TEHRAN – Reza Salehi Amiri, president of Iran’s National Olympic Committee (NOC), has underlined the necessity of unity in order to pass through the current critical situation.

In an interview with the Arman newspaper published on Monday, Salehi Amiri said the reformists along with other political factions, including the principlists, can show their unity to the enemy.

The remarks by Salehi Amir comes as Iran has come under unprecedented economic pressure coupled with repeated threats of military action against the country by the Trump administration. 

“In the current circumstances and in order to survive politically, we need to show political unity among different political factions,” said Salehi Amiri, who also served as minister of culture and Islamic guidance in President Hassan Rouhani’s first administration.

He explained that there are three major political factions inside Iran today under the name of reformists, principlists and moderates.

Asked about the threats posed to the moderates, he said radicalism is the main threat against the discourse of the moderates. 

“I believe that radicalism rejects the political system in any situation,” he said, adding, “Radicalism survives through chaotic atmospheres.”

MH/PA