TEHRAN – Late on Saturday a number of political activists from reform and conservative camps met with President Hassan Rouhani.

During the talks, Rouhani said none of the political factions can be removed in the country.

Among those present in the meeting were Behzad Nabavi, Ghoam-Ali Haddad Adel, Mohammad Salamati, Ali Shakouri Rad, Ahmad Tavakoli, Eliyas Hazrati, Ghodratollah Ali Khani, Mohammad Reza Bahonar, Mohammad Ali Abtahi, Assadollah Badamchian, Mohammad Atrianfar, Seyyed Reza Taqavi, Gholamreza Mesbahi Moqhaddam, Hamid Reza Jalaiepour, Mohsen Hashemi, Hossein Marashi, and Morteza Bank.

Rouhani told the attendees that all forces loyal to the Islamic Revolution should show unity, suggesting that the February parliamentary election should be turned into symbol of national unity.
  
Elsewhere in his remarks, Rouhani described the enemies’ economic and political pressure against Iran as an “all-out war” which is unprecedented in the history of the Islamic Revolution.

“Today, it cannot be said that the situation is better or worse than the Imposed War [1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war], but during the war we did not have problems in areas of banking relations, oil sale and importation and exportation and the only sanction on us was in purchasing weapon,” he stated.

He noted that surrender is not the solution.

“Surrender is not compatible with our culture and religion, and people will not accept it. So, we must not surrender and we must find solutions,” he said.

The comments came three days after Rouhani sent a letter to the leaders of the remaining parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, announcing that Iran will stop implementing some terms of the 2015 nuclear deal until the remaining signatories to the deal take action to mitigate the negative impacts of the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear agreement.

“This announcement is for 60 days. We have announced to the other side, the five countries [Germany, France, UK, Russia and China], that if they come to the negotiating table in 60 days and we reach a conclusion and safeguard our main interests which are oil [sale] and banking relations, we will return to the previous situation of May 7, 2019,” Rouhani told a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

The move came exactly one year after U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew his country from the nuclear agreement and started to pressure European parties to the deal to suspend their economic cooperation with Tehran.

NA/PA