Unity will thwart foreign interference: Iran's Rafsanjani

TEHRAN, Aug. 3 (MNA) -- Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has stated that national unity will eliminate the enemy’s pretexts for interfering in Iran’s internal affairs.

Islam and republicanism are two fundamental tenets of Iran’s religious democracy, Rafsanjani said in Tehran on Monday.

However, extremism in either of these principles will cause irreparable damage to the Islamic Revolution and the future of the country, he added.

He went on to say that his main concern for the country is the division in society.

Some ordinary citizens and some politicians resorted to “extremist and irrational actions” after last year’s presidential election, and that is worrisome, he stated.

Asked whether the slogan of the Islamic Revolution -- ‘Independence, freedom, Islamic republic’ -- has been fulfilled, he said, “Over the past three decades, despite some shortcomings, we have gotten close to the aims of the slogan to a satisfactory level.”

“In terms of political independence, the targets have been achieved to a large extent,” he added.

Rafsanjani also said that Iranians should redouble their efforts so that the country can achieve complete self-sufficiency and attain genuine economic independence.

But there is still a long way to go until all the objectives are achieved, he added.