Rouhani: Only Managers with 100% Hope for the Future Should Remain in Government

The President of Iran criticized media outlets that, according to him, "sow seeds of despair" and stated that only managers who "have 100% hope for the future" should remain in his government. On Tuesday, February 13, Hassan Rouhani, while addressing governors and economic managers, considered "will, confidence, vitality, and hope for the future" as the "basis for progress." His remarks came at a time when a recent survey in Iran, conducted in light of the protests in December, shows that 75% of participants are dissatisfied with the country's conditions. Meanwhile, despite reported "4% economic growth" in Iran, some experts argue that this growth in recent years has been due to the lifting of Western sanctions and the resumption of oil sales, which has not led to increased employment. For instance, Fereydoun Khavand, an economist residing in Paris, previously stated in an interview with Radio Farda that the growth rate in Iran is due to increased exports and oil sales, which does not necessarily lead to job creation or improvement in the Iranian labor market. Nevertheless, the Iranian President emphasized that "we should not pay attention to the clamor of foreign horns." He also noted that some domestic propaganda agencies are lagging behind global assessments of Iran's progress and are sowing seeds of despair, while the Iranian nation continues to move ahead of all these agencies. Hassan Rouhani and his government officials have repeatedly criticized what they call "black portrayal" by the radio and television, which is overseen by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. In this context, Mr. Rouhani, in his speech on February 11, said: "The state media should not say that we destroyed 25 million chickens for the health of the people, as the health of the people is important to us, and instead of thanking the government, they should not say that eggs have become golden." Meanwhile, several officials in Rouhani's government implicitly accuse opponents, including Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda, the Friday prayer leader of Mashhad, of organizing the protests on December 7 in Mashhad. He has denied this accusation. The protests in December, which began in Mashhad and spread to over 100 cities, initially raised economic slogans and later included slogans against the leader and other officials of the Islamic Republic, with some protesters calling for a change in the Islamic Republic system. However, Mr. Rouhani expressed his "appreciation" for what he called the "management" of the Ministry of Interior and the Security Council in dealing with these protests, adding: "The fact that a crisis is resolved within a week is a very significant and valuable action, and in this regard, all agencies came to the scene and managed this crisis well and carefully." The President of Iran stated: "On the first day of the crisis and disturbances, we instructed the police to establish security in the streets without weapons, and our police established security with complete calm." Mr. Rouhani's remarks come at a time when human rights organizations have criticized the severe crackdown on participants in the December protests. At the same time, according to official sources, at least 25 people were killed and around five thousand were arrested during these protests. Additionally, the deaths of at least six individuals who were killed in Iranian prisons or by security forces during the protests remain unclear. While some evidence suggests their deaths are related to these protests, Islamic Republic officials have denied this issue. In another part of his speech, Hassan Rouhani referred to the "capacities" of the Constitution, stating: "We must utilize all constitutional capacities for better management of affairs and pay attention to various chapters of the Constitution, including Chapter Three, which pertains to the rights of the people." On Sunday, he referred to issues such as disqualification of candidates in elections and the privacy of citizens, and mentioned Article 59 of the Constitution, stating that in matters of disagreement between Islamic Republic institutions, referendums should be held. These remarks provoked a strong reaction from some close associates of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. ISNA news agency and other sources reported: "Kadkhodai: Disbelief in part of the Constitution removes individuals from the revolution's orbit." Rouhani called for the use of "referendums" in disputed matters. The Supreme Leader's senior advisor stated: "The statistics of the Islamic Republic government are unrealistic."