Aref: The Hope Faction in Parliament Will Seriously Pursue the Issue of 'National Dialogue'

Simultaneously with the support of Mustafa Tajzadeh and Abdullah Ramazanzadeh, two reformist political activists, for Mohammad Khatami's proposal for 'national reconciliation', Mohammad Reza Aref, the head of the Hope Faction in Parliament, also announced that this faction will pursue the issue of 'national dialogue' 'seriously'. According to ISNA news agency, on Thursday, February 10, Aref stated during a meeting with Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of the founder of the Islamic Republic, that 'in the current sensitive conditions and the special situation of the region, we have no way but unity within the family of the revolution.' He emphasized that the Islamic Republic needs 'solidarity within the country' to 'play an effective role in reducing tensions' in the region. The head of the Hope Faction announced that this faction has been pursuing the issue of 'national dialogue' within Parliament since the beginning of the tenth Parliament by forming a working group, adding that the faction will pursue the issue 'seriously' at the national level. He added: 'The discourse of reform transcends its rights for the sake of national interests, and we expect the country's elders to assist the Hope Faction in operationalizing the national dialogue.' Mohammad Khatami, the former President of Iran, expressed hope on February 8 for the 'realization of national reconciliation and internal solidarity' in Iran, stating that 'now is the best opportunity to create solidarity among all forces in the path of national interests and to repel and eliminate threats and conspiracies.' Khatami emphasized that 'no one should remain in the past', stating: 'Those who are under house arrest and in prison also have a stance on external threats and undoubtedly feel more pain than many who claim revolutionary fervor in society.' He also urged his supporters to participate in the February 11 rally, even if they are 'disappointed with some policies', and to 'defend the territorial integrity of the country and the national interests and dignity of Iran against the nonsense of enemies with unity and cohesion.' These statements have elicited reactions from some conservative figures and media. The Kayhan newspaper, while criticizing Khatami's proposal, called for his and the reformists' 'apology and repentance' for their 'past actions'. Ali Bagheri, former deputy secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, also stated that the aim of this proposal is to transform a 'criminal instigator' into a 'claiming reformer'. Mohammad Reza Bahonar, the deputy speaker of the ninth Parliament, also asked Khatami to first clarify his position regarding the protests against the 2009 presidential election and 'then enter the political arena as a political activist.' In contrast, Abdullah Ramazanzadeh, spokesperson for Khatami's government, stated in an interview with the Law newspaper on Thursday that 'the economic situation, border conditions, and social damage have increased to the point that the country is at risk, and everyone must help together to close this hole that is causing the ship to sink.' Regarding the rejection of this proposal by the other side, he said: 'Our only message is to stop the ship from sinking. We will keep talking and repeating our message until we reach a result; we have no other way.' Meanwhile, some social media users criticized Khatami's statements, interpreting them as an apology to the Supreme Leader and forgetting the protests against the 2009 presidential election. In response, Mustafa Tajzadeh, a member of the Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization, defended Khatami's proposal and reacted to these criticisms by stating that 'national reconciliation' means 'accepting plurality from a position of equality and sameness, not that one should apologize to the other or write a letter of repentance.' He added: 'If we were inclined to such actions, we would have resorted to such methods during the years we were in prison to save ourselves and secure a share of the government.' Khatami had expressed hope on January 18 that the 'relative reconciliation' that emerged after the death of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the head of the Expediency Discernment Council, would continue and that the Supreme Leader would bring everyone into 'a new arena of life to serve the people and elevate the country.' Khatami has been banned from appearing in Iranian media since the winter of 2014, and reports indicate he has been prevented from attending some ceremonies. Meanwhile, the discussion of national reconciliation arises at a time when Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi, leaders of the protests against the 2009 presidential election results, have been under house arrest without trial since February 2011. This situation has drawn significant criticism. In this regard, the children of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Zahra Rahnavard, as well as the children of Mehdi Karroubi, have previously criticized Hassan Rouhani's government for its 'indifference' to lifting the house arrest of the Green Movement leaders. In contrast, Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, in a recent press interview, expressed regret about the non-implementation of 'some rights' in the country in response to a question about the house arrest of the leaders of the protests against the 2009 election results. He said: 'Solving some issues takes time, and our capacity is at a certain level that we need help from others; we need a consensus from the system.' In this context, the uncle of Ayatollah Khamenei urged the Supreme Leader to 'change his behavior before the fabric of affairs unravels.' Aref mentioned that there have been follow-ups regarding the lifting of the house arrest and that he is optimistic about them. Khatami expressed hope for the continuation of 'relative reconciliation' after Rafsanjani's death.