Iran Says It Tested Satellite-Carrying Rocket

During the interview, Raisi defended his government's problematic economic performance and blamed the previous government and "conspiracies hatched by the enemies," for the country's mounting problems.

According to the official news agency, IRNA, Raisi said that his government has repaid the previous government's 290 trillion rial (around $1.2 billion) debt to the banks within only 20 days after he took office. He added that very little fund in foreign currency was left at the treasury by the end of the previous government's term of office. He also claimed that the "economic reform" he is pursuing should have been implemented under the government of President Hassan Rouhani.

Meanwhile, he blamed foreign conspiracies and the previous government's performance for the financial crisis Iranians are facing today.

One news website commented that the interview was not really an interview. It was a one-sided campaign speech, and the interviewer acted like an employee, referring to the state televsion fully at the service of the government.

In an interview with Nameh News website, Iranian economic analyst Albert Boghosian said Raisi's remarks on the state TV were not convincing. Boghosian added that Raisi's promise about tackling Iran's rising inflation within a short period of time was unrealistic, and that the people were right not to believe him.

He said it was not clear if the President meant that prices would come down after a while, or as is more likely, he meant that there will be no further increases.

Raisi’s government abolished food import subsidies in early May that led to an immediate jump in prices. The point-to-point inflation rate for May-June jumped 55 percent to the same period in 2021. The government called its decision “economic surgery.”

Boghosian added that Iranians were not prepared for Raisi's 'economic surgery’ and likened the resident's move to building a house while ignoring that the operation will lead to the collapse of neighboring buildings. The economist said ironically that Raisi has performed the surgery but there is no one around to take care of the patient's recovery.

He warned that Iran is in a situation that even stabilizing the prices are not acceptable and there should be a reduction in inflation. "People cannot wait…hoping that prices will hopefully come down in six months," he said.

In another development, moderate-conservative news website Khabar Online asked its readers whether Raisi's remarks were convincing. Most of the comments sent to the website were negative. One reader said: "It was disappointing. He did not say anything new." Another reader wrote: "Raisi's comments about the banking system, inflation, prices, and housing did not make sense." Still, a third reader commented that "The honorable president did not accept responsibility for his cabinet's performance and blamed the previous government and sinister elements. Generally, he did not convince anyone."

Economic journalist Ebrahim Alizade wrote in series of tweets on Sunday: "Why did Raisi took part in this interview? Was he trying to calm the people? He kept promising that the situation is going to get better but did not talk about the parliament's plans to further increase prices."

In the meantime, reports from the Iranian parliament (Majles) say the process has been completed for the impeachment of Industry Minister Reza Fatemi Amin while motions have been also tabled to impeach the ministers of Agriculture, Interior, and Roads and Housing.

Al-Kadhimi, who headed to Saudi Arabia Saturday evening and met with the kingdom’s de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday, was officially welcomed by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

While in Riyadh, Prince Mohammed and Kadhimi addressed "bilateral relations and opportunities for joint cooperation" as they discussed several issues that would contribute to supporting and strengthening regional security and stability," the official Saudi Press Agency reported,

Iran and Saudi Arabia -- which are locked in proxy conflicts around the region -- have held several rounds of talks in the Iraqi capital Baghdad since 2021.

In April, they finally held the much-anticipated fifth round of negotiations, saying that a clear outlook was reached for the resumption of regular talks. Kadhimi said then he believed "reconciliation is near."

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said late in March that improving Tehran-Riyadh relations would benefit all regional countries.

However, it was the Islamic Republic that earlier in the month suspended the talks a day after Saudi Arabia announced it had beheaded 81 men, including seven Yemenis and a Syrian, for “heinous crimes.” Forty-one were Saudi Shiites, Human Rights Watch reported, apparently convicted over protests.

Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in 2016 when mobs attacked its embassy in Tehran after Riyadh executed 47 dissidents including the leading Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.

The prosecutor general of Khuzestan province, Sadegh Jafari-Chegeni, said on Saturday that indictments were issued in several embezzlement cases related to the road and urban development ministry and some steel companies among others. 

He added more than 100 indictments have been issued against officials, companies, government or government-affiliated organizations and public institutions since last year.

Jafari-Chegeni also said 16 people have been arrested in connection with the deadly collapse of a high-rise building in May, and other people may face charges following the decisions by the expert taskforce that is investigating the case. 

