Addressing a conference to mark the Iranian Judiciary Week in Tehran on Tuesday,
Rouhani highlighted Iran’s recent achievements in the international arena and
said, "We are (experiencing) a situation of political and legal victory but the
US is seeking to hit our nation with a psychological and economic war.”
"Today, the various branches of power bear a heavy responsibility, because the
Americans and other enemies of the (Islamic) Establishment have invested in
shattering the trust and hopes of the people in the first place,” he said.
"Whenever the Iranian nation gained a great victory at regional and
international levels, the enemies stood against this great nation because of
their (Iranians’) power and influence,” Rouhani went on to say.
He further emphasized that in the face of such hostilities toward Iranians, the
country’s unity and solidarity should be enhanced more than ever.
The remarks came as protesters in Tehran reportedly swarmed the capital’s
historic Grand Bazaar on Monday and forced shopkeepers to close their stalls,
months after similar demonstrations rocked the country.
The protests erupted after the Iranian rial dropped to 90,000 to the US dollar
on the country's black market, despite government attempts to control the
currency rate.
During late December and early January, peaceful protests over rising prices and
economic problems broke out in some Iranian cities, but the unauthorized
gatherings turned violent after a number of opportunists, some of them armed,
vandalized public property and launched attacks on police stations and
government buildings.
Iranian security officials say they have hard evidence that the protests were
directed from abroad.
They say many rioters arrested in the unrest have been trained by the MKO or had
links with Takfiri terrorist groups.
Following the unrest, people held several demonstrations across the country to
condemn the violent riots and acts of vandalism, and voice support for the
Islamic Republic’s Establishment.
Iranian officials maintain that people have the right to stage protests to
express their opinions as long as rallies comply with the legal conditions.
Source: Tehran Times