Western democracy is “vulnerable”, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said today, warning “the whole world” of the rise of “populism” after the incidents that took place yesterday at the Capitol in Washington.

“What we saw in the United States last night and today showed, first of all, how vulnerable Western democracy is,” Rouhani was quoted as saying by state television.

“Unfortunately, we (in Western countries) have found that the ground is ready for populism, despite advances in industry and science,” Rouhani said.

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“A populist came to power and caused a catastrophe in his country in four years (…) I hope everyone and the next leaders in the White House learn from it,” he added, referring to the outgoing US President Donald Trump.

The Iranian president made the remarks the day after all the chaos and violence in Washington, when Trump supporters – refusing to acknowledge the victory of Democratic president-elect Joe Biden in the November 3 election – stormed the Capitol.

Accused by his ultra-conservative opponents of seeking a “compromise” with the West, Rouhani, a moderate in Iranian politics, sent a new message of ‘openness’ to the future US government.

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US officials who “will take power in two weeks will compensate (the damage caused by the Trump administration) and will work to regain a place worthy of the American nation, because the American nation is a great nation,” he said.

“If they return to reason, legality and obligations, [it will] be for their own benefit and for the good of the world,” Rouhani added.

Although the Islamic Republic describes the United States as a “great devil,” this is not the first time an Iranian president has referred to the “American nation” as a “great nation.”

The Islamic Republic and the United States cut their diplomatic ties in 1980 and have twice been on the brink of war since June 2019 amid tensions in the Gulf and the international deal on Iran’s nuclear program, which is in danger of collapsing after Trump withdrew in 2018.

Biden has said he wants to rejoin his country in the deal when he takes office on January 20th.

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