Analysis by PMOI/MEK
Iran, September 28, 2020—In yet another attempt to escape his own failures, Iranian regime’s president Hassan Rouhani once again blamed the U.S. administration for Iran’s economic crisis on Saturday, saying, “If the people want to blame somebody for country’s problems and shortcomings they must curse the White House in Washington, and nobody must give wrong addresses to the people.”
Rouhani’s remarks were met with public outrage and ridiculed by many users in social media and even the regime’s own officials.
The Majlis (Parliament) responds
Many MP’s from both currents in the regime, even several who are close to Rouhani, criticized his remarks and warned of public anger.
On Sunday, September 6, MP Ardeshir Motahari said: “The address for country’s problems is not the White House but the Pasteur Street (Tehran) and the office of those who have wasted the country’s time by negotiating with the White House.” He also cautioned Rouhani to remain silent in the final year of his presidency because every time he speaks, it only results in public anger and the disruption of the markets.
The daily Hamdeli wrote on September 27: “These remarks not only didn’t ease the people’s pain but will cause more anger… since part of country’s problems is not because of the U.S. sanctions but due to government corruption.”
The daily Vatan-e Emrooz also wrote on Sunday: “These days Rouhani tries to close his eyes on his previous promises. His government’s logic was to blame previous officials for sanctions, but now he takes no responsibilities and blames Washington D.C. for the current situation.”
Abbas Abdi, one of the prominent figures in the so-called reformist current, who previously promoted Rouhani’s presidency ridiculed Rouhani’s remarks and suggested that he resigns. “If we blame the White House to solve the problem of high prices, in this case, then the person who can’t negotiate must step aside and let other do the job,” he said.
The state-run Raja News website, affiliated with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, attacked Rouhani and said: “If Rouhani believes the root of the people’s economic problems is in America, so probably the solution also lies there and we must solve the problems from the root.”
Why Rouhani is being attacked
Logically, Khamenei’s faction should have backed Rouhani’s attacks on the U.S. But why did his remarks have the reverse effect?
Interestingly, by throwing Rouhani under the bus, Khamenei’s cronies try to hide the reality that the roots of people’s problems are Khamenei himself and his corrupt rule, of which Rouhani is just a showcase piece.
But despite the regime’s misleading tactics the people of Iran clear know where the roots of the problems lie. They showed their desire for the overthrow of the mullahs’ regime in five nationwide uprisings since 2018 where they chanted “down with the dictator,” “Reformists, hardliners, the game is over,” “Our enemy is here, they are lying to say it’s America!”
