During a press conference held in Tehran on Monday morning, President Raisi announced that Iran’s presence in markets across Latin America, Africa, and Asia has increased over the past two years. This was the third press briefing held by the Iranian president since he took office over two years ago.

President Raisi also mentioned Iran’s recent accession to the BRICS emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, as well as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). He stated that these moves have thwarted efforts by Iran’s enemies to isolate the country.

The event is being covered by over 250 domestic and foreign correspondents, journalists, photographers, and cameramen. The press conference is being held on the occasion of National Government Week, which began across Iran on August 24th. The purpose of the conference is to provide reports on the administration’s performance and to answer questions from reporters.

Iran has not left the negotiating table

Asked by the correspondent of RT (the Russian TV news network) whether it is true that the sole solution for saving Iran’s economy is to get close to the Western states or not, President Raisi said that the Islamic Republic’s foreign policy is not limited to the issue of removal of the sanctions, but it includes relations with the neighbors and membership in the regional and extra-regional coalitions.

The Islamic Republic has not left the negotiating table; it was the other side that left the table and now is willing to continue the talks with Iran, the president added.

Some say that the only way to solve the problems is to receive a smile from the US and certain European countries, he said, adding, “We’re not waiting for their smile, and we don’t make the economy and people’s lives dependent on their will.”

Tehran pursues ways to lift sanctions; meanwhile, “we’re not awaiting their decision for [our] country.”

Iran should frustrate enemies

President Raisi emphasized that Iran must act prudently and make the foes disappointed and remorseful to force them to back down.

The root cause of the enemy’s irritation is their belief that our nation would be stopped by such threats; however, the Iranian people succeeded in moving forward, the president said, adding that the enemies wanted to prevent growth in our production and economy, but they failed to achieve their objectives.

If obeying the law, foreign Internet platforms can work in Iran

Pointing to activities of foreign platforms and networks in Iran, he noted that they would be allowed to have an active presence in the country provided they comply with the country’s laws.

In response to concerns about the lack of access to foreign social networks, President Raisi emphasized the importance of easy access to the internet. He mentioned that the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology is working to improve internet connectivity by laying fiber optics throughout the country and establishing a national information network.

President Raisi also stressed that all platforms operating in Iran must be accountable for their performance.

De-dollarization process

In Iran, the government is working to reduce the influence of the US dollar on the pricing of essential goods, he said.

When asked about the impact of his administration’s accomplishments on people’s livelihoods, President Raisi stated that all measures taken by the government are intended to improve people’s standard of living. For example, increasing production levels, foreign trade, and oil and non-oil exports are positively impacting people’s lives.

He also emphasized that economic indicators such as production and trade exchanges can affect people’s lives and that the prices and availability of necessary goods will undoubtedly have an impact on people’s livelihoods.