Al-Monitor- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani took to the podium to state that independence is not equivalent to isolation � remarks that can be interpreted as a response to hard-liners� continued criticism of the government�s foreign policy.

Rouhani, who was speaking at the founder of the Islamic Republic Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini�s mausoleum ahead of the 38th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, said, �Independence doesn�t mean isolation, and it means the absence of the domination of others over the destiny of the country.�

He added, �We are neither xenophiles nor xenophobes � we are Muslim, revolutionary and Iranian.�

Rouhani went on to say, �With the guidance of the supreme leader, we engage in constructive engagement with the world to the benefit of our people and the national interest.�
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