Nobakht's Response on House Arrest: This Issue Arose in the Previous Government

On Tuesday, September 5, the spokesperson for the Supreme National Security Council stated: "The decision regarding the house arrest was made based on security considerations in 2010 by the Supreme National Security Council." Additionally, Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, the government spokesperson, said: "This issue arose in the previous government, not the current one." According to reports, Keyvan Khosravi, spokesperson for the Supreme National Security Council, announced that comments made within the framework of public interviews by various authorities regarding the house arrest "interfere with the duties of the council's secretariat" and added that these comments "cannot fully and comprehensively clarify the dimensions of the issue and sometimes cause misunderstandings." The spokesperson of the Supreme National Security Council further stated that the council will decide on the continuation or change of the house arrest. Referring to comments made about discussions in the last session of the Supreme National Security Council, he added that the issue of house arrest, which was not on the agenda of the council, was raised in the context of informing about the openings created in the situation of those under house arrest, and "no new decision was made regarding the original issue of house arrest." Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, leaders of the protests against the results of the 2009 presidential election, and Zahra Rahnavard have been under house arrest without trial since February 2011. Previously, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, spokesperson for the judiciary, had said on Sunday, September 3, that "I have heard that in the recent meeting, this issue was not on the agenda of the council but was raised, and it has been decided that the house arrest will remain in place." However, on Tuesday, September 4, he revised his statements regarding the discussion of the "house arrest" of the leaders of the 2009 election protests at the recent session of the Supreme National Security Council, stating that no new decision was made in this regard, and "the house arrest remains in effect." According to Mizan News Agency, the spokesperson for the judiciary stated: "In the recent meeting of the Supreme National Security Council, the issue of house arrest was raised, no new decision was made, and the house arrest remains in effect." He added: "The resolution of the Supreme National Security Council is legal and enforceable, and no one has the right to oppose it." The spokesperson of the Supreme National Security Council, in another part of his remarks, pointed out that "clarification and informing about the history, reasons, existing conditions, and management process" of the house arrest case "requires time and appropriate conditions" and said: "The secretariat of the Supreme National Security Council, as the only official and legal authority to announce the council's resolutions and decisions, will take necessary actions in this regard when there is a need for information about this case." The discussion about house arrest arises at a time when Ali Motahari, the deputy speaker of parliament, had previously stated that the opinion of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, is to continue the house arrest. Farnoush Amirshahi, a journalist residing in Prague, told Radio Farda: "The issue of house arrest has become a matter of prestige not only for the leader of the Islamic Republic and his close associates but also for a part of the people. On one hand, Mr. Rouhani's government is under much more pressure from its voters to lift the house arrest than before. On the other hand, this is an issue that can only be resolved with the will of Ayatollah Khamenei, who has shown no signs of revising his decision so far." She adds: "Among the reasons for opposing the lifting of the house arrest is the fear of the popularity of Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi without any retreat from their positions, as well as conceding to Rouhani's government. This is why reformists have claimed that they have 'committed several times that in exchange for lifting the house arrest, there will be no street protests, and they will maneuver on both sides' to create conditions for resolving this issue." This journalist states that "the composition of the Supreme National Security Council is not particularly favorable for the twelfth government, and even if it were, its decisions must be approved by the leader." According to this journalist, it seems that under the current conditions, the grounds for lifting the house arrest of the detainees are not available in the short term, which is why political activists from both factions propose a 'gradual lifting' of it to reduce sensitivities." Additionally, Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, the government spokesperson, on Tuesday called for allowing "this issue to be raised and resolved calmly, and for the spokesperson of the Supreme National Security Council to comment on it." The government spokesperson pointed out that "both security and the position of the leader in the system are prioritized" and added: "Our national interests are interconnected. The President's positions on the issue of house arrest are clear and transparent, and he firmly requested the council's secretary to inform about this issue in the National Security Council." Nevertheless, he noted that the secretary of the council has "limitations for reflecting issues." Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, regarding the statements of Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the spokesperson for the judiciary, which imply that both in 2010 and currently the President's opinion is to continue the house arrest, stated: "There are two councils. One is the cabinet, and the other is a council that includes the honorable heads of the branches, where the armed forces are also present, with their command under the leadership." The government spokesperson concluded that these types of meetings, which Hassan Rouhani presides over, are different from the cabinet presidency. Hassan Rouhani was the representative of the leader of the Islamic Republic in the Supreme National Security Council of Iran from 1989 to 2013. The government spokesperson also referred to the need for "building consensus" on this issue, stating: "Different opinions must be heard, and we must also delegate this issue to the honorable secretary of the council and expect that the problems that arise in the country will be resolved with careful management so that our security is preserved more than ever and all our national interests are secured." On September 5, Mohammad Baqer Nobakht announced that the issue of the house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi was raised in the Supreme National Security Council and expressed hope that with the withdrawal of security forces from the house arrest of Mr. Karroubi, "subsequent steps" would also be taken. He did not refer to these "steps" regarding Mehdi Karroubi's hunger strike and the withdrawal of security forces from his house, stating: "Regarding the withdrawal of security forces, the Minister of Intelligence reported that this has happened." The withdrawal of security forces from the house arrest of Mehdi Karroubi was one of his two demands during his hunger strike, and although Mr. Karroubi's son had reported that the relevant authorities agreed to this, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei two weeks ago called this matter "absolute nonsense." Although Hassan Rouhani had mentioned the promise to lift the house arrest in both the eleventh and twelfth presidential elections, he has still been unable to fulfill this promise. Meanwhile, the crowd participating in his speeches before the presidential election on May 29 of this year repeatedly called for an end to the house arrest of Mr. Mousavi, Mr. Karroubi, and Ms. Rahnavard. At the same time, several political and religious figures have also called for an end to the house arrest.