Iranian President Rouhani: In This Time of War, We Cannot Keep Election Promises We Made at Time of Peace

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a December 30, 2019 speech that aired on IRINN TV (Iran) that his government is not fulfilling its election promises because those promises had been made "under circumstances of peace” and war has since been forced upon Iran. Urging the public to be patient, Rouhani said: "We did not choose to go to this war, nor did we start it." Rouhani’s speech was delivered on Iran’s National Petrochemical Industry Day.

Hassan Rouhani: Since November 4, 2018 in particular, we have been subjected to maximum pressure. In the past year and a few months, we could see our people’s steadfastness and resistance. Obviously, some of this steadfastness has to do with the people themselves. They must increase their endurance and patience, and they should be able to advance their lives under difficult circumstances. Obviously, normal circumstances are different than circumstances of war. Some address the [current] 12^th government and say: “The promises you made at the beginning of the government’s term – why can’t you fulfill those promises?” Well, we made those promises under circumstances of peace, but then we engaged in war. We did not choose to go to this war, nor did we start it. We had not even provided them with any pretext for it. They started it.