President Rouhani stated that "during economic war, the country needs a single commander; I suggested to the Supreme Leader to be the commander, but he said it is the president who has to be the commander of this war". He also suggested that "today, we are again in a battle with the Iranian nation's staunch enemy... it is all about one thing: America says we should go back to 40 years ago and we say we will not go backward, we will continue on the path of progress, independence, freedom and democracy".