Rohani: We Want a Safe Space at University, Not a Security Space

Hassan Rouhani, referring to a time when 'no one dared to say student movement and everyone was afraid of this word,' stated that the atmosphere in universities might still be security-oriented, which he does not approve of. On Tuesday morning, December 7, Rouhani attended a speech at Sharif University of Technology on Student Day. According to ISNA news agency, he announced, 'I feel that the university atmosphere has changed drastically compared to 2013,' adding, 'It may still be a security atmosphere which I do not like; we want a safe space, not a security space.' Rouhani further questioned, 'Could you easily gather for December 7 from 2010 to 2012?' He noted, 'There was a time when no one dared to mention the student movement, and everyone was afraid of that term.' In another part of his speech, Rouhani addressed the criticism of power and the necessity of accountability to the people. He remarked that 'perhaps criticizing some powers and institutions is difficult,' suggesting that 'let's start the criticism from the government and the president.' He emphasized that officials should be questioned based on their responsibilities, stating, 'Responsibility comes from the word question, and no one should consider themselves exempt from questioning, and everyone should know that they should take pride in answering the people's questions.' Rouhani also pointed out that 'the best place for power to be criticized is the university,' warning that 'if power is not criticized and questioned in any country, it will lead to deviation and despotism.' He declared that all officials in the country are directly or indirectly elected by the people, asserting, 'All officials are in power through the votes of the people, and there is no official in the Islamic Republic of Iran who is not elected; it is a slander that some say there are two categories of officials in Iran, meaning some are elected and some are appointed.' In his December 7 speech, Rouhani stated, 'Some think this government is only a government of smiles, dialogue, and negotiation,' clarifying that the claim 'we are not looking to strengthen military capabilities' is incorrect. He noted that 'the government has worked in the defense and strategic weapons field over the past two years as much as it has in ten years, and negotiation does not mean we are not looking to strengthen our defense capabilities.' Rouhani also mentioned, 'We tested our most important missile simultaneously with the victory in the JCPOA,' asserting, 'We must always be ready for war because war does not happen when our readiness is 100 percent.' Rouhani highlighted the importance of the upcoming parliamentary elections, stating, 'It is very important how the next parliament will be,' emphasizing that 'from the government's perspective, the presence of both factions in parliament is important, but more importantly, the presence of individuals who prioritize national interests over factional interests and care for the people.' He considered the role of students in the upcoming parliamentary elections significant, adding, 'As we approach the elections, our universities must also move in this direction.' Before Rouhani's speech at Sharif University, several students took to the podium to express criticisms regarding the country's situation and posed questions to the president. The meeting was accompanied by some verbal altercations. According to ILNA, during this session, one representative of student organizations addressed Rouhani, asking, 'Are you aware that students in universities are humiliated, insulted, and threatened for political and cultural activities? We do not see any measures from our university presidents, as today's reactionaries have appeared in new clothes and are quietly cutting off freedom in universities.' On the other hand, the secretary of the Islamic Association of Sharif University also took to the podium and told Rouhani, 'Today, not only has the issue of house arrest not been resolved, but one of your main supporters, Seyyed Mohammad Khatami, has been banned from being depicted without a trial; is this consistent with your electoral promises?' According to ILNA, during the meeting between Rouhani and the students, there were several verbal clashes between supporters and opponents of the speakers, which were managed and controlled by the hall's security. Additionally, some attendees held images of Mohammad Khatami, which they were told were not allowed to be displayed by the security. Last year, during the December 7 speech at the Medical Sciences University, Rouhani responded to students' chants for lifting the house arrest of the leaders of the protests against the 2009 presidential election results, stating, 'Our path and our course are the same as we promised you from the beginning. Our covenant with you is unbreakable.' In 2014, several students chanted 'Our message is clear, house arrest must be lifted' during Rouhani's speech, calling for the lifting of the house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Karroubi. Previously, in the past year, Ali Motahari, a representative from Tehran, accused the interrogators during the impeachment of former Minister of Science Reza Faraji Dana of trying to return the 'security atmosphere' to universities. The abolition of star-marking students, the return of so-called star-marked students to universities, and the opening of the political atmosphere in university environments were among Rouhani's campaign promises in the 2013 election.