Rouhani's Protest Against Disqualifications: The Parliament is the House of the Nation, Not a Faction

Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, protested on Thursday, January 21, against the widespread disqualifications of candidates for the Islamic Consultative Assembly elections, questioning the legitimacy of holding elections without the presence of political rivals and various factions. According to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA), Rouhani, speaking at a conference of governors and district governors, stated, "If one faction is allowed to participate in the elections and another is not, then why are we holding elections?" He noted that a political faction in the country, with around 10 million supporters, has been overlooked in the qualification process for the parliamentary elections, while the Iranian Constitution grants representation rights to minorities such as Jews, Zoroastrians, Assyrians, and Armenians, who have much smaller populations. Reformists, who are considered supporters of Rouhani's government, have faced extensive disqualifications in the qualification process for the tenth parliamentary elections, with reports indicating that the Guardian Council approved only 30 out of 3,000 reformist candidates. Rouhani, who had previously emphasized using all his powers to address the issue of disqualifications, also mentioned that he had asked his first vice president and the ministers of intelligence and interior to consult with the Guardian Council on this matter. He further stated, "The Islamic Consultative Assembly is named the House of the Nation, not the house of a faction; let us make the House of the Nation a true reflection of the people and belonging to all. Everyone must come together to hold a vibrant election and not let the people feel hopeless. Let all people come to the ballot boxes." These remarks come as Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, also called on all citizens to participate in the elections, stating that even "those who do not accept the system should participate in the elections to preserve the country's credibility." However, Khamenei later clarified that those who do not accept the system should only vote, not seek to enter the parliament. Meanwhile, many political figures who have been disqualified insist they believe in the Islamic Republic system. In addition to the reformist faction, about 50 current members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly have also been disqualified, including Ali Motahari, a Tehran representative who identifies as a principlist but has criticized the government's treatment of protesters from the 2009 protests and the leaders of the Green Movement in recent years.