Rouhani Defends His Government's Performance: 'Destructors Have No Place'

One day after a critical letter from members of parliament, Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, stated that his government respects critics, but "destructors have no place and they are destroying their old house." According to the state news agency IRNA, Mr. Rouhani said on Wednesday, March 6, during his visit to Qom: "We always respect critics and tell them, just like supporters, that they have and will have the support of the government, but destructors have no place and they are destroying their old house." He presented statistics from his government's performance addressing critics: "Do they not see the statistics that the ease of doing business has changed by 22 ranks? It has gone from 152 to 130... We must judge fairly; the oil capacity has increased by 200,000 barrels per day; let’s compare the statistics of 1393 with previous years." The Iranian President emphasized in another part of his speech: "All our people must know that during these 18 months, despite inheriting numerous ruins, the government has been able to take steps with your support, the guidance of the Supreme Leader, and the backing of the Grand Ayatollahs." These statements by Mr. Rouhani come one day after a hundred members of the Iranian parliament requested in a letter that he focus on solving the numerous economic and cultural problems of the Iranian people instead of, as they put it, "dealing with peripheral issues or insulting and humiliating critics." Meanwhile, the state newspaper Iran described this letter on Wednesday as "a new layer of psychological warfare by hardliners against Rouhani" and criticized the non-disclosure of the names of the signing representatives by two conservative news agencies. The newspaper also reported that 30 members of parliament expressed ignorance about this letter, and Jabbar Kouchakinejad, the representative from Rasht, who confirmed the original letter, also expressed ignorance about the number of signing representatives. "In negotiations, we will accept neither imposition nor continuation of sanctions," Mr. Rouhani said in another part of his speech: "Last year, we took an important step in the nuclear field, which was the temporary agreement. Under that temporary agreement, you know that part of the sanctions were lifted." According to the Tasnim news agency, he added: "Our negotiating party should know that the end of these negotiations and the result of the agreement must be the lifting of all unjust and illegal sanctions." The President of Iran emphasized: "In negotiations, we will accept neither imposition nor continuation of sanctions." The immediate lifting of all Western sanctions against Iran has been declared as one of Iran's demands in nuclear negotiations with the 5+1 countries. Meanwhile, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, predicted on Wednesday, February 29, that international sanctions against Iran would remain even if a nuclear agreement is reached. The latest round of bilateral negotiations between Iran and the United States ended on Monday in Geneva, with both sides having a positive assessment of it, as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry stated that progress had been made. Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, also said that a general agreement had been reached and only details remained. The Wall Street Journal and the Associated Press reported on Monday that according to a potential agreement between Iran and world powers, Tehran would halt its nuclear activities for at least 10 years. However, the White House denied these reports.