past years, everything you issued was a word of prohibition; prohibition of pen, prohibition of image, please do not talk about freedom, as freedom is embarrassed." The Leader of the Islamic Republic's statements about the necessity of freedom of criticism come at a time when many of his critics have been imprisoned on charges of "insulting the leadership." Additionally, since the February 1979 revolution, thousands of government critics have been executed, and many others have been imprisoned.