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Hassan Rouhani labelled 'fake revolutionary' as Iran's hardliners hit back
Iran's president under renewed pressure from hardline military chiefs after delivering a reformist speech
One of Iran’s most senior military commanders denounced President Hassan Rouhani as a “fake revolutionary” on Monday as the beleaguered leader faced public criticism for advocating sweeping reform.
General Mohammad Reza Naqdi, the commander of the Basij paramilitary force, delivered a forceful response to a speech from Mr Rouhani on Sunday.
In this appearance, the president urged economic reform and raised the possibility of appealing over the heads of his opponents to Iran’s people by holding referendums on vital questions of policy.
“Our political experience shows that the country cannot have sustainable growth when it is isolated,” said Mr Rouhani. He opened the door to a compromise over Iran’s nuclear programme and, in particular, the number of centrifuges its scientists are using to enrich uranium. “Our ideals are not bound to centrifuges. Our ideals are bound to our hearts, brains and determination,” said Mr Rouhani.
But this provoked a terse response from Gen Naqdi, who leads the paramilitary wing of the Revolutionary Guard Corps. He described the regime’s ideals as the “elimination of tyrants, of the American White House and the wiping out of Zionism”.
Gen Naqdi added: “These days, fake revolutionaries, who joined the ranks of revolutionaries to acquire leadership and riches, speak about the necessity to make compromises and are sure that our struggle must be halted - and they expect that we will surrender our affairs to them.”
Mr Rouhani won office in 2013 promising to revive the economy by settling the confrontation over Iran’s nuclear ambitions in a way that would secure the lifting of sanctions. Since then, no final deal has been achieved and falling oil prices have dealt another blow to Iran’s economy.
The national budget assumes an oil price of $100 (£65.6) per barrel, but independent estimates suggest that Iran needs $130 (£85.3) to balance the books. Meanwhile, Brent crude fell to $54 (£35.4) per barrel on Monday.
All this has served to create an opening for Mr Rouhani’s hardline opponents. But a Western source stressed that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, has the final say on all policy questions - and he was still “coordinating closely” with the president.