TEHRAN - Chairman of Iran’s Expediency Council Seyyed Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi on Saturday insisted on the importance of national unity, saying “national power” is dependent on “unity”.

The top cleric made the remarks while visiting the mausoleum of Imam Khomeini, founder of the Islamic revolution.

He advised against moves that would induce the opponents of the Islamic republic to sow discord between the people and officials.

“We should not do something that lead to the enemy’s efforts to create division between the people and the officials,” Hashemi Shahroudi said in an indirect reference to the recent unrest in the country.

In the unrest which lasted for a week, the U.S. president and the Zionist regime as well as the MKO terrorist group and the son of the last shah of Iran provoked people to mutiny against the Islamic Republic.

Hashemi Shahroudi also said “Islamic awakening” and “revival of Islamic resistance against hegemonic system” were among the gifts of the Islamic Revolution.

President Hassan Rouhani also visited Imam Khomeini’s mausoleum on Wednesday. Rouhani said, “All officials of the country should have a listening ear for people’s demands and wishes.” 

“The previous regime thought it would rule forever, but lost everything because it didn’t listen to people’s criticism and advice,” the president warned. “It only heard the voice of people’s Revolution.”

Iranians toppled the U.S.-backed Pahlavi regime 39 years ago, ending 2,500 years of monarchy in the country.

NA/PA