Iran known as a powerful, respected country; enemy targets symbols of its strength: President

“Despite all the difficulties and problems we face today, Iran is spoken of as a powerful and highly respected country,” the chief executive said during a televised broadcast aired on Wednesday marking the second year since his inauguration.

He noted that, during the latest unprovoked American-Israeli aggression targeting the Islamic Republic, the adversaries had planned to take control of the country within 48 hours as was the case with Syria.

The senior official was pointing to the 40-day war waged by the duo from February 28 until April 7, when US President Donald Trump announced unilateral ceasefire. The announcement came after at least 100 waves of decisive and uncompromising Iranian retaliation targeting highly sensitive and strategic American and Israeli targets across the region.

He pointed to the indivisible role played by national support in the country’s continued steadfastness in the face of hostile maneuvers, and warned about the enemies’ efforts at prompting discontentment among the members of the nation.

“If the country has remained standing until now, we owe it to the people,” he said, adding, “If we stand with the people, no power will be able to bring us down.”

“The enemy is exerting pressure in an attempt to provoke the people into protesting,” Pezeshkian said.

“The enemy has a problem with anything that symbolizes our capabilities, resilience, initiative, and creativity,” he stated.

As a case in point, he cited the enemies’ assassination of the nation’s commanders and scientists whom he hailed as deeply committed to serving the people.

“The enemies assassinated our commanders, who were truly self-sacrificing and had devoted their entire lives to serving the people,” the president said.

Many of those assassinated used to lead humble existences and “lived like ordinary people,” he said, and described their martyrdom as “painful.”

The president also lauded Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, describing the personality he encountered in the Leader of the Islamic Revolution as “exceptional.”

Pezeshkian also described the martyrdom of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the Leader’s father and predecessor, as the loss of “a great source of strength and support.”

“He stood behind us like a mountain and supported us. We could always speak to him frankly and honestly and tell him everything that was on our minds,” Pezeshkian said.