New Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has launched a viral video reminiscent of U.S. President Barack Obama’s “Yes We Can” video made by Will.i.Am, from the 2008 American election. The black and white video features clips from Rouhani’s Aug. 3 inauguration speech intermixed with music and singing.
The Rouhani video, which was posted on Rouhani.ir and shared on Twitter by @Rouhani_ir to celebrate his 100th day in office, features Iranian star Amir Hossein Modaress and filmmaker Hossein Dehbashi, who has told the Iranian media that the video was created, “Spontaneously.” The video, which promotes unity in the nation, is primarily in Persian, but also in Kurdish and Arabic. It includes clips of one of the most prominent figures in Iran’s post-revolution history, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
The lyrics, translated into English, go:
“Let us give all Iranians who love their country the opportunity to serve it. Let us allow elites to serve the nation. Let us allow the hearts to be cleansed from hatred.
“Let us have love, peace, and friendship instead of anger and antagonism. Let us allow Islam with its peaceful face, Iran with its rational face, the revolution with its humane face, and the establishment, with its affecting face, continue to create epics.”
Considered a moderate, Rouhani has changed the tone of Iran’s politics both domestically and internationally, since taking over from hardline predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Keep up with news from Iran both in Persian, via Voice of America’s Persian TV channel and in English from the Iranian point of view on Press TV both streaming free via FilmOn.
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