President Rouhani underscores national unity under present juncture

President Hassan Rouhani called on all Iranians to show the highest level of consensus and national unity while the government is holding talks with the major world powers.
President Rouhani underscores national unity under present juncture
“Today under the conditions that we are taking part in serious negotiations with the world powers, the country’s expediency requires us to show the highest degree of unity and national solidarity from ourselves,” President Rouhani said

“The government obliges itself to vigilantly fulfill its legal responsibilities in the field of foreign diplomacy in line with guidance and guidelines of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei,” the Iranian president added.

He pointed to the anniversary of foiling enemies’ plots on December 30, 2009, and said, “The people when felt that their religious beliefs and values have been disrespected and the foreign powers intend to interfere in their ethical and belief affairs gave a crushing response to the aliens with their presence.

After official announcement of the election results on June 13, 2009, supporters of the then President Mahmoud Ahmadinejadˈs main rival Mir Hossein Moussavi – who rejected the results – took to the streets of Tehran and other cities in daily rallies.

But later, millions of Iranian people as well as the Iranian police, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and Basij (mobilized volunteer) forces staged a strong presence and ended weeklong demonstrations and unrests in the capital.

Also, on December 30, 2009, pro-government rallies were staged by millions of Iranians after a group of opposition supporters – including those who took part in the post-election unrests in June – took advantage of the highly revered religious day of Ashoura on December 27 – the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hossein (AS), the grandson of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and Shiite Muslimsˈ third Imam – to chant slogans against top Iranian government officials.

On the same day (December 27), tens of millions of Iranians were on the streets to take part in annual massive processions across the country to mark the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hossein (AS).

Clashes began after demonstrators started clapping and showing happiness, insulting the mourning people who were also in the streets to commemorate Imam Hosseinˈs martyrdom anniversary.

In response to the Ashoura unrest, millions of Iranians took to the streets on Wednesday Dec. 30, 2009, demanding that rioters be brought to justice.

Later, Iran revealed that a number of western states have played a major role in stoking the unrests both after the presidential elections and on the Ashoura Day, singling out Britain and the US for meddling. Tehran also revealed strong evidence substantiating the interfering role of several foreign embassies and diplomats in stirring riots in Iran.