Pezeshkian Calls for Major Reforms to Address Iran’s Challenges

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian delivers a speech to traders and economic activists in Khorasan Province, northeastern Iran (Iranian Presidency)
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian delivers a speech to traders and economic activists in Khorasan Province, northeastern Iran (Iranian Presidency)
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Pezeshkian Calls for Major Reforms to Address Iran’s Challenges

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian delivers a speech to traders and economic activists in Khorasan Province, northeastern Iran (Iranian Presidency)
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian delivers a speech to traders and economic activists in Khorasan Province, northeastern Iran (Iranian Presidency)

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian emphasized the need for significant reforms in various sectors, stating that “the people’s satisfaction is the first and most important step.”
At the same time, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf cautioned against hindering the new government, which is supported by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Speaking to merchants in northeastern Iran, Pezeshkian said: “In any plan we pursue, we must consider the vulnerable and ensure they are not harmed by development. We cannot allow our actions to push the people into crises.”
Using his background in surgery, Pezeshkian likened the country’s problems to medical issues needing surgical intervention but did not offer specific solutions.
“The people want to stay connected with their leaders. Our job now is to earn their trust. Any plan we undertake must involve them,” he said.
He stressed that while there are big tasks ahead, it is crucial to show that these efforts are for the people's benefit.
Pezeshkian also highlighted the poverty in eastern and western regions despite their resources, calling for justice and cooperation to remove obstacles.
He advocated for giving more authority to provincial governors, arguing that decentralization is necessary.
However, he warned that granting power without a clear plan could lead to chaos.
“We need to know what we’re building before we give authority to those responsible,” he said.
Pezeshkian stressed that for his government to succeed, trade and industry must flourish.
“If my government is to continue, these sectors must thrive; otherwise, my leadership is meaningless,” he stated.
He emphasized that the government’s role is to create a safe and supportive environment for businesses.
Pezeshkian plans to visit several countries, starting with Iraq and Turkmenistan.
“We’re discussing what we should focus on with them. If we can establish a good environment for trade and exports at our borders, we can achieve economic growth,” he affirmed.
“As I visit different nations, my job is to pave the way for better trade,” confirmed Pezeshkian.
He has directed the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Trade to prepare plans for his meetings abroad.
“If we use these opportunities wisely, we can boost the economy, create jobs, and solve many problems,” he added.
Pezeshkian emphasized that these visits will only be successful with cooperation across the government and a shared vision for trade, the economy, and industry.
Earlier this week, in his first official television interview, Pezeshkian stated that the country needs $100 billion in foreign investment to achieve an 8% growth rate.
He emphasized that this goal hinges on the country’s relationships abroad—with the world, neighbors, and the Iranian diaspora.

 



12 Killed as Boat with Dozens of Migrants Rips Apart in English Channel off France

Firefighters handle the bodies of migrants who died trying to cross the Channel to England in Boulogne-sur-Mer, northern France on September 3, 2024. (AFP)
Firefighters handle the bodies of migrants who died trying to cross the Channel to England in Boulogne-sur-Mer, northern France on September 3, 2024. (AFP)
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12 Killed as Boat with Dozens of Migrants Rips Apart in English Channel off France

Firefighters handle the bodies of migrants who died trying to cross the Channel to England in Boulogne-sur-Mer, northern France on September 3, 2024. (AFP)
Firefighters handle the bodies of migrants who died trying to cross the Channel to England in Boulogne-sur-Mer, northern France on September 3, 2024. (AFP)

A boat carrying migrants ripped apart in the English Channel as they attempted to reach Britain from northern France on Tuesday, plunging dozens into the treacherous waterway and leaving 12 dead, authorities said.

Most of the victims were believed to be women, some under 18, and many of the passengers didn't have life preservers, officials said, with one calling it the deadliest migrant accident in the channel this year.

“Unfortunately, the bottom of the boat ripped open,” said Olivier Barbarin, mayor of Le Portel near Boulogne-sur-Mer, where a first aid post was set up to treat victims. “If people don’t know how to swim in the agitated waters ... it can go very quickly."

Europe’s increasingly strict asylum rules, growing xenophobia and hostile treatment of migrants have been pushing them north. Before Tuesday’s accident, at least 30 migrants had died or gone missing while trying to cross to the UK this year, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Rescuers pulled a total of 65 people from the English Channel on Tuesday in a search that lasted more than four hours, according to Lt. Etienne Baggio, a spokesman for the French agency that oversees the stretch of sea where the boat ripped apart. Doctors confirmed 12 died, he said.

Another 12 people were hospitalized, and two were in very serious conditions, authorities said.

Baggio called it the deadliest migrant boat tragedy in the English Channel this year. In July, four migrants died while attempting the crossing on an inflatable boat that capsized and punctured. Five others, including a child, died in another attempt in April. And five dead were recovered from the seas or found washed up along a beach after a migrant boat ran into difficulties in the dark and winter cold of January.

Many of those aboard the vessel that broke up in the English Channel on Tuesday didn't have life vests, Baggio said. It was not immediately clear what kind of boat it was. Three helicopters, a plane, two fishing boats and more than six other vessels were involved in the rescue operation.

In another sea tragedy Tuesday involving migrants seeking a better life in Europe, a boat carrying migrants capsized off the Libyan coast, leaving one person dead and 22 missing, Libyan authorities said.

The agency overseeing the rescue operation in the English Channel said the boat got into difficulty off Gris-Nez point between Boulogne-sur-Mer and the port of Calais further north. Sea temperatures off northern France were around 20 degrees C, or about 68 F.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin went to Boulogne-sur-Mer to meet those involved in handling what he described as the “terrible shipwreck.” He said the boat was frail and small -- less than 7 meters (23 feet) long -- and that smugglers are packing more and more people aboard such vessels. Most of the people on the boat were believed to be from Eritrea, and most of the victims were women, he said.

Last week, the leaders of France and Britain agreed to deepen cooperation on illegal migration in the channel.

UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper called it “a horrifying and deeply tragic incident” and paid tribute to French rescuers “who undoubtedly saved many lives, but sadly could not save everyone.”

“The gangs behind this appalling and callous trade in human lives have been cramming more and more people onto increasingly unseaworthy dinghies, and sending them out into the Channel even in very poor weather,” she said.

“They do not care about anything but the profits they make, and that is why — as well as mourning the awful loss of life — the work to dismantle these dangerous and criminal smuggler gangs and to strengthen border security is so vital and must proceed apace.”

At least 2,109 migrants have tried to cross the English Channel on small boats in the past seven days, according to UK Home Office data updated Tuesday. The data includes people found in the channel or on arrival.