IRNA – Iran’s First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri said on Tuesday that the 12th government under President Hassan Rouhani has created some 3.5 million jobs.

Jahangiri made the remarks during a ceremony in the Iranian capital to mark the National Day of Industry, Mine and Trade.

He said that the country is facing “arbitrary, inhumane and illegal” US-imposed sanctions on the one hand and is grappling with the deadly coronavirus disease on the other hand.

Pointing out that protecting the health of people and their livelihood is a top priority of the government, Jahangiri said that the government makes every effort to maintain the existing jobs during these tough times.

The Americans thought that they would be able to disrupt the Iranian economy, but the Iranian officials changed their policies to tackle their plots, he said.

"Our policy in this situation in the face of foreign pressures arising from sanctions is to resort to resistance and we have to devise a mechanism so as to increase the tolerance of the nation," the vice-president added.