President Rouhani made the above remark in the second anniversary of the passing of Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani on Thursday and said, “the name of Hashemi Rafsanjani is bound up with Iran’s glory and despite the lashes he received to his soul, people showed that the services of those who care about the nation cannot be erased through slander and lies”.
He said, “our revolution and country owe a great deal to Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani."
“He was one of the closest students of the late Imam Khomeini (RA) and was active during his youth even more than those in the seminary were,” he continued.
The president pointed to the salient characteristics of the late Rafsanjani and said, “Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani was a brave person, not leaving the arena.”
The Supreme Leader of the Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei said “nobody will be like Hashemi to me,” said President Rouhani.
He continued, “in the structure of the Revolution and the establishment of the Islamic Republic, Martyr Beheshti and the late Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani were the main pillars”.
“The best management of the parliament happened during the hard times by the late Ayatollah Hashemi,” he continued.
“Imam Khomeini (RA) put the burden of the war on the shoulders of Ayatollah Khamenei and the late Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani,” he continued.
The late Hashemi Rafsanjani was the commander of the war from 1983 until the end of war. His intelligence was even more accurate than the then commanders, President Rouhani maintained.
President Rouhani also said, “Hashemi was wise; because he saw both the scene and behind it, and the final results.”
“Karbala 4 was an important, major operation, but during the war, sometimes we were victorious and sometimes the enemies were,” he continued.
The President also went on to say, “Hashemi immediately led the unsuccessful Karbala 4 Operation to the successful Karbala 5 Operation”.
He continued, “political and economic war with the world is not a skill, but leading it to a desired result is. Hashemi was a prominent strategist, politician and religious authority”.
“Patience and tirelessness were Ayatollah Hashemi’s best characteristics,” he said, adding, “they started the war to prevent our country from becoming developed; Hashemi knew this very well.”
“Hashemi believed that we had to continue the war, not for the war, but for a peace with dignity,” he said, adding, “the war ended with a peace with dignity and pride”.
“When everybody was mourning Imam Khomeini, Hashemi kept all forces up and ready, he said, adding, “the one who managed the Tir 7 catastrophe with Imam Khomeini’s (RA) guidance was Hashemi.”
He continued, “the role of Hashemi during the times of crisis is unforgettable; Hashemi was the guardian of the system and the country.”
“One mustn’t doubt for a second that if Hashemi was not present in the meeting of the Assembly of Experts in 1989, that night the meeting wouldn’t conclude by choosing the substitute for the Leader,” he continued.
With Hashemi passing away, the government lost a great support, continued Rouhani, adding, “Until the last minute, Ayatollah Hashemi was pursuing all affairs of the country and he wanted a proud, modern Iran”.
“After the Revolution, Hashemi said that the shadow of war was taken away from Iran and that he would die with ease,” he continued.
The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran also said, “full lifting of the arms embargo is one of the greatest achievements of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).”
“We are proud of our defensive and scientific missiles,” he said, adding, “we are sending two satellites to space soon.”
“Moderation and hope are Hashemi’s legacy. We need to be our own time’s Hashemi and exercise moderation, patience and tolerance,” Rouhani opined.
President Rouhani said, “being Non-partisan is hard; Hashemi was beyond parties and factions.”