Rouhani on House Arrest: No One Benefits from Turning the Issue into a Permanent Matter

The President of Iran, in response to a question about his efforts to lift the house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, leaders of the Green Movement, stated that "I have made my efforts to solve political problems, and now is the time to explain more about it." Hassan Rouhani emphasized during a press conference on Saturday, September 7, that "not everything needs to be announced" and that prematurely announcing actions is akin to "picking unripe fruit." The Iranian president referred to his previous statements, saying that "no one benefits from turning an issue into a permanent matter in the country." He added, "At the same time, we must exercise the necessary patience to resolve issues at the right time. We should be both interactive and tolerant." The Iranian president stated, "If we can resolve any domestic and foreign issue within the framework of national interests, it is beneficial for us." During the 2013 presidential election campaign, Hassan Rouhani promised that if he won, he could create conditions within a year that would not only free those under house arrest but also those imprisoned due to the events of 2009. However, the family of Mehdi Karroubi has previously accused Rouhani of not adhering to his electoral promises regarding lifting the house arrest. Regarding the need for parliamentary approval of the Vienna nuclear agreement, the Iranian president stated in his first press conference after the agreement that it is not a new international treaty requiring parliamentary approval. He emphasized that when an agreement is signed by the president or his legal representative, it must be sent to parliament for approval, whereas Iranian officials did not sign anything in the Vienna nuclear agreement, and what will be done based on this agreement pertains to the implementation of a treaty that Iran has previously accepted. Rouhani pointed out that none of the P5+1 countries will ratify the Vienna nuclear agreement in their parliaments and stressed that ratifying this agreement would mean creating "new obligations" for Iran and would be in favor of those countries. He questioned, "Why do we want to impose legal pressure on the Iranian people that has no obligation?" According to Rouhani, Iran's nuclear file has always been under the supervision of the Supreme National Security Council, and the review of the Vienna nuclear agreement in this council is also "in its final stages." Based on a law titled "Obligation of the Government to Preserve Nuclear Achievements and Rights," the "results of negotiations" regarding Iran's nuclear program must be "presented to parliament," while 201 parliament members have requested the government to present the Vienna nuclear agreement "as soon as possible" in the form of a bill. However, Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, the government spokesman, described the parliament's request for a bill regarding the Vienna nuclear agreement as "against the constitution" and stated that since this agreement is not signed by the president or his representative, "there is no need for parliamentary approval." Meanwhile, Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's foreign minister, stated that the Vienna nuclear agreement is essentially a way to "manage" several Security Council resolutions that have been annulled by another resolution. In another part of his speech, Rouhani stated that he will fulfill his duties as the executor of the constitution in the parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections. He emphasized that his government's efforts over the past two years have been aimed at creating "stability and calm," and in the next two years, his government will focus on creating "prosperity and progress." The Iranian president mentioned that "political growth and prosperity" will manifest in the elections of the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the Assembly of Experts in a "more competitive" and "healthier" electoral environment. He stated that to achieve this goal, all institutions must work together, and he has no disputes with anyone, adding: "I will fulfill my duties as the executor of the constitution in the elections. Some may be pleased, and some may not. But in any case, we must be executors of the law and not concern ourselves with the rest." Rouhani previously stated that the Guardian Council is "a supervisor, not an executor" and added, "The one who should say whether a person is qualified to participate in the elections or not is the executive committee." These remarks provoked a strong reaction from several appointees of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, including the head of the judiciary, commanders of the Revolutionary Guards, and Friday prayer leaders. In another part of his speech, the Iranian president discussed the government's actions to combat corruption, stating that the Iranian economy faces problems such as "oil dependency," "rent-seeking," "monopoly," and the significant presence of some institutions that are not suited for economic work. He emphasized the need for law enforcement to combat corruption, saying: "We do not know why the truth is bitter, and when we talk about the law, some become very upset and call the call for law-making a marginalization. If the law is marginal, then the text becomes that rent." Rouhani pointed out the role of the media in combating corruption, adding: "Unfortunately, when we talk about rent, we also see its signs in the media." He emphasized: "Sometimes a media outlet can say anything, and slander and lies are not acted upon, but when another media outlet makes the slightest mistake, all institutions become active to enforce the law." The Iranian president further stressed that after the lifting of Western sanctions against Iran, oil revenues should be invested, and Iran's consumption and import needs should be met from non-oil exports. He noted that Iran had $700 billion in foreign exchange earnings in previous years, stating that the effect of this income has "almost zeroed out net employment." According to Rouhani, during this period, Iran has become "a paradise for foreign workers and engineers" to export their products to Iran. At the beginning of his press conference, he also stated that his government has made every effort to ensure that no new wounds are inflicted in domestic politics and to heal past wounds.