The Metropol twin towers collapsed on May 23 burying more than 80 people under the rubble, with 42 bodies recovered so far. It is not clear what happened to the other 40 people who went missing, as most of the debris has been removed.

The governor general of Khuzestan province, Sadegh Khalilian, admitted earlier in the month that "corruption" was the underlying reason for the collapse of the building that led to days of protests, adding that "the building was erected on the foundations of corruption and unhealthy relations.”

Last week, Iran’s Martyrs Foundation confirmed several cases of embezzlement in the institution, saying only in one of instances the amount was about $200 million.

Addressing a gathering of the officers of the Armed Forces, the Revolutionary Guard and the police on Sunday, Deputy Commander of the Army’s Air Defense Force, Brigadier General Alireza Elhami said "The only way out of all sanctions and threats is to become stronger in all matters, especially in the military field."

The development of missile power is a sign of self-confidence and reliance on domestic capabilities, he added, without disclosing any details about the new missiles.

He also called for synergy and coordination between the various branches of the Islamic Republic’s military, describing it as a force of progress for the country.

“The Army Air Defense is cooperating with the country's elites, the Ministry of Defense, and the Armed Forces in the fields of defense sciences, artificial intelligence, cognitive sciences, quantum physics, cyber defense, and electronic warfare,” Elhami said. 

Late in May, Iran showcased several new models of cruise missiles and drones in an Army's secret underground base in the Zagros mountains.

Iran is accused of providing Yemen’s Houthis and numerous other proxies militias with missiles and drones that are used to attack Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as well as bases hosting US-led forces in Iraq and Syria.

He added that during the past year out of 319 complaints, 39 cases have led to arrests and indictments of which, 20 media outlets or journalists have been convicted of various offenses and 19 have been cleared of the charges.

He added that most of the charges included publishing lies, libel and insult and in most cases a settlement has been reached through payment of fines.

Pressures on the press have been on the rise during the past months. Maryam Shokrani, a Shargh daily journalist, wrote in a tweet on June 25 that these include fabrication of cases against journalists in a systematic way. Sher wrote in another tweet the previous day that the Oil Ministry in Iran forced her to pull a story about an Iran vessel seized in international waters.

Developments indicating more pressures on the media and journalists, coincided with a meeting by journalists on Thursday where they discussed "the national media document," which highlights the need for regulating media activities and relations between the government and the media.

According to the reformist Shargh, the meeting was called by board of directors of the Tehran Province Press Association which operates as a proxy for the Journalists and Writers Trade Union, banned for nearly a decade now. The association's board members, as well as several journalists, editors, academics and cultural figures took part in the meeting.

Board chairman Abbas Abdi, a reformist journalist said that the national media document includes suggestions by the association to improve the situation of the media. He added that by offering this collection of suggestions, the association wishes to start a dialogue between with the government.

Abdi said: "Any change in Iran should start from the media. And by the word media, I mean the official media rather than unofficial [social] media." Abdi added that four group of journalists representing the print media, radio and television, social media, and news agencies have worked on the document which generally explains the status quo and offers a prospect for the future.

Academic Mehdi Mohsenian Rad said newspaper readership is very small in Iran, judging by limited circulation. He further explained that the reason for this problem is that "There is political control on the press that aims to promote the official values of the government."

Mohsenian added that the Iranian government does not recognize the role of the media as a body that monitors the behavior of various actors in society.

Economist Kamal Athari said that the problem of the media starts from the government's approach to social and economic development. In the Iranian press everything is about power rather than progress and this has been the case since the 1990s.

Ali Mirzakhani, who has been the managing editor of the economic daily Donyaye Eqtesad, confirmed Mohsenian's view about the prevailing ideological approach to media content in Iran. Nonetheless, he argued that government control over the media starts from the requirement of receiving a license to start a media venture. Anyone who cannot be trusted to follow the ideological and political boundaries of the Islamic Republic cannot receive a license to publish.

Mirzakhani also mentioned the role of cash subsidies paid by the government to the press as a tool for controlling the media. This attracts publishers who have the right connections, but no professional interest, and wish to work with journalists whose main characteristic is obedience rather than expertise, said journalist Mojgan Jamshidi.