Reformers Plan to Change the Current Overanxious Atmosphere

Some principlist Majlis representatives – conservative hardliners - have said former reformist president Mohammad Khatami would not be invited to Hassan Rowhani’s inauguration ceremony. Rooz spoke with Ahmad Shirzad, a member of the ruling central council of the reformist Participation Front ( Jebhe Mosharekat ) and a former Majlis member who said reformers were not bothered with such a possibility and that they were not “thirsty” to go to the Majlis anyway. He added, “But their approach indicates their foolhardiness and regressive management dominant in the Majlis.”

Read on for the details.

Rooz: Some Majlis members have said that Mohammad Khatami will not be invited to the presidential inauguration ceremony while others have said that the former president should denounce the group they call the seditionists. How do you view this?

Ahmad Shirzad: These are not official positions that some Majlis representative voice. The presidium of the Majlis is the decision-maker on this. Still, I personally doubt that it would invite Mr. Khatami or even Rafsanjani. But if they believe that some will be very hurt by such a move, then they are mistaken because neither the reformers nor Mr. Khatami will be upset. If principlists and particularly traditional conservative principlists take some a step, they will in fact be helping resolve the issue facing the country. They are foolish in their ways of solving the country’s issues.

Rooz: So you don’t think Mr. Rafsanjani will be invited?

Shirzad: Such a possibility exists. We are thirsty to go to the Majlis. But if they do it simply indicates their foolhardiness and the regressive management dominant in the Majlis. But it will not disrupt the impetus. Whenever such showy and flashy gestures are stopped, then issues will start to get solved.

Rooz: What is the reason for not extending such an invitation? Is it because principlists do not want to acknowledge the success that reformers accomplished in the last presidential election and Rowhani’s victory?

Shirzad: They are trying to control Mr. Rowhani; their own way and jump on the bandwagon. The other issue is that hardliners possess an overanxious strand. They seem to get hurt every time their opponents appear to succeed in something.  They are over sensitive and cannot accept their opponents victory. So they deny it by any and all means. The reality is that Mr. Rowhani was the reformers candidate and campaigned with their messages. Principlists had a number of candidates of their won. Continuing their mistaken understanding of the situation and events in the country will not improve their position.

Rooz: Can this be related to the selection of the new cabinet members?

Shirzad: Reformers have generally stayed in touch with many politicians, decision-makers and leaders in the last years and many technocrats in the government support reformers. This is true even now as reformers enjoy much support inside the senior government positions. Reformers are not anxious about how many cabinet seats they will get. They will continue to have relations with the new cabinet and government but they will be hesitant in taking up cabinet positions because of their current role.

Rooz: What current role is preventing them from accepting cabinet posts?

Shirzad: I mean they will not insist to be in the cabinet. The current political plan of the reformists is primarily to be in civil society and to activate the political atmosphere in the country, restart their political organizations and play an influential role in the future events of the country. We do not want to throw all our forces into executive positions and thus stay behind our party activities. Some of our forces will participate in executive issues. Reformers will in general keep their relations with the government but their priority is not to take up all the executive responsibilities of the government.

Rooz: What about the house arrests of Mr. Mousavi, Mr. Karoubi and Ms Rahnavard? Lifting their house arrest is being debated nowadays. Do reformers have a plan for that or are their efforts confined to the letter that the reformers advisory council wrote to ayatollah Khamenei and the recent remarks of Mr. Khatami?

Shirzad: These public demands are very important and impact the political atmosphere of the country. The confrontational and anxious atmosphere that existed before the presidential election is now gone. Instead of the confrontational attitude that emerged in 2009, now conciliation is the dominant theme. It is now the accepted view that what took place a few years ago must be resolved. Keeping this mood and atmosphere will help resolve the issue. Ruling circles must realize that the rationale and justifications that they presented in keeping the political prisoners or keeping some under house arrest are not working any more.

Rooz: Is lifting their house arrest possible?

Shirzad: I think this view will gradually completely take over the political mood. Principlists are overemphasizing this issue too much and are showing too much sensitivity so that their own interests are being hurt. They are afraid of people saying that their rivals have won and their programs have failed. Perhaps if a way could be found so that they do not feel so broken and even turn the event into their own benefit, then this could happen easier.

Rooz: What about Mr. Ahmadinejad?

Shirzad: At least for a short while, his pulpit will be taken away from him. He will lose his position to express his views. They will try to keep him well-preserved. They will try to present a good, positive image of him among the public. This is something that some of the domestic media are already doing. But he will not be allowed to turn into a defiant opposition voice, where he was two or three months ago. His close supporters and allies too will be denied such a position.

Rooz: Will Ahmadinejad accept such a situation?

Shirzad: He may return to the position he held in the 1997-1999 years as an active anti-reformist. Saffar Herandi took that same position in 2009 (anti reformist). But if Ahmadinejad ends the attitude he had two or three months ago and returns to his 1999 approach, then he will probably be given a voice to speak against Rowhani and his administration.