On Wednesday, President Hassan Rohani further cleared his determination to keep away from the radical policy of predecessor, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He vowed to win the battle with hardliners who are against his policy of détente, as the nuclear talks that they oppose enter a critical phase. “Through unity and harmony we can put all problems behind us ... and will stand against those who don’t walk in step with the people,” Rohani told a group of officials during a provincial trip.
Pointing the support of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who still has the final say on any major shift in foreign and nuclear policy, he said: “we will stand against extremism, and with the help of God, score a victory against extremists”.
On Tuesday, hardliners in Iran’s parliament tried but failed to push through a censure motion against the chief nuclear negotiator, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, for refusing to deny the lie of the Holocaust. He had called the Holocaust a horrifying tragedy, part of the broader government efforts to distance itself from Ahmadinejad’s anti-Semitic reputation which increased international resolve to curb the nuclear program that Israel says is intended to develop a bomb that could be used to destroy the Jewish state. Last week, opponents of the nuclear talks staged a gathering at the site of the former US embassy in Tehran, overrun by militants and occupied since 1979.
Similarly, number of MPs in failed attempt tried to prevent the smooth process of nuclear talks which has sparked optimisms over peaceful resolution of Tehran-West long-time controversies.
But there are several issues that still have remained vague. On one hand, President Hassan Rohani obviously claim that supreme leader vividly support his foreign policy. Similar thing was uttered by former President Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Though Aytullah Ali Khamenei on one hand supported the nuclear talks and branded as championship retreat, but he never showed any flexibility in terms of blaming the West for plotting against Islamic Republic. He previously told the nuclear negotiators to be alert of foreign connives and mischievousness while advancing nuclear negotiation.
One of the interesting characteristics of Mr. Khamenei has been guarantor of the Islamic system. During decades that government exchanged between reformists, conservatives or moderates, he avoided taking with any side. By emphasizing on broader issues, he maintained his position as indisputable as leader, with supporters within almost all layers of the society.