Khatami Should Say in Public What he Says in Private

Rooz spoke with Amir Mohebian, a conservative hardline principlist who has been a journalist and a university lecturer, about current issues in Iran. He says principlists are not interested in getting a share of the political power because they lost the elections although he adds that they believe that those individuals who created problems for the country following the 2009 presidential elections should not be in the next cabinet. He also said that former present Mohammad Khatami is a national personality who should not be pushed towards becoming an opposition figure. Regarding the house arrest of Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi he said that with Mr. Rowhani’s cabinet as the atmosphere gradually changes, these conditions too will change.

Read on for the details.

Rooz: The list of invitees that Mr. Rowhani had prepared was returned for changes. This had not happened in the past. What is the reason it is happening now?

Amir Mohebian: I do not know how it used to be in the past and whether foreign guests were present.

Rooz: Mr. Rowhani’s list of invitees to the inaugural ceremony.

Mohebian: I think since the ceremony will take place in the Majlis and it is the final decision-maker on the guests, the list will be finalized mutually between the Majlis and Mr. Rowhani. There isn’t much time left for this.

Rooz: Some Majlis reps are saying since Mr. Khatami has not denounced the sedition and its leaders, he should not be invited to the ceremony. Is the return or rejection of Mr. Rowhani’s list related to this?

Mohebian: I do not know whether Mr. Khatami was in Mr. Rowhani’s list or not. But some Majlis representatives have the right to present their views but it is the majority of the assembly that will make a decision on this. I opinion is that Mr. Khatami has participated in Majlis elections and on various occasions has things that are different from what the protestors have said in 2009. What the opponents say is that Mr. Khatami does denounce the seditionists in private but not so in public. I think they will come to some agreement on this. In any case, Mr. Khatami is a national personality, he is a former president and we should not push him towards the opposition. This is not reasonable. He too must be direct and announce that the unlawful actions of 2009 were not correct.

Rooz: Mr. Khatami has publicly called for the lifting of the house arrests of Mr. Mousavi, Karoubi and Ms Rahnavard. The reformers’ advisory council has written a letter to the supreme leader asking him to support Rowhani on this. Are these not his clear views?

Mohebian: If the house arrest is lifted then these individuals must be tried. And since there are public and private plaintiffs against them is it in the interest of the state to release them and then put them before a trial? I think instead of insisting on lifting the house arrest, people should let this take its course. Under Mr. Rowhani’s new administration, gradually and with a change in the atmosphere, conditions too will change.

Rooz: What state interest? Are you saying trying them is not in the interest of the state and so conditions must change?

Mohebian: I think that as the political atmosphere changes, so will the conditions. This is already happening. That way the problem will gradually be resolved. Insisting on this issue puts Mr. Khatami in a bad light too and creates problems for Mr. Rowhani’s administration. So I think the group that is insisting on this is making extreme calls and this insistence will not be in the best interests of Mr. Mousavi and Mr. Karoubi, just as they would not be in the interests of Mr. Khatami or Mr. Rowhani.

Rooz: Not much time is left for the announcement of the new cabinet and Mr. Shariatmadari of hardline Kayhan newspaper has said that those who had a part in the 2009 events should not be voted in. He even said that Mr. Rowhani’s heart desires that they not be voted in and that he is in a face-saving situation.

Mohebian: Mr. Rowhani has the right to chose anyone he wishes for the cabinet and since he has already filtered some of them through the complex channels to keep qualified people for the posts, face-saving plays no role in this. The Majlis will vote on the cabinet nominations. Mr. Shariatmadari or anyone else has the right to repress their views as well. We should not suppress any one. Everyone should do according to their duties and the law. My advice is that things should be done in a manner that the government which is shaping under the banner of reason and hope should not disappoint its supporters.

Rooz: What kind of action do you mean for Mr. Rowhani?

Mohebian: I mean the Majlis. I do not think Mr. Rowhani will bring in people who will be questionable. He is a diplomat whose nature is not to go after challenges under these conditions. On the other hand the Majlis too is not there to create conflict and its leadership wants to have a positive attitude. There is a small group in the Majlis who are close to the Steadfast Front ( Jebhe Paydari ) who are taking a harder line on this but I perception is that the Majlis as a whole will not take a hardline posture.

Rooz: But the principlist faction in the Majlis has issued a statement for Mr. Rowhani and set conditions for its vote. On the other hand, it is said that Mr. Larijani and some the Majlis have raised some conditions for confirming the cabinet and have mentioned getting a share (of the cabinet).

Mohebian: I do not share the view that anybody wants a share, whether Mr. Larijani or someone else. Principlists today are absolutely not after getting any shares and make no such claims because they were not the victors in the election. The issue is that they have certain views that those who had created problems for the country in 2009 should not be in the cabinet. And since the majority of Majlis representatives are principlists, the new president will try to get their support. This is not about getting a share.

Rooz: You said that principlists were not the victors in the latest presidential race but some of them have made such claims.

Mohebian: I have categorically  said that the specific candidate representing the principlists failed completely and have qualified this by saying that the principlist movement has not been defeated. Because it is a social movement. Just as the reformist movement cannot be defeated. Political movements and political groups may be defeated, which is what has happened. In this case, Mr. Rowhani was not the candidate of the reformers and did not belong to the principlists either. He was not the candidate of choice of the reformers.

Rooz: But he emerged as a candidate of the reformers.

Mohebian: Ultimately so and the body of the reformers primarily voted for him. Because of this Mr. Rowhani is looking to them when thinking about the cabinet. And there is nothing wrong with this. The only demand that principlists have is that those who have been identified to have played a role in the 2009 protests should not be in the cabinet. And since they comprise a majority in the Majlis, they can legally make such a demand.

Rooz: What do you think will take place?

Mohebian: Mr. Rowhani is generally not a person who is after challenges and clashes. He has long term goals in the economy and diplomacy, so he will not get engaged in peripheral issues. My advice to him is that he should not get entangled in peripheral issues. If there are differences over Mr. Khatami’s participation in the inaugural ceremony, then Mr. Khatami himself should stay away.