Iran’s Raisi Vows to Overcome Challenges, Blames Predecessor for Economic ‘Imbalance’

In this photo released on Monday, March 20, 2023, by the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Ebrahim Raisi gives a televised new year message to the nation at the presidency office in Tehran, Iran. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP)
In this photo released on Monday, March 20, 2023, by the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Ebrahim Raisi gives a televised new year message to the nation at the presidency office in Tehran, Iran. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP)
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Iran’s Raisi Vows to Overcome Challenges, Blames Predecessor for Economic ‘Imbalance’

In this photo released on Monday, March 20, 2023, by the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Ebrahim Raisi gives a televised new year message to the nation at the presidency office in Tehran, Iran. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP)
In this photo released on Monday, March 20, 2023, by the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Ebrahim Raisi gives a televised new year message to the nation at the presidency office in Tehran, Iran. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP)

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi pledged to fulfill promises made to his citizens and defended his “balanced” foreign policy, blaming the previous government, which was headed by Hassan Rouhani, for economic instability and “challenges” facing the country.

The Iranian government’s website quoted Raisi as saying that the government’s internal policy depended on the country’s energies and a balanced foreign approach.

“We have overcome many challenges despite the enemies’ efforts to fuel discontent in society and conspiracies to separate the regime from the government,” Raisi told a conference of senior officials, as reported by the website.

He indirectly blamed his predecessor for the challenges, which he said were facing Iran, noting his government had inherited them from the previous administration.

Regarding internal politics, the president pledged that his government would not be drawn into “false alignments”, stressing that his team would work with “all revolutionary agencies” to overcome the problems in Iran.

Gatherers at Monday’s conference brought together senior government directors to discuss “curbing inflation and raising production”, which was addressed by Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, in a televised speech on the occasion of Nowruz last week.

Raisi stressed that talks about the lack of budget and capabilities were “causing frustration and pessimism in society,” describing them an “unforgivable sin.” He added that an improvement in the living situation was “certain.”

He urged officials to address the “imbalance” in the economy. He added that the ministries of industry, trade, energy, agriculture and economy were tasked with strengthening production growth and curbing inflation in all departments.

He also announced the formation of a special committee that would work on reducing inflation.

A report by the Central Bank of Iran on Sunday stated that the inflation between March 20, 2022 and March 20 this year reached 46.5 percent.



Macron Meets with Families of 3 French Nationals Detained in Iran

A woman, holding a photo of French teacher Cécile Kohler, detained in Iran since May 2022 along with her partner Jacques Paris, takes part in a rally in Paris on 23 March, 2024, to ask for the release of French citizens held in Iran. (AFP)
A woman, holding a photo of French teacher Cécile Kohler, detained in Iran since May 2022 along with her partner Jacques Paris, takes part in a rally in Paris on 23 March, 2024, to ask for the release of French citizens held in Iran. (AFP)
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Macron Meets with Families of 3 French Nationals Detained in Iran

A woman, holding a photo of French teacher Cécile Kohler, detained in Iran since May 2022 along with her partner Jacques Paris, takes part in a rally in Paris on 23 March, 2024, to ask for the release of French citizens held in Iran. (AFP)
A woman, holding a photo of French teacher Cécile Kohler, detained in Iran since May 2022 along with her partner Jacques Paris, takes part in a rally in Paris on 23 March, 2024, to ask for the release of French citizens held in Iran. (AFP)

French President Emmanuel Macron met on Monday with the families of three French nationals detained in Iran, assuring that the authorities will pursue their cases, according to Noémie Kohler, the sister of Cécile, one of the detainees.

Macron met with the relatives of Cécile, her partner Jacques Paris, and Olivier Grondeau, a third Frenchman detained by Tehran, for about one and a half hour, Noémie told AFP.

“Macron provided us with a number of answers regarding the measures France is undertaking to secure the release of the detainees,” she said.

“The meeting shows us that the situation of our loved ones is being taken very seriously at the highest levels,” Noémie explained.

She added that the families of the three detainees understood that the Iranian authorities had not responded to the French proposals that were offered to them.

However, Cécile’s sister lamented the lack of “short-term prospects for release, which is very, very hard to endure.”

Cécile, a teacher of modern literature, was arrested on May 7, 2022, while traveling in Iran with her partner Jacques Paris, and charged with “espionage.”

Another French national, Olivier Grondeau, has also been detained in Iran since 2022.

On Jan. 31, Cécile’s family appealed to Macron on the 1,000th day of her detention in Iran.

On the same day, Macron denounced the “arbitrary and improper detention” of the French nationals. He said they were “hostages” and demanded their release.

In response, Iran rejected as “unconstructive” Macron's statements. It confirmed that “the decisions taken by our (judicial) system were in accordance with the law.”

Also last month, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot urged French nationals not to go to Iran until the hostages have been freed.

“The situation of our compatriots held hostage in Iran is quite simply unacceptable. They have been unjustly detained for several years, in unworthy conditions,” he said during the annual conference of French ambassadors in Paris.

In May 2023, Iran released French nationals Bernard Phelan and Benjamin Briere in a prisoner swap.