TEHRAN – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said that “poverty and unemployment” are main causes of insecurity which should be addressed.

He made the remarks while addressing police commanders in Tehran on Saturday.

“The main ills are poverty, unemployment, corruption and hypocrisy,” the president noted.

He highlighted the importance of paying attention to the roots of security.

Rouhani, a law expert, also stated that all the Iranian people are equal before the law.

He added that the law should be enforced “precisely”.

The president stated that police is not duty bound to “implement Islam” because in the Islamic Republic system the law conforms to Sharia and police is only duty bound to implement the law.

‘Iran’s reliance on oil, at lowest level’

Elsewhere in his remarks, Rouhani said the country’s reliance on oil has been reduced to its lowest level in the current Iranian calendar year, which began on March 20.

He also stated that his government has sought and is seeking to fulfill election promises.

In addition to security, “health” has been among the government promises, he said.

The government has fulfilled its promises in spite of all the sanctions and the cut in oil price by half, the president stated.

Rouhani went on to say that rich neighboring countries hatched the plot to reduce oil price to hurt Iran but they themselves suffered.

NA/PA