Mazandaran province: President Masoud Pezeshkian has criticized Western countries for claiming to be democratic, arguing that their actions show they use force, threats, and pressure to advance their interests. Addressing a gathering during his two-day trip to Mazandaran Province on Wednesday evening, Pezeshkian addressed a number of internal and external issues, including the decades of anti-Iran plots and conspiracies.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Pezeshkian referred to the enemies' destructive and hostile actions since the victory of the Islamic Revolution, stating that creating ethnic divisions and disputes, and the eight-year imposed war were part of their conspiracies. He noted that the enemies' goal had been to create division and destroy the belief of Iranian youths in the dictum "we can".

Stating that political and economic pressures and a media war were another agenda of Iran's adversaries wanting to impose their will on the Iranian nation, the President reminded of a recent statement of former US Speaker Nancy Pelosi that the pressure on Iran must be piled up to such an extent that even the people of the villages will protest.

Pezeshkian once again called on the citizens to join hands to build Iran and steer the country's growth and development based on justice, equality, and merit, insisting that the way to build the future is with the help of Iranian youth, both girls and boys.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Pezeshkian emphasized the need to institutionalize a culture of dialogue and empathy in society, saying that standing together and using differences as opportunities would advance the country to another level.