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Rouhani Claims Iran Is More Powerful, Has More Advanced Weapons Than In 2015

President Hassan Rouhani Says Iran's military is several times more powerful than in 2015.  "We have the most modern air defense system. We have the best frigates and best missile systems. Even our nuclear power is different from the past," he said at a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Wednesday.

He also boasted about the situation of Iran's economy, saying that despite US sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic Iran has had a positive economic growth rate in the second quarter of the current Iranian year (June 21-September 20). While there is no independent confirmation of a positive growth rate, government officials and media constantly speak of increasing hardship for the people, with the national currency losing more than 50 percent of its value in the same period Rouhani refers to and high inflation persisting, especially in case of food items.

Speaking on the prospects for negotiations with the new US over Tehran's nuclear program, Rouhani criticized Iranian media for saying that the situation is now different from 2015 when the nuclear agreement with the West was made.

He accused Iranian media of being under the influence of "anti-Iran and satellite television channels," a reference to Persian speaking media abroad. Still, he said, "in 2015 there were 6 UN resolutions against Iran as well as a case of PMD (possible military dimensions), but those pressures have been lifted now."

Rouhani said, "We proved to the world…that we have been fulfilling our nuclear obligations. But none of 5+1 or even the 4+1 have fulfilled their obligations."

"Once we were facing the 5+1, but today America is isolated and all countries except one or two small states that are US mercenaries suggest that the America should return to the nuclear deal," Rouhani added.

He added: "Besides, we are more powerful particularly in terms of defense. We have the most modern air defense system. We have the best frigates and best missile systems. Even our nuclear power is different from the past.”

In January, Iranian air defense failed to distinguish a Ukrainian Boeing civilian airliner from a cruise missile and shot down the plane killing 176 people on board.

Rouhani also said that Iran is more advanced in terms uranium enrichment technology. "In 2015 we had only the old IR-1 and IR-2 centrifuges, but today we have the modern IR-6 and IR-8 systems," he added.

Rouhani said no pressure can defeat Iran today, yet Iran is prepared to return to all of its nuclear commitments quickly if the 5+1 complies with its obligations.

Speaking about the US presidential election, Rouhani said that Iranian media and politicians have accused him of being over-excited about Joe Biden's victory. He added angrily: "I am not over-excited because of Biden's arrival but I am certainly so glad over Trump's departure." He called Trump "a criminal who even prevented Iran's access to the COVID-19 vaccine."

This comes while other Iranian officials have said the reason why Iran cannot purchase the Pfizer vaccine is that it lacks the storage and transportation facilities that could keep the vaccine in an extremely low temperature all the way.

Seizing the opportunity to counter Iranian media reports and his political rivals' charges about his administration's failure in the area of economy, Rouhani claimed that Iran's agriculture sector has had a 4.1 percent growth, adding that the country's industry grew by up to 21 percent during the past eight months. He said Aluminium production, for instance, has grown by 52 percent during the same period.

There are no independent reports to concur with Rouhani's statement. On the contrary, reports have said that Iran is facing high inflation and a struggling economy well into 2021.  

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