Two days ahead of the first 2021 Iran presidential election debate, President Hassan Rouhani reiterated his desire to hold a national referendum. At the same time, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif implicitly warned against undermining “legitimacy” derived from the popular vote.
Hassan Khomeini, the most prominent grandchild of Iran’s founding supreme leader, Ruhollah Khomeini, also joined Rouhani in criticism of attempts to swap the current “Islamic Republic” for a Taliban-styled “Islamic Caliphate.”
Benefiting from the cleric-led country marking the 33rd anniversary Khomeini’s death on June 3, Rouhani slammed the incumbent electoral process for slashing the eligibility of some candidates who applied to run for the presidency.
Rouhani’s criticism came despite the Guardian Council approving the candidacy of his close ally, former Central Bank Governor Abdel Nasser Hemmati.
In his seemingly impartial critique, the president cited Khomeini’s teaching several times.
Attending a weekly cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Rouhani stated that Khomeini considered the people’s awareness as a primary character for building a just republic.
“Everyone is proud of their constructive dealings with the world today, and no one wants confrontation,” he said.
“Today, everyone is talking about negotiations, but what is important is the understanding that negotiating is the keyway for dealing with the world,” he stressed.
At the ministerial meeting, Rouhani also slammed those fearful of holding a national referendum, building his argument on the country’s history.
He recounted how five referendums and electoral elections were held in the first year after the 1979 revolution.
The last time Iran had held a referendum dates back to July 1989; it followed a constitutional amendment and was supported by 97% of the population eligible for voting.
During his years in office, Rouhani repeatedly called for holding public referendums on Tehran’s foreign policy and power distribution.
He called for a public poll regarding the nuclear agreement, joining the international FATF agreement for combating terrorist financing and money laundering, and reshaping executive authority in the country.
