Iranian president warns about dire economic situation

Iran's president and parliament speaker once again acknowledged that the country is facing a severe economic crisis, with people under "immense" inflationary pressure, with no relief from sanctions in sight.

Speaking at a February 3 meeting of top state officials, led by the heads of the three branches of government, President Masoud Pezeshkian said his government is three months behind on some employee payments, while security forces arrest those who protest the delays in the streets.

"We owe them the money, and it is our responsibility to pay them," Pezeshkian said, adding that the government has to solve the people's problems. He further urged everyone at the meeting "to avoid angering the people."

He said some foreign officials continue to claim that "Iran has been badly weakened and protests are imminent," accusing foreign governments of seeking to exploit public unrest.

Pezeshkian noted that "nearly half of eligible voters did not participate in the latest presidential election, but we are still responsible for serving and addressing the demands of all citizens, including those who did not vote." He acknowledged that while the government aims to serve the people, "they are not satisfied with the way we work," according to Aftab News.

At the same time, Mohammad Hashemi, an influential centrist politician, pointed out that only Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei can authorize Iranian officials to negotiate with the United States to reach a deal on reducing sanctions.

Meanwhile, Iran's state-run news channel aired remarks from both President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament (Majles) Speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf, in which they said they "regret that the people are facing so many financial difficulties." However, some Iranian media outlets, including the state-owned ISNA news agency, only reported portions of their speeches that omitted references to the country's dire economic situation.

Politicians outside the government, including former lawmaker Ali Motahari also echoed Ghalibaf's comment about the dire situation of the economy.

The conservative website Nameh News quoted Pezeshkian as saying at the meeting, "We are duty-bound to solve the people's problems, and if we cannot, we must apologize. Instead, when we fail to pay our debts to them, we mistreat them and send them to jail. These people have worked hard and simply want to be paid for their labor. At the very least, we should speak to them with respect and ask for more time to fulfill our obligations."

Nameh News also quoted Pezeshkian as saying, "Iran's economic situation is unacceptable. Prices are high, people are under pressure, and we cannot fully resolve the crisis, as part of the solution is beyond our control."

Pezeshkian was likely referring to the fact that only Khamenei can authorize negotiations with the United States as a possible step toward addressing Iran's economic problems. The way the heads of the government's branches spoke about the issue on state TV suggests they were making a similar point, possibly attempting to persuade Khamenei to soften his stance on negotiations.

In an interview with the centrist daily Arman Melli, Mohammad Hashemi, a former chief of state television, emphasized that "negotiations with the United States are important for Iran, and only Khamenei, as Supreme Leader, can authorize Iranian officials to participate." He added that "the views of hardliners influenced by the ultraconservative Paydary Party will not determine the fate of the negotiations."

Meanwhile, Iranian media quoted a deputy intelligence minister as saying, "Iran will not negotiate with the United States, as those seeking talks want Iran to retreat from its positions or passively witness the collapse of its political system."