President Rouhani, who was addressing a large number of audience who attended ceremonies marking the 2nd death anniversary of Ayatollah Hashemi-Rafsanjani, praised the former Iranian president as a prominent strategist and prudent politician.
'Hashemi-Rafsanjani played a big role in victories attained during the war as well as putting an end to it,' Rouhani said referring to the eight-year war imposed by the former Baath regime of Iraq on Iran.
The president said in the coming weeks Iran will send two new satellites to the orbit, using two indigenous missiles.
'Designing and construction of missiles belonged to (Ayatollah) Hashemi (Rafsanjani); that's the missile, which is today our tool for defense, and we are honored for it; soon in the coming weeks, we will send two new satellites to the space, using our home-made missiles.'
Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani passed away in 2017. He was elected as the fourth president of Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution for two consecutive terms, 1889-1997. Chairman of Expediency Council, Chairman of Council of Experts, and Speaker of the Iranian Parliament (Majlis) were among other posts he filled during his 82-year life.
9156**1420
Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish
Publish Date: 10 January 2019 - 13:12
Tehran, Jan 10, IRNA – Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, a former Iranian president, had always been of a personality higher than his post and position, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said at a commemoration ceremony on Thursday.