Motahari: Rouhani Should Obtain the Approval to Lift House Arrest from the Supreme National Security Council

Ali Motahari, the Deputy Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, criticized the Parliament and President Hassan Rouhani for their 'shortcomings' in pursuing the issue of the house arrest of the leaders of the Green Movement. He stated that the President, as the responsible party for enforcing the Constitution, 'must obtain the approval to lift the house arrest from the Supreme National Security Council.' In an interview with the Etemad newspaper on Tuesday, March 18, he emphasized that the main duty of the Parliament is to safeguard the Constitution and that this body has 'failed' to follow up on the issue of house arrest. According to Motahari, the house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi was illegal as it was based on a resolution from the Supreme National Security Council and was imposed without trial. However, he noted that currently, there is 'no way' to lift the house arrest other than through this council's resolution. Some members of the Supreme National Security Council have indicated their opposition to lifting the house arrest of the Green Movement leaders. In response to these statements, Motahari said, 'When they want to take a vote, they first say the Leader is against lifting the house arrest, now let’s vote. While if they take a free vote, the Supreme National Security Council would also be in favor of lifting the house arrest, considering the costs of it outweigh its benefits.' Previously, some other political figures, including Ali Akbar Nategh Nouri, had stated that lifting the house arrest is only possible with the Leader of the Islamic Republic's approval. Hossein Karroubi, the son of Mehdi Karroubi, stated on December 20 that 'the issue of lifting the house arrest has never been seriously discussed among the high-ranking officials of the regime and the Supreme National Security Council, which is responsible for following up on this matter.' On the same day, Motahari mentioned that the only solution to lift the house arrest is a 'question' from the Assembly of Experts to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He reiterated that the Assembly of Experts also has a 'responsibility' regarding lifting the house arrest, but unfortunately, it does not pay attention to it. According to Motahari, members of this assembly should have raised this issue with the Leader of the Islamic Republic, but they 'discuss everything in their meetings except their main duties.' Before the last Nowruz, some members of Parliament had reported the possibility of lifting the house arrest of the Green Movement leaders. Meanwhile, some political activists have criticized the government and Parliament for not pursuing the issue of house arrest. However, Mohammad Reza Aref, the head of the Hope faction, stated on Tuesday, March 21, that the 'Hope List' did not promise to lift the house arrest of Zahra Rahnavard, Mir Hossein Mousavi, and Mehdi Karroubi in the 10th parliamentary elections. Zahra Rahnavard, Mir Hossein Mousavi, and Mehdi Karroubi have been under 'house arrest' since February 2011, while reports have emerged in recent months about the lifting of some restrictions on them. Events such as Mehdi Karroubi's meeting with some political activists, the 'opening of the welded windows' of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Zahra Rahnavard's home, and allowing them to meet with their children and Mousavi's siblings are among these occurrences. In May, Zahra Rahnavard reported that she had recently been verbally offered 'limited movement rights' with the knowledge of the agents, which she rejected. Hassan Rouhani's advisor, Hesamoddin Ashna, stated on Sunday, December 9, in a speech referring to 'some facilitations and openings' regarding the conditions of house arrest that 'only a shell remains until the lifting of the house arrest.' However, Mir Mahmoud Mousavi, Mir Hossein Mousavi's brother, described Ashna's remarks as 'rubbing salt in the wound' and stated that only 'a shell has changed' from the house arrest and 'the essence and core of the house arrest remains firmly in place.' Approximately 40 days after Ashna's remarks, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, the Tehran prosecutor, announced that a 'prosecutorial indictment' had been issued against Ashna and the case had been sent to court.