Rouhani's Government Information Base Deleted a Controversial Video

On Tuesday, March 12, the Iranian government's information base deleted a controversial video about "the implications of Hassan Rouhani's meeting with Ayatollah Ali Sistani." The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who is visiting Iraq, is scheduled to meet and discuss with Ayatollah Sistani, the most powerful and influential Shia religious figure, on Wednesday. Before this meeting, the Iranian government's information base released a video stating, according to "analysts," that "this meeting will have three powerful messages for three main audiences." The producers of this video identified the first message as being directed at "Iraqi leaders," indicating that "Rouhani possesses significant power and they do not need to negotiate with other institutions or military figures for tactical reconciliation; they can do this with Rouhani as the head of the Iranian government." The reference to "other institutions or military figures" may point to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force, who have played an active role in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Qassem Soleimani has frequently traveled to Iraq, directly engaging in various crises in the country, including countering the Kurdish independence referendum and the advance of the Islamic State (ISIS). On March 11, the Quds Force commander received the highest military honor in Iran, awarded to a commander for the first time since the 1979 revolution, from the leader of the Islamic Republic. The second message of the Rouhani-Sistani meeting, according to the producers of the deleted video, is directed at "Iranian leaders" and "shows that Rouhani has been welcomed by one of the highest-ranking and most influential religious authorities in Iraq." The third message, they claim, will be directed at "the Trump administration and its Arab allies," stating that "Iraq is opening its doors to other countries, including Iran, to secure mutual and common interests and will not allow Iraqi territory to be used by a third government to act against Iran." Since the United States withdrew from the nuclear agreement known as the JCPOA in May and the re-imposition of sanctions, Tehran hopes to reduce the pressure of sanctions by increasing its trade exchanges with countries like Iraq. However, the Iraqi government, during Haider al-Abadi's premiership, announced that it would comply with U.S. sanctions. On the other hand, Donald Trump, the U.S. President, stated in mid-February during an interview that maintaining U.S. military forces in Iraq is important because it allows Washington to closely monitor Iran. The release and subsequent deletion of the video on "the implications of Hassan Rouhani's meeting with Ayatollah Sistani" has sparked reactions on social media. Some users supporting Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the former president of Iran, evaluated the release of this video as "continuation of Rouhani's war over the future leadership of Iran." A user named "Dumahm," who appears to support the Islamic Republic, also wrote that "I was fascinated by his second message. The President of Iran has sent a message to Iranian leaders." In recent weeks, developments in Iran's political structure have indicated a strengthening of the principlists in the hierarchy of power and a weakening of Hassan Rouhani's position. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say in the Islamic Republic, appointed Sadegh Larijani as the head of the Expediency Discernment Council this January. Mr. Larijani had held the presidency of the judiciary since 2009. The Iranian leader also appointed Ebrahim Raisi, a defeated candidate in the 2017 presidential election and a rival of Hassan Rouhani, as the new head of the judiciary on March 6. Mr. Raisi, who played a significant role in the execution of political opponents of the Islamic Republic in the summer of 1988, is among the candidates said to be preparing for future leadership of the Islamic Republic. On March 12, he achieved another significant victory by becoming the first deputy speaker of the Assembly of Experts, defeating Sadegh Larijani with 42 votes to 29.