Morteza Bank: Security Measures of the Presidential Institution are Coordinated with the IRGC and Ministry of Intelligence

Morteza Bank, the deputy head of the Iranian Presidential Institution, reacted on Friday, January 7, to criticisms regarding the entry of security equipment into the Presidential Institution, stating, "The security measures of the institution are carried out in coordination with the IRGC and the Ministry of Intelligence." Iranian media reports indicate that Sadeq Larijani, the head of the judiciary, had previously mentioned the transfer of "very technical security equipment" to the Presidential Institution without the knowledge of security forces. On Tuesday, Larijani said, "We have no words to clarify how this very technical security equipment was brought into the Presidential Institution without the knowledge of security forces. Who authorized it? In what manner was it done? Where did the money come from?" Following these comments from the judiciary chief, conservative MP Javad Karimi Qodosi stated on January 5 to the Basij news agency that, "The important remarks of Ayatollah Amoli Larijani regarding the entry of technical and security equipment into the Pasteur building are related to this, and it seems they intend to polarize the atmosphere for the 2017 presidential election and are gathering fuel for repeating the anti-security events of 2009 for the upcoming elections by bringing in such equipment." This member of the Steadfast Front emphasized that "Mr. Nahavandian and Mr. Hossein Fereydoun should be summoned, but the people are asking the judiciary why it does not take action and why it allows unrest to flare up and the country to become unsafe before discussing the summoning of such individuals." Mohammad Nahavandian is the head of the Iranian president's office, and Hossein Fereydoun is the brother of Hassan Rouhani. Javad Karimi Qodosi further stated, "The president has handed over the Pasteur to his brother and children, while he himself sits in the Saadabad Palace, coming to work at 10 AM and leaving at 2 PM; one of the reasons he has gone to the Saadabad Palace is the entry of technical and security communication and surveillance equipment." Meanwhile, Morteza Bank said on Friday to IRNA, "I am sure that the president is always present and active in the main Presidential Institution with all strength and power and does not need to be present in various locations." The deputy head of the Presidential Institution stated that he "does not know on what basis and with what approach these comments are made," adding, "Every action regarding security issues in the Presidential Institution has been carried out in coordination with the IRGC and the Ministry of Intelligence and has certainly not been a violation." Morteza Bank believes that the emergence of such statements is due to the approach towards the upcoming elections. He further stated, "I doubt that the judiciary will go in a direction that becomes a victim of a series of baseless rumors and remain away from its main work." The deputy head of the Presidential Institution, however, called on other branches of the Islamic Republic to "consider the negative repercussions when they want to raise an issue and examine more documents and evidence." On January 3, Sadeq Larijani, in a strong criticism of Hassan Rouhani's statements and the government's actions regarding the Babak Zanjani case, stated that "Babak Zanjani financially supported Hassan Rouhani's campaign in the 2013 presidential election," and individuals "related" to this matter will be summoned. Hassan Rouhani also tweeted on Tuesday, January 14, stating that "the government is ready to clarify all its income and expenses through a system," and urged the judiciary to clarify its accounts.