Hassan Rouhani Criticizes Division of Youth into 'Revolutionary and Non-Revolutionary'

Hassan Rouhani, the current president and candidate for the next presidential term in Iran, criticized those who, according to him, divide Iranian youth into 'revolutionary and non-revolutionary' during a speech in Ahvaz on Tuesday, May 16. He stated that the path to Iran's progress lies in having a 'correct relationship' with the world. Meanwhile, Ibrahim Raisi, Rouhani's main electoral rival, accused Rouhani's government of increasing class disparity in society and criticized its foreign policy for what he termed a 'foreign-oriented' perspective. Speaking at Takhti Stadium in Ahvaz, Rouhani questioned why the languages of various ethnic groups should not be taught at universities, asserting that they would not accept the division among ethnicities. He challenged those who consider themselves divisive, saying, 'What gives you the right to divide the people? The Islamic system and the revolution belong to all of Iran. Why are you fragmenting the people? Why are you creating percentages? We are a one hundred percent nation.' He emphasized that in the current sensitive regional and global conditions, 'without a correct relationship with neighbors and the world, the advancement of Iran will not be possible.' Rouhani added, 'We can combat dust storms through cooperation with regional countries. Burning embassies will not solve the dust storm issue.' His remarks referred to the problem of dust storms entering Khuzestan and other provinces from some Arab countries, as well as additional obstacles created by the attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran. Following the execution of Sheikh Nimr, a prominent Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia on January 2, 2016, protests occurred outside the Saudi embassy in Tehran, leading to damage to the building and resulting in Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries severing diplomatic ties with Iran. Rouhani's emphasis on a 'correct relationship' with the region and the world comes at a time when Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, recently demanded all presidential candidates promise not to look outside the borders for Iran's economic development. On the same day, Rouhani spoke to a group of supporters in Zanjan, reiterating, 'We do not want Iran to be sanctioned. We do not want to close the doors of banks and open the doors of currency exchange.' He accused his conservative rivals of being willing to 'sell their religion and ethics' for the sake of the elections and claimed they were gathering people by bus and providing them with 'poor lunches' in military barracks. Rouhani further accused the Islamic Republic's broadcasting service of being 'caught up in a political gang,' adding, 'I do not want to request the Guardian Council to supervise. Young people, you supervise.' On the same day, Ibrahim Raisi, Rouhani's main rival and a conservative candidate, criticized Rouhani's government, stating, 'The gentlemen have searched for the key outside the country.' He emphasized that this perspective is the root of the problem, asserting that the view of the people, the foreign perspective, and the view of capacities must be corrected. He stated, 'We must know what country we are, what power we have, and we must focus on the people, not foreigners.' The issue of economic pressures on Iran due to international sanctions against the Islamic Republic and the reduction of economic problems through the lifting of these sanctions is a major point of contention among the main factions in the Islamic Republic. Raisi further criticized Rouhani's domestic economic policies, saying, 'You have increased class disparity with wrong policies; you raised energy prices and where did you get the money from on election night to triple the number of beneficiaries? You said there was no money? You cut people's subsidies; where did you get the money to restore the subsidies that had been cut on election night?' The custodian of the Astan Quds Razavi added, 'You say we are a threat to the freedom of girls. Mr. Rouhani, did you give freedom to girls? God has given freedom to girls; did you give freedom to Sunnis and ethnic groups to use their languages? God has given this freedom, and the government must protect these freedoms.' The twelfth presidential election will be held simultaneously with the city and village council elections on May 18. On Tuesday, Ishaq Jahangiri, a presidential candidate, withdrew from the race in favor of Hassan Rouhani, and a day earlier, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf withdrew in favor of Ibrahim Raisi. In this context, Ishaq Jahangiri withdrew from the presidential election in favor of Hassan Rouhani. Raisi: Rouhani does not want to hear the people's voice. Participation or boycotting the elections: legitimacy-enhancing or legitimacy-destroying? Several individuals were arrested on charges of 'stealing organizational documents' by an electoral headquarters.