Rouhani Emphasizes Ban on Military Use of Public Resources for Elections

The President of Iran has called for oversight by the Ministry of Interior to prevent the use of public facilities and media for the benefit of political factions during elections, stating that if armed forces and security personnel use public assets for elections, "we must shout and stand up." According to Tasnim News Agency, Hassan Rouhani on Saturday, March 7, at a meeting of the executors of the 96 presidential election reminded that the prohibition on the use of state resources in elections is not limited to the government, but also includes the judiciary, parliament, armed forces, and public platforms. He emphasized that public media and newspapers and websites funded by the government have no right to operate in favor of specific individuals or factions during elections, and the Ministry of Interior is responsible for overseeing this issue. Mr. Rouhani added: "I do not accept anyone saying that the Guardian Council is responsible; the responsibility lies with the government, and the Guardian Council is an observer. If someone uses public assets, a military force, an armed force, or a security force, we must shout and stand up." Officials in Rouhani's government have previously criticized the actions of news agencies and websites affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Kayhan newspaper for attacking the government and supporting conservatives. Additionally, according to Clause 16 of the general policies on elections issued by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic on Saturday, October 24, "support for candidates" by armed forces and the three branches of government and intelligence and security agencies is prohibited. However, Ali Saidi, the representative of the Supreme Leader in the IRGC, stated after the issuance of these policies that political activity is "part of the essence" of this institution. Previously, IRGC officials denied the involvement of this institution in elections while claiming to engage in "clarification and enlightenment" of political currents. Meanwhile, Mohsen Rezaei's support for the "Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces" and the possibility of his candidacy in the 96 presidential election has made headlines. Mr. Rezaei resigned from the command of the IRGC in 1997 and returned to the IRGC last year. He also stated in an interview with Shargh newspaper that entering the armed forces means holding a position and job in these forces, and he has not "entered" the armed forces in this sense, only wearing military clothing. The activities of Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr, the strategic and crime prevention deputy of the judiciary and former deputy commander of the IRGC, as the executive head of the "Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces" have also drawn criticism. However, the "Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces" has stated that Mr. Zolqadr's position in the judiciary "lacks any judicial mission," and the IRGC has also announced that he has retired from this institution. On Saturday, Mr. Rouhani also mentioned that in the 10th parliamentary elections, "tolerance and patience prevailed; the people did not take to the streets, but they did an important job," and a "magnificent" election was held. He also referred to the Supreme Leader's remarks, saying: "Let us not allow the elections to become polarized, as it creates trouble... it becomes emotional and sloganistic." Ayatollah Khamenei announced on Tuesday, October 5, that he had asked former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad not to run in the 96 presidential election to prevent a "polarized" atmosphere. "Some think that they should just clench their fists and shout," Mr. Rouhani also noted on Saturday, referring to the cancellation of mandatory Chapter Seven resolutions of the UN Security Council against Iran, adding: "Some thought there was a grill, and we would throw the resolution in it, and it would catch fire and be over, but the resolution had to be canceled by the council itself, which we did." He added: "Let us not be afraid of the JCPOA; let us talk about it and say it. Some websites think that if they speak, it will be seen as praise for the government. Now it is not forbidden to praise the government once." The President of Iran, referring to the purchase of new airplanes, said: "Some, I do not know what mentality they have, dislike new things; we pour four billion dollars of the rights of these people into foreign companies, mainly airlines around us every year. Is this a good thing?" Mr. Rouhani added: "Some think that they should just clench their fists and shout. Instead, we should clench our fists and shout, but we cannot do everything with a fist, so why did God give us reason?" The President of Iran responded to critics of the Vienna nuclear agreement on Thursday, October 29, stating that if the government does not buy airplanes, these critics say, "What happened to the JCPOA?" and if the government buys airplanes, they say, "These airplanes are luxurious and new." Close associates of the Supreme Leader have criticized the purchase of new airplanes following the Vienna nuclear agreement, and this issue was one of the reasons for the impeachment of the Minister of Roads and Urban Development of Rouhani's government on the first of Esfand. "Our oppression has caused nature's wrath," the President of Iran also referred to his trip to Ahvaz, stating that environmental problems in Iran have been created over the past 50 years and will not be solved in a year or two. He added: "When we oppress nature, pollute the land, do not give the water rights of wetlands, and on the other hand, our neighbors do not cooperate with us in this regard, the result is nature's wrath. Our oppression has caused nature's wrath." Hassan Rouhani emphasized during his trip to Khuzestan on Thursday, March 5, that the phenomenon of dust storms "is not related to recent days and years" and "all countries in the region, including the countries of the southern Persian Gulf, are struggling with it." Since February 12, the dust crisis has caused several water outages in cities in Khuzestan province, and previously, on February 8, after a dust storm occurred in ten cities in Khuzestan province, electricity, water, and internet were cut off in Ahvaz, and offices and schools in this city were closed. Government officials have reported on planting trees to prevent the dust crisis, and the Minister of Agriculture has promised that operations to control dust sources in 42,000 hectares of "super-critical" dust sources in Khuzestan will be implemented within three months.