Will Rouhani's Words Find an Audience?

Finally, four days after the nationwide protest movement in Iran, Hassan Rouhani, who was less addressed and criticized by the demonstrators, spoke out. This is while, according to the slogans of the demonstrators, the main addressee of the recent protest movement in Iran is essentially the leader of the regime - namely Ali Khamenei - and it is this leader of Iran who should have reacted to the wave of protests, not anyone else. One of the reasons that questions the effectiveness of Rouhani's words is this. In a cabinet meeting, Hassan Rouhani referred to the protests in some parts of the country, stating that it should be clear to everyone that we are a 'nation of freedom' and 'according to the constitution and citizens' rights, people are completely free to express their criticisms and even their protests.' At the same time, Rouhani conditioned protests in Iran by saying, 'However, we must also pay attention to the fact that the manner of criticism and protest should be such that it leads to better conditions for the country and the lives of the people.' Hassan Rouhani, as someone who has risen from within the system, considers his position a product of this system, added, 'Solving some of these issues is not easy and takes time, and the government and the people must work hand in hand to solve these problems.' Rouhani, who has mostly been active in the security aspects of the regime over the past forty years, also said: 'The root of some of the economic problems of the people goes back to previous years and some others are related to these times... the government and the people must help each other; however, people's criticism is not only about the economy, people have concerns about corruption and transparency and say that issues must be transparent.' He claimed: 'Criticism in all matters of the country is the right of the people, and we believe that the government and the country belong to the people, and the people must express what they want clearly.' 1- Rouhani's words, as always, did not go beyond generalities and implicitly, while accepting the right to protest, did not refrain from using the term 'rioting' to threaten the protesters, even if indirectly. The threatening tone of Rouhani's words is enough to undermine what is called 'acceptance of the right to protest' by the demonstrators. The use of the term 'rioting,' which is usually employed by the authoritarian faction of the regime and its official media to refer to government protesters, is another reason that renders Rouhani's words ineffective. 2- In his statements, he tried to easily evade the abnormal living conditions of the majority of society and instead pointed to the previous government or the economic corruption of the opposing faction to place the burden of the protests on the shoulders of the opposition. However, Rouhani should at least accept a portion of the responsibility for the inefficiency of his government, which is mostly composed of security personnel. 3- Rouhani attempted to defer the protest movement to the future by expressing economic promises once again. It seems that promises of economic improvement in the future are not a convincing argument for those who have experienced a long-term decline in the quality of life and livelihood. 4- The head of the executive branch did not say that if the country belongs to the people, what mechanisms exist for the exercise of popular sovereignty in the country. And whether, given the absolute power of the Supreme Leader and his expansionism in various economic, political, and social arenas, there is still room for the exercise of national sovereignty. 4- Rouhani refers to the law to prove that 'according to the constitution and citizens' rights, people are completely free to express their criticisms and even their protests,' but who does not know that in the Islamic Republic's governance, the reality of daily life has no relation to the rule of law. In the Islamic Republic, it is the power of the factions dependent on the regime that shapes real daily life, not the laws. Why Rouhani's words have no effect on the protest movement Firstly, the person who is being criticized by the demonstrators is Ali Khamenei, the leader of the regime and the entirety of the Islamic Republic. This is why the majority of slogans are directed at him. Therefore, if someone's words are to be effective on the demonstrators, this person must be Ali Khamenei himself, who, despite his absolute rule and obstruction of any reformative actions by governments, has hidden behind the presidents, monopolizing powers but shifting responsibilities onto other officials. One of the reasons for the lack of transparency, widespread corruption, discrimination, inequality, and ultimately the inefficiency of the country's macro-management, which has led to poverty and misery, is this concealment by the leader of the regime. Secondly, demonstrators have learned from experience that the entirety of the regime, and here specifically Rouhani, has not been able to fulfill its promises over nearly four decades in a situation better than the current conditions, so in the current situation, which is a period of decline for the regime and the fatigue of its leaders, how can one hope that these promises will be implemented? The Iranian regime, with its sectarian outlook, does not prioritize the living conditions of the people. The dual factions of the regime, including the authoritarian hardliners (often referred to as principlists) and reformists (i.e., bureaucrats and managers), have proven themselves and are both equally tainted by corruption. This is a characteristic of those who hold positions within the framework of the rent-seeking authoritarian regime and is unrelated to the political inclination of any particular faction. Figures from both factions have shown that they lack sufficient managerial competence.