Zarif's Election Speech in a Tense Atmosphere; 'You Have Silenced All Opponents in the Name of Martyrs'

Mohammad Javad Zarif, the former Foreign Minister of Iran, during a speech supporting Masoud Pezeshkian, a presidential candidate, stated that "we are not like a minority that has suppressed the majority." On Friday night, July 1st, in response to chants from supporters of the principlist faction present at the speech who were shouting the name of Ebrahim Raisi, the former President of Iran, he said: "You have silenced all opponents in the country in the name of martyrs." However, Zarif himself repeatedly attempted to invoke the name of Qassem Soleimani, the former commander of the Quds Force, against his opponents during his speech. Iranian officials refer to individuals who are killed in line with the Islamic Republic's policies as "martyrs." Iranian media reported that the presence of Masoud Pezeshkian's opponents at Zarif's speech in Kashan was accompanied by significant tension. Published images from this speech show that the chants of Zarif's opponents led to physical confrontations between them and Pezeshkian's and Zarif's supporters. Some media outlets close to reformists, including "Iran Watcher," claimed that supporters of Saeed Jalili, another candidate, were responsible for the clashes by raising images of him. The former Foreign Minister also responded to attendees' protests regarding embezzlements that occurred during Hassan Rouhani's administration by referencing the "Dabesh tea embezzlement" during Ebrahim Raisi's presidency, stating: "All embezzlements in history do not equal the Dabesh tea embezzlement." Zarif further claimed that during his time in Rouhani's government, 120 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine were imported into the country, but "the gentlemen were obstructing and saying we will produce domestic vaccines." He continued: "Is the vaccine a dyeing vat that millions of doses would arrive a week after our departure from the Foreign Ministry?" Meanwhile, hours after these clashes, Ali Khamenei urged presidential candidates to avoid making "enemy-pleasing" statements. The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic said on Saturday, July 2nd, during a meeting with the head and senior officials of the Iranian judiciary: "My recommendation is that the discussions that the candidates have on television or the statements they make, whether in groups or individually, should not lead to a candidate saying something to overcome a rival that pleases the enemy." This direct request from the Supreme Leader for self-censorship from candidates comes at a time when some political activists have recently written that candidates lack the courage to take clear positions on sensitive issues such as mandatory hijab, sanctions, and restrictions on access to free internet.