Iran's acting president Mohammad Mokhber claimed on Monday that Iran is now much stronger than a few years ago, asserting it could 'hit' neighboring countries and Israel with little to no repercussions.
Mokhber was referring to missile attacks by Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) against targets in Pakistan, Iraqi Kurdistan, and Israel, all of which have taken place in the context of an ongoing conflict after 7 October.
"There was a time when [the IRGC] would test a missile, and all [Iran’s] markets would be unsettled. Government officials would scream, saying, ‘what will happen to our country after what you did’. [But] today, three countries have been hit. We hit Israel. [Yet] people wake up in the morning… and the currency rate is the same. Inflation is the same," Mokhber said.
The interim president was speaking at the opening ceremony of Iran’s new parliament, defending the government of former president Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in northwestern Iran last week. Mokhber seemed to be undisturbed by the presence of foreign dignitaries, including those whose countries were targeted by the IRGC missiles.
His remarks raised a few eyebrows, not least because Pakistan and Iraq whose targeting Mokhber seemed to be celebrating, declared national mourning following the death of Ebrahim Raisi and sent high-ranking delegations to his funeral.
As undiplomatic as Mokhber’s words may be, it betrays an element of truth that has been brought up by many politicians in the US and elsewhere: that the Islamic Republic of Iran has gained in confidence and aggression in the past few years, especially since Joe Biden entered the White House.
Biden critics say his ‘leniency’ has emboldened Iran and the IRGC. On Monday, Wall Street Journal reported that the Biden administration is advising European countries to "back off plans to rebuke Iran" for advances in its nuclear program, hoping to prevent escalation ahead of the 2024 US elections in November.
Even more controversial than his assertion about Iran becoming immune to repercussions, was Mokhlber’s claim that economy had come out unscathed from Tehran’s aggressive actions –on the day that brokers in two major stock exchanges in Iran halted trading to protest the downturn in Iran’s stock market.
Many users on social media were quick to point out that Iran’s currency hit an all-time low against the US dollar following the IRGC’s drone and missile attack on Israel on April 13. Others mocked Mokhber's words, stating that Iran’s economy was in ruins, and that millions of Iranians were struggling to make ends meet while the nation’s wealth was being spent on the regime’s costly adventures in the region and beyond.
It’s unclear if Mokhber will stand in the upcoming elections to replace Raisi. He is well positioned as vice-president and enjoys the trust of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. However, other hardline figures are also contenders, such as Saeed Jalili, a former nuclear negotiator known for his tough stance, and Parviz Fattah, a former IRGC member currently heading the influential parastatal foundation for the Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Orders, a key player in Iran’s economy.
