Rouhani Says Khomeini Never Interfered in Government Affairs

The President of Iran emphasized that the 'path and way' of Ayatollah Khomeini should not be misinterpreted by some, stating that the former leader of the Islamic Republic 'never interfered in government affairs.' According to IRNA news agency, Hassan Rouhani spoke on Tuesday, September 2, during a speech commemorating Government Week at the mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini, asserting that 'the Imam never interfered in government affairs and always guided, just as today the Supreme Leader guides in all matters of the country.' In another part of his speech, Rouhani commented that from Khomeini's perspective, being 'revolutionary' means being 'lawful,' and 'revolutionary zeal' is rejected as extremism. Rouhani's remarks come at a time when Khomeini expressed regret that after the revolution, he did not break the pens of all newspapers, did not prosecute 'corrupt' press leaders, and did not hold party leaders accountable for their actions. The Iranian President noted that some of Khomeini's statements were made regarding specific issues and at a particular historical moment, but the 'totality of his words and path' should be 'considered.' Rouhani's emphasis on avoiding 'extremism' follows his earlier comments on August 29, where he stated, 'We should not think that after reaching an agreement, we can speak and act however we want, and others will not react to this change in our behavior.' These statements provoked a strong reaction from Mohammad Ali Jafari, the commander of the Revolutionary Guards, who described Rouhani's remarks as 'the beginning of the erosion of the independence and dignity of the Islamic Republic' and accused the Iranian President of attempting to 'weaken' the Guardian Council. Rouhani's recent comments about Khomeini come as Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, warned on Thursday, June 14, about the 'distortion' of Khomeini's image and the portrayal of him as a 'liberal' figure. Following this, several conservative figures and Friday prayer leaders across Iran echoed similar sentiments to the Supreme Leader. For instance, Ahmad Alamolhoda, the Friday prayer leader of Mashhad, stated on June 15 that the distortion of Khomeini is to present him as a 'myth of freedom-seeking.' On the other hand, Rouhani's statements regarding Khomeini's and Khamenei's non-interference in 'government affairs' come amid reports that some significant government actions, including foreign policy measures, are coordinated with the Supreme Leader. Furthermore, the Supreme Leader has previously issued directives known as 'government decrees' to the three branches of government in specific cases. In another part of his speech, Rouhani stated that Khomeini considered referring to the people's votes 'necessary' and regarded 'the measure' as the people's vote. Khomeini had said in June 1981, during the conflict with Abolhassan Banisadr, the first President of the Islamic Republic, 'If all the people agree, I will oppose.' Rouhani identified Khomeini's path as 'Islamism and Republic' and added, 'If we want to set aside the Republic in the name of Islamism or, God forbid, set aside Islamism in the name of the Republic, we have distanced ourselves from the Imam's path.' Rouhani's statements come after protests from the commander of the Revolutionary Guards, hardline conservatives, and Friday prayer leaders regarding his previous remarks about the Guardian Council and elections. On Wednesday, August 28, the Iranian President implicitly protested against the widespread disqualification of election candidates, stating that the Guardian Council is the overseer, and the government is the executor of elections, and 'oversight and execution should not be mixed.' Meanwhile, members of the clerical faction in Parliament reacted to Rouhani's remarks in a letter, asking him to be among the 'defenders' of the Guardian Council and not to 'weaken' this institution. The authors of this letter emphasized that the interpretation of the Constitution is 'the responsibility' of the Guardian Council, which stated in 1991 that its oversight of elections is 'discretionary' and includes all executive stages of elections, including the approval and disqualification of candidates.