Rafsanjani: Sanctions are Rotting the Bones of the Working Class

The head of Iran's Expediency Council, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, stated that Western sanctions against Iran have 'driven the people to despair' and are 'rotting the bones of the working class, who are the majority of the country.' He referred to claims that sanctions are ineffective as statements from a 'small group' that has 'power and a platform,' adding that 'noble individuals and scholars in society have become cautious and conservative in expressing the impacts of sanctions.' According to the Iranian Labor News Agency, ILNA, this senior official of the Islamic Republic emphasized on Tuesday, June 16, that 'sanctions have driven the people to despair. How can they claim it is in our favor?' He also noted that some people claim sanctions do not affect their lives, but they do impact their work. He stated, 'Sanctions are rotting the bones of the working class, who are the majority of the country, and life has become difficult.' Rafsanjani also mentioned that due to sanctions, 'many important projects are stalled' and 'very large plans remain incomplete.' Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, on June 14, emphasized that due to sanctions, every foreign product in Iran is 'at least 10 to 15 percent' more expensive, saying, 'Those who say sanctions are not important seem unaware of the people's pockets.' Rouhani had previously described Western sanctions against Iran as 'unsuccessful' yet 'effective,' reiterating that sanctions even affect dam construction. A few days ago, he stated that 'oppressive sanctions must be lifted for investment to come in and to resolve issues related to the environment, youth employment, industry, society, and drinking water for the people.' In response to these remarks, the head of Iran's judiciary, the chairman of the Assembly of Experts, and some appointees of the Supreme Leader criticized linking Iran's economic problems to nuclear negotiations and sanctions. Ali Saeedi, representative of the Supreme Leader in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, also stated on June 15, 'When we say our drinking water is related to sanctions, how do we expect the other side in negotiations to deal with us?' Rafsanjani, in another part of his remarks on Tuesday, also referred to statements about the ineffectiveness of sanctions, saying, 'There is no religious justification for us not to speak; these are not the words of the Iranian people. They are the words of a small group that unfortunately has power and a platform across the country.' He emphasized that 'noble individuals and scholars in society have also become cautious and conservative in expressing the impacts of sanctions.' He added, 'How can there be individuals who consider interaction with the world as humiliation? What humiliation?' Rafsanjani said, 'We must find a way to interact with the world. Reason and religion allow this. Extremism and rigidity never yield results. The Khawarij also had no moderation in history.' This Iranian official had previously stated that the group known as 'the hardliners' in Iran has become 'aligned with Benjamin Netanyahu,' the Prime Minister of Israel. Nevertheless, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, has asked Iran's nuclear negotiating team to listen to the opinions of prominent opponents of the Lausanne Agreement. He had previously asked the government and its supporters not to insult those who, according to him, 'express concerns and worries.' The term 'hardliners' is used in Iranian media for critics of negotiations regarding Iran's nuclear program, most of whom are close to the Steadfast Front.