Jahangiri Expresses Hope for Overcoming Barriers Between Reformists and Supreme Leader

Es'hagh Jahangiri, the first vice president of Hassan Rouhani, expressed hope for the "removal of barriers" to communication between reformists and the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, as well as for the lifting of house arrest on the leaders of the Green Movement. Jahangiri reported that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, asked him in a meeting to be the intermediary between him and the reformists. In an interview with the newspaper 'Etemad,' parts of which were published on Sunday, March 5, he stated that about a month ago, Khamenei told him that he had no objection to communicating with reformists. According to this report, Khamenei also requested that Jahangiri play the role of a liaison in response to the first vice president's request for reformists to connect with him. Jahangiri also mentioned that Khamenei's reaction to Mohammad Khatami's proposal for "national reconciliation" did not mean opposition to this proposal. He emphasized that Khamenei's remarks were a reaction to "some of the unrealistic reactions inside or outside the country" that portrayed the regime as if it were facing a serious problem. On March 26, Jahangiri stated that he had discussed the reformist movement with Khamenei, who said he was interested in all political currents. Prior to these remarks, there were reports about Khatami's proposal for "national reconciliation" being raised in this meeting. However, Jawad Karimi Qodousi, a member of parliament from Mashhad, stated in a speech in Qom that Khamenei rejected Jahangiri's request for a meeting with Khatami to discuss "national reconciliation" and emphasized that he "absolutely cannot return." Recently, Khatami, the former president of Iran, expressed hope for the "realization of national reconciliation and internal solidarity" in Iran, stating that "now is the best time to create solidarity among all forces in the path of national interests and to repel and eliminate threats and conspiracies." However, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei indirectly referred to this proposal as "meaningless" and stated that they would not reconcile with the "seditionists of Ashura 88." Before him, Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani, the head of the judiciary, deemed the proposal for "national reconciliation" as "incorrect" and emphasized that those who, according to him, "erred" in 2009 should return from their "wrong path." In contrast, Ali Motahari, the deputy speaker of parliament, responded to the opposition to the "national reconciliation" proposal by stating that people have "complaints" from the government following the events of 2009, and actions "against the constitution" such as house arrest, banning media appearances, and imprisoning Ahmad Montazeri are "narrow-mindedness" and should be set aside. 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. In this context, Jahangiri stated that "issues such as lifting house arrest require dialogue and non-media coordination" and that "the entire system" must be convinced about this matter. He emphasized that he is optimistic and believes that "with the measures" of the Supreme Leader and discussions with the president and other follow-ups, "political issues will be resolved one after another." Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi have been under house arrest since February 2011, which is more than six years without a trial. Meanwhile, Hossein Karroubi, Mehdi Karroubi's son, reported that his father was transferred to the hospital for a heart examination on Sunday and then returned home. According to Karroubi, his father's doctor stated in the last examination that "his heart rate is irregular and out of normal range," and therefore he is scheduled to be transferred back to the hospital on Tuesday, March 7. Recently, thousands, including several political, social, and civil activists in Iran, have called for an end to their house arrest in an open letter addressed to the heads of the three branches of government, members of parliament, and other officials, coinciding with the sixth anniversary of the house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi.