Former Iranian president Hassan Rouhani has called for the exit of intelligence and security forces from the economy in a rare sweeping call for reform by a former key player in Tehran's political and security establishment.
“To fulfill the people’s will, let the armed forces stick to their core duties—nothing else. The economy isn’t their job. Propaganda, domestic politics or foreign policy aren’t either,” Rouhani said in a video message posted on his official website on Wednesday.
Rouhani argued that if the Islamic Republic expected its people's support against American and Israeli foes, it must deliver on its promises and avoid corruption.
“An intelligence agency involved in business or trade isn’t intelligence,” Rouhani said.
Reform attempts
The state dominates the economy through oil, banking, and strategic industries, while the IRGC plays a major role in commerce, limiting private sector freedom.
Calls for reform gained the fore during the presidency of Mohammad Khatami from 1997 to 2005, but the momentum waned and gave way to the rise of hardline governments such as that of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Rouhani, his successor, adopted a more pragmatic stance and championed a 2015 nuclear deal which earned him the ire of hardliners and has been shut out of high-profile politics since.
A protege of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a founding father of the Islamic Revolution, Rouhani was a longtime head of Iran's powerful Supreme National Security Council before his presidency.
Despite his fall from favor, Rouhani is among the few figures considered a potential successor of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, though his chances have likely ebbed in recent years amid opposition by conservatives.
Popular will
Rouhani also suggested Iran's courts were beholden to entrenched interests, undermining society.
“People want an independent judiciary," he added. "To strengthen domestic governance, this is the path.”
In Iran, the judiciary is closely aligned with theocratic principles, often prioritizing state ideology and well-connected figures over impartiality.
Courts enforce strict Islamic laws, regulate social behavior, mandate the Islamic veil and police public expression.
Rouhani said solidarity between Tehran and its people he says was won in a brief war this summer could be deepened if authorities pursued a measured foreign policy.
“If we do all this and avoid unnecessary foreