TEHRAN (Iran News) – President Ebrahim Raisi says the Iranian nation has succeeded in turning the United States’ sanctions and threats into opportunities.
“The U.S. sought to stop our nation through sanctions and threats, but not only our nation did not give in, it created an opportunity out of threats and sanctions and made progress,” Raisi said after he was officially welcomed by his Nicaraguan counterpart, Daniel Ortega, upon arrival in Managua on Tuesday evening local time.
He argued that the Nicaraguan people’s resistance against excessive demands and hegemonic powers led to their victory, adding that the two nations share a common desire for independence, freedom and justice.
He rejected “false” claims by Western powers about their advocacy for democracy and human rights and urged the West, especially the U.S., to respect the governments that are based on people’s votes. “but they do the opposite,” he said.
Raisi compared the U.S. role in creating Daesh to the Islamic Republic’s support for the fight against terrorism, saying, “They claim to fight terrorism but they martyred [Iran’s] anti-terror hero General Qassem Soleimani.”
The Iranian president further noted that Tehran and Managua enjoy “strategic” relations. He expressed the Islamic Republic’s readiness to improve mutual ties in various sectors, particularly science and technology.
Ortega, for his part, said the Iranian and Nicaraguan revolutions have deep roots in the fight against the dominance of arrogant powers, especially the United States.
He said imperial powers intrinsically seek to dominate other countries, and they exert pressure on independent countries under the pretext of human rights and democracy.
The President of Nicaragua described hegemony as part of the nature of imperialism and added, “The arrogant put pressure on independent countries under the pretext of human rights and democracy, but we will stand against them with strength.”
Heading a high-ranking politico-economic delegation, Raisi arrived in Nicaragua on the second leg of his three-nation tour of Latin America. Earlier, he visited Venezuela and will set off for Cuba later.
Upon the arrival of President Raisi to Nicaragua, attendance observed one-minute silence for the late commander of the IRGC Quds forces commander, Lt. Gen Soleimani.
At the official ceremony attended by Daniel Ortega, the President of Nicaragua, senior officials and the people of Managua the capital city of the country invited and hosted President Raisi and Iranian high-ranking officials, attendance observed a one-minute silence to honor Iranian Martyr Lt. General Soleimani, Late commander of the IRGC Quds Forces commander and the hero of the fight against terrorism.
