Hashemi Rafsanjani: The Government Cannot Do Anything Regarding Lifting House Arrest

The head of Iran's Expediency Discernment Council says that the government cannot do anything regarding the lifting of house arrest for Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi, leaders of the Green Movement, and that expectations should not be placed on the government in this regard. Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani stated in an interview with Aftab News published on Tuesday, June 10, that predicting the likelihood of lifting the house arrest of the Green Movement leaders is 'not easy in this atmosphere.' He added, 'Of course, a transformation could occur, and I do not want to be negative.' Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi, who protested the results of the 2009 presidential election, have been under house arrest since February 2011 without trial. Previously, some Iranian officials reported the Supreme Leader's opposition to holding a trial for Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, stating that lifting their house arrest is solely in the hands of Ayatollah Khamenei. Ali Akbar Nategh Nouri, a member of the Expediency Discernment Council, stated on July 31, 2015, that decisions regarding the lifting of house arrest for these three individuals are solely within the authority of 'high-ranking officials' of the system. Ali Motahari, a representative from Tehran, also reported on June 28, 2015, that Ayatollah Khamenei told him in a meeting that the 'crime' of Mehdi Karroubi and Mir Hossein Mousavi is 'very serious,' and if they were to be tried, a 'heavy sentence' would await them. Motahari later stated that he was not convinced by the Supreme Leader's remarks, asserting that 'even the Prophet of Islam cannot say that a person's sentence is heavy without trial and hearing their defense.' Regarding the 2017 presidential election, Rafsanjani mentioned that 'if the general situation remains the same... the result is clear. But if other hands intervene, that is a separate discussion.' He added, 'I cannot predict possible events and incidents. I hope it goes well; I will help if I am around by then.' Rafsanjani referred to the parliamentary elections of February 26, 2016, saying, 'Anyone they thought would win was disqualified. But the people were so aware that they voted well for subsequent proposals, showing that the people have found their way.' He also expressed his concerns during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency, emphasizing that 'the extremism of some political groups, some individuals from Qom, and some prominent clerics and platforms' distanced people from the revolution. In recent months, some principlist media have reported that Hassan Rouhani's presidency will be limited to one term. Meanwhile, reports have emerged regarding the possibility of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad running in the upcoming presidential election. In contrast, Akbar Turkan, a senior advisor to Hassan Rouhani, referred to Ahmadinejad as 'a spent pawn,' and Ali Motahari stated that he should be 'tried before running.' Hossein Dehghan, an advisor to Rouhani, recently tweeted something that some websites linked to the possibility of Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force, running in the 2017 presidential election. Dehghan wrote, 'Let Haj Qasem remain at the peak of the legendary defense of the shrine and let us not drag him into the campaign like Mohsen and Baqer.' The Iranian president's advisor later clarified that the previous tweet was 'a heartfelt note stemming from the impact of Qasem Soleimani's heavenly speech' and 'a compassionate concern' regarding Mohsen Rezaei and Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf. Regarding the possibility of a meeting between Obama and Rouhani, Rafsanjani stated that there is 'absolutely' no chance of the Iranian and American presidents meeting. He added, 'When the leadership is opposed, Mr. Rouhani will not do this. Even that phone call they made put pressure on him.' During Hassan Rouhani's trip to New York to attend the UN General Assembly in 2013, a phone conversation took place between the Iranian and American presidents. The Supreme Leader and his close associates criticized this phone conversation. Last year, the handshake between Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's foreign minister, and Barack Obama also drew criticism from principlist figures and some members of parliament. In this interview, Hashemi also mentioned that 'the crises of unemployment, inflation, and internal disputes are concerning.' He called for more government attention to reviving closed factories, completing unfinished projects, and strengthening the private sector. After the tenth parliamentary elections, some political figures, including Hossein Marashi, spokesperson for the Construction Workers Party, called for bold decisions from Hassan Rouhani's government in the economic sphere and a change in the government's economic team.