Another Controversial Iftar Ceremony: Protests Against House Arrest and Media Ban

Just one day after the events that took place during Hassan Rouhani's iftar with political parties, reports indicate that the iftar ceremony with a group of clerics also escalated to 'tension' following a speaker's protest against the house arrest of Green Movement leaders. On Thursday evening, July 4, an iftar gathering of clerics and Friday prayer leaders hosted by President Hassan Rouhani was held, and before Mr. Rouhani's speech, four clerics spoke at the event. According to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA), quoting Mohammad Ali Ahangar, a cleric present at the meeting and son of the famous eulogist Sadegh Ahangar, the session became 'tense' for a moment after a speech by a cleric named 'Mr. Adib'. In his remarks, Mr. Adib protested the house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, leaders of the Green Movement, and the media ban on Mohammad Khatami, the former president of Iran, without a trial, as well as issues like the cancellation of licensed concerts. Mr. Ahangar wrote on his Instagram page: 'During Mr. Adib's speech, a significant number of scholars approved his words by saying 'well done', while about seven or eight Friday prayer leaders shouted and with slogans of 'death to the seditionist' and 'death to the enemy of the Supreme Leader', the session became tense for a moment.' He added: 'One of the Friday prayer leaders stood up and announced that the Friday prayer leaders should leave the session in protest, but no one left, and all the protesters remained seated, and the session calmed down.' According to Mr. Ahangar, Mehdi Tabatabai, a prominent cleric and representative of the seventh parliament, who was the next speaker, also advised the 'sloganeers' to 'think about the dignity of Islam instead of roaring and shouting and to help Islam.' Meanwhile, according to Fars News Agency, Hossein Ebrahimi, a member of the Combatant Clergy Association and a participant in the ceremony, stated that Mr. Adib considered the house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi and the media ban on Mohammad Khatami as 'a violation of the constitution.' According to Mr. Ebrahimi, after these remarks, some attendees protested to Mr. Rouhani, and 'some wanted to leave the session, but they stayed due to mediation.' A day before the 'tension' at Mr. Rouhani's iftar with clerics, the request of Gholamhossein Karbaschi, secretary-general of the Construction Party, to lift the house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi during the president's iftar with political parties had caused protests from some conservative figures. Among them, the Front of Followers of the Line of Imam and the Leader, which is referred to as a front for coordinating conservatives, issued a statement referring to Mr. Karbaschi's remarks, stating: 'If valued friends in the session did not leave out of respect for the president... it does not indicate indifference to Mr. Karbaschi's subversive remarks.' According to Tasnim News Agency, this statement emphasized: 'If these sessions are to continue, certainly the organizers of such sessions... if someone does not adhere to the red lines of the system, they must be warned.' Meanwhile, according to Fars News Agency, Laleh Eftekhari, a representative from Tehran in parliament, also called for action against what she described as 'subversive' remarks made during Mr. Rouhani's two iftar ceremonies over the past two days.