Hassan Rouhani: December 30 is a Day of Defense for the Guardianship of the Jurist and the Supreme Leader

Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, described December 30 as "a day of defense for the Iranian nation for the family of the Prophet, defense of the system, law, and defense of the Guardianship of the Jurist and the Supreme Leader." According to the website of the Office of the Leader of the Islamic Republic, Mr. Rouhani, who spoke at a ceremony of this office on Tuesday, January 8, added that "the security of the Islamic Republic of Iran today is ensured under the programs and measures of the Supreme Leader of the Revolution." On December 30, 2009, thousands of supporters of the Islamic Republic demonstrated in various parts of Iran in support of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and against the Green Movement. A few days prior, coinciding with Ashura, thousands of people in Tehran and other cities had protested against the Islamic Republic, chanting harsh slogans against Ayatollah Khamenei, resulting in several protesters being killed and injured. However, the leader and other officials of the Iranian government accused the protesters of insulting the third Imam of Shia Islam. During the December 30 protests in Tehran, Ayatollah Alam al-Huda, the Friday prayer leader of Mashhad, gave a speech in which he described the protesters as "a bunch of goats and calves." The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic also referred to the December 30 protests as "the work of God" and stated that this day "will remain in history." Hassan Rouhani, who was then one of Mr. Khamenei's representatives in the Supreme National Security Council, had described December 30 as "a decisive response from the people to the opponents and counter-revolutionaries." Since 2009, numerous state ceremonies have been held annually to commemorate December 30. Meanwhile, Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, two candidates who protested the results of the 2009 presidential election and led the subsequent protest movement, have been under house arrest since February 2011. Zahra Rahnavard, Mr. Mousavi's wife, is in a similar situation. One of Mr. Rouhani's campaign promises during his presidential election campaign in 2013 was to create conditions for the freedom of these individuals and political prisoners. Mohammad Hossein Safar Harandi, an advisor to the Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, stated last week during a speech on the occasion of December 30 that Mr. Mousavi "is still delusional today and for this reason does not repent or apologize."