Thread by @fresh_sadegh

President #Rouhani reportedly told Reformist figures at an Iftar party: The government has no authority in foreign politics, doesn’t know where/when it is allowed or not to negotiate; cultural policies, IRIB state TV, mosques & cyberspace aren’t under govt. control. #Iran #US

#Rouhani tells Reformists -who insist on possibility of negotiations- that he opposed talks (with #US) under current circumstances. #Iran’s president tries to shed responsibility for #JCPOA defeat of his govt. & himself by telling Reformists they want sth that’s not in his power.

Reformist political activist Jalaei-pour who was at #Rouhani's Iftar party May 11 quotes the Iranian president as saying "President #Obama requested to meet with me 19 times! but I had no authority to respond to his request". #US #Iran

Editor-in-chief of anti-govt. daily #Keyhan slams #Rouhani's remarks reg. his lack of authority. Hossein Shariat-madari argues: Rouhani has been a high-ranking official for 40 years, if he knew president's hands are tied why he ran for office? #Iran

Reformist daily Aftab-e yazd also runs a headline mocking #Rouhani.
Its headline reads: Nagging about powers after 6 years!
#Iran #US

Pres. #Rouhani again calls for more authority by saying: “As we are facing economic war we need a supportive council with special powers without Majlis or Judiciary being able to interfere in its decisions similar to the council formed during 1980-88 war. #Iran

#Rouhani in #Qom: We’ve never faced such problems in #oil & banking sectors, as we received special powers from Imam Khomeini in 1980s and managed war, we need to obtain similar authorities now (from SL Khamenei). [He likely expects ayatollahs to get those powers for him]

Guardian Council finally decides to answer to #Rouhani's remarks abt his lack of authority, spokesman tweets: #Iran's Constitution has given vast powers to presidents, but the current president is granted more authorities than his predecessors.

https://twitter.com/Kadkhodaee_ir/status/1130933220860727301