Unprecedented Criticism by Rouhani of Institutions Under the Leader in Mashhad Gathering

Hassan Rouhani, in his election speech in Mashhad, made unprecedented criticisms of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the state television and radio, the judiciary, and the Astan Quds Razavi, four institutions under the Leader of the Islamic Republic. He also mentioned, without going into details, that individuals during the nuclear negotiations contacted Mohammad Javad Zarif and Abbas Araghchi, members of Iran's nuclear negotiation team, 'under pressure' using 'anonymous phones.' On the evening of Wednesday, May 17, on the last day of the election campaign, Rouhani referred to the issue of restrictions on artistic programs in Mashhad, stating that the country 'has one leader, one government, and one constitution, and we do not want one leader in every province.' He added, 'You had problems with the people and the youth. Why do you have a problem with Ferdowsi? Why did you erase Ferdowsi's poems? You told the people that if you want art, go outside Mashhad. Now do you want to take Iran and tell the people to go outside Iran?' Rouhani also reacted to slogans against Ahmad Alamolhoda, the Imam of Friday prayers in Mashhad, saying, 'I want to ask you not to say anything about a specific individual and the respected Imam of Friday prayers. You know that we want to live with opponents too. The minority should also be respected in its place; we only ask that the minority does not sit in the place of the majority.' In recent years, the cancellation of several concerts and ultimately the prohibition of holding concerts in Razavi Khorasan province due to Alamolhoda's opposition has made headlines. This conservative figure from Mashhad had previously stated that those who want concerts should leave Mashhad. In another part of his speech, Rouhani stated that he has no problem with the IRGC and Basij forces but asks them to adhere to the will of Ayatollah Khomeini, the former leader of the Islamic Republic, regarding non-involvement in parties and 'political games.' He emphasized that the judiciary should also operate within the framework of the constitution. Rouhani also stated that Iranian television and radio should operate according to the constitution and be under the supervision of the three branches. This presidential candidate asked his supporters in his morning speech in Ardabil to vote 'to free the state television from the hands of a gang.' In the third presidential debate, Rouhani had implicitly accused the IRGC of organizing individuals to participate in rallies for Ebrahim Raisi. On Wednesday morning in Ardabil, he said, 'You only know how to take a bus; later, I will settle accounts with you; your twelfth government will hold you accountable.' In this speech, Rouhani also accused Ebrahim Raisi of trying to attract votes by 'distributing flour and sugar' from the budget of Astan Quds Razavi, and that his speeches are also held by transporting people by bus. In response, Ebrahim Raisi called these remarks 'insulting' to his supporters and stated that his rival 'ignores the massive gatherings across the country.' Ali Saidi, the representative of the Leader of the Islamic Republic in the IRGC, also recently emphasized that this institution will not interfere in the elections. In another part of his speech, Rouhani referred to the tearing of his photos in several provinces of Iran, saying, 'The thugs you put in place to tear the photos, but why did you raise the rate? Every hour tearing is worth a million tomans?' He emphasized that his statements are based on the words of individuals who have been 'arrested and confessed' in this regard. Rouhani's claim about 'putting pressure' on Zarif with anonymous phones. The President of Iran also accused his rival group, without mentioning details, of 'stabbing the Iranian nuclear negotiation team in the back.' He added, 'Was it manly to put pressure on Mr. Zarif and Mr. Araghchi on the night of negotiations through anonymous phones?' Rouhani did not refer to the details of this phone call with Iran's nuclear negotiation team. Previously, neither officials nor media in Iran had mentioned this incident. Despite the Leader of the Islamic Republic's confirmation of the nuclear agreement, he and his close associates continue to criticize this agreement, although Raisi, who is Rouhani's main rival in the election on Friday, has stated that he will adhere to this agreement if he wins. In response to the slogans from attendees for the removal of the house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, Rouhani said, 'Let me say the last point indirectly. All the things you want will only come into existence with your strong presence at the ballot box.' In recent days, during the presidential election campaign, in response to slogans for the removal of house arrest, he said, 'Give me strength with your vote.' He also stated in Tabriz that some promises cannot be fulfilled with '51 percent of the vote.' On Wednesday, Rouhani also accused rival candidates of not speaking about political freedoms and domestic and foreign policy. On the same day in his speech in Ardabil, he addressed his rival, saying, 'Do you know how to negotiate with the world? Do you understand the language of the world? You are stuck in understanding the language of your own nation.' Regarding political and civil freedoms, Shirin Ebadi, an Iranian lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, previously stated that none of the candidates in the Iranian presidential election have a satisfactory human rights record. She also believes that Rouhani's record in respecting legal freedoms is 'very weak.' The removal of the house arrest of the leaders of the 2009 protests was among Rouhani's electoral promises in the 2013 election, which he has been unable to fulfill after coming to power. Meanwhile, Rouhani's critics, including human rights monitoring organizations, have criticized the lack of improvement in human rights conditions and the continuation of pressure and repression in universities during his tenure. 29 members of the European Parliament have emphasized the necessity of holding 'free and fair' presidential elections in Iran and the release of political prisoners before the elections in a letter to Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief. In his speech in Ardabil, Rouhani also announced that ministers from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government, who gave a letter of oil sale privileges and part of the government's money to Babak Zanjani, are active in his rival's campaign, namely Ebrahim Raisi's campaign. He added, 'Three billion and 600 million of Iran's money was with America; they shouted anti-American slogans and kept our money with them. They had ten months to return the money. Why didn't you return the people's money?' The head of the Central Bank and the Minister of Economy of Iran had previously accused Ahmadinejad's government of failing to act to transfer one billion and 600 million dollars from Iran's assets in Luxembourg within six months. Officials of Hassan Rouhani's government had previously also accused Ahmadinejad's administration after the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling to seize two billion dollars of Iran's assets in that country and pay it to the families of victims of terrorist attacks 'related' to the Islamic Republic for negligence in retrieving Iran's assets, and Rouhani himself has criticized the judiciary for not pursuing this case.