Khamenei: All Candidates Must Promise Not to Look Beyond Borders

Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, urged all candidates for the upcoming presidential elections in Iran to promise that their focus for the country's economic development will not be outside its borders. According to the IRNA news agency, Khamenei stated in a speech on Tuesday, May 5, that he has previously mentioned this to the candidates, urging them to decide and communicate to the people, as well as to include this in their campaign messages. He emphasized that their focus should be on the nation itself. The twelfth presidential election will be held simultaneously with city and village council elections on May 29. Candidates must pass through a vetting process by an institution called the Guardian Council, half of whose members are clerics appointed by the leader. Khamenei's insistence on looking within the borders 'to resolve issues' comes at a time when the current Iranian government, led by President Hassan Rouhani, has consistently sought to improve trade and economic relations with major powers through the nuclear agreement and to resolve existing issues in this manner. Furthermore, in his Nowruz message on February 3, 2016, Rouhani spoke about the necessity of implementing a 'second JCPOA' domestically, and members of his government have also called for using the nuclear negotiations as a model to resolve other disputes with global powers. However, just hours after Rouhani's Nowruz message was published, Ayatollah Khamenei opposed these views in a speech in Mashhad, stating that the Western side 'does not consider the nuclear issue resolved' and wants to imply that 'second and third JCPOAs must be established for us to live comfortably.' Khamenei also described the United States as one of the 'enemies of human societies' and stated that he believes 'the enemies of human societies' are fighting against Islam, asserting that 'today, the roots of these hostilities lie in the hands of the U.S. and Zionists.' He added that 'they fight more against the Islamic Republic than elsewhere because Islam is more pronounced in Iran and the conditions for practicing it are more favorable, and they oppose it because it hinders their ambitions.' Khamenei typically views the U.S. and Israel as 'enemies' and accuses them of 'conspiracy' against Iran and the 'Islamic Revolution.' He has stated that the 'enemy's' goal is to 'worsen the economic conditions of the people' and claims that Iran's 'major economic challenge' is a result of some showing 'weakness' against the 'enemy.' The U.S. and Israel criticize the Islamic Republic's policies in the region, especially its demand for the 'destruction of Israel,' but emphasize that they do not have enmity with the Iranian people.