Pressure from Two Religious Authorities on Government and Judiciary to 'Solve Economic Problems'

While protests and demonstrations continue in several cities in Iran, pressure on Hassan Rouhani's government to address the country's economic problems increased on Thursday, August 2, with statements from two religious authorities in Qom. On the other hand, a deputy of the president reiterated that the proposal to question Hassan Rouhani in parliament 'deserves consideration' and is merely a 'political' action, a view that is also supported by some members of parliament. Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi, a Shia religious authority, criticized the government in a statement described by the ISNA news agency as 'strongly worded', questioning why the 'weak team' was not replaced. In recent months, especially the past month, there have been rapid and unexpected developments in Iran's currency and gold markets, culminating in the price of the US dollar reaching 12,000 tomans for the first time in history. The severe fluctuations in Iran's currency market intensified especially after the US withdrawal from the 'JCPOA'. The increase in currency prices continued alongside heightened verbal attacks from US and Iranian officials. Reports of a 'security atmosphere' in currency trading areas in Tehran were also published on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Hassan Rouhani and his cabinet are struggling to stabilize the situation and demonstrate their control over economic issues. However, alongside the protests that have spread from one city to several cities in recent days, it seems that the religious authorities in Qom prefer a solution that is accompanied by 'speed', a point emphasized in Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi's statement. This religious authority acknowledged that 'people are severely complaining about the officials' and called on Hassan Rouhani to change his economic team while advising the judiciary to show 'courage and speed'. He wrote: 'People are also severely complaining about the judiciary. They say if they confront economic corruptors with decisiveness, courage, and speed, these germs of corruption will be quickly eradicated.' He concluded with a prayer for 'God! Grant the officials awareness, alertness, will, and determination to solve the problems of our good people.' According to Fars news agency on Thursday, Ayatollah Nouri Hamadani similarly urged the judiciary to deal with anyone who disrupts the economy and causes increased problems for the people as a traitor. This point was also mentioned in a letter from 190 members of parliament to the head of the judiciary on Wednesday, August 1, reminding this high-ranking official's statements about creating disruptions in the market as a form of corruption and stating that 'we demand urgent action'. Some of these representatives formalized the proposal to question the president in parliament on Wednesday. It seems that dozens of representatives insisting on questioning the president hold him responsible for these disarrayed situations, a fact evident in the expressed topics of inquiry. The topics raised in parliament include 'the government's failure to control the prices of goods and currency' and 'the government's inadequate actions regarding reducing unemployment rates'. Nevertheless, Hossein Ali Amiri, the parliamentary deputy of the president, insisted on Thursday that this proposal is not legal. Mr. Amiri, who expressed doubts only about the intent behind this proposal on Thursday, had stated on Wednesday that the proposal to question Hassan Rouhani 'contradicts established legal principles, the constitution, and the internal regulations of the Islamic Consultative Assembly.' Mahmoud Sadeghi, a reformist member of parliament, also indicated on Thursday in a Twitter message that he agrees with the deputy president. He wrote in this message: 'I did not sign the question for the president because it is clearly designed to undermine the government, but I consider questioning and impeachment to be the right of representatives.' The parliamentary deputy of Hassan Rouhani previously stated: 'The proposal for multiple questions from the president has no other aim than a political one.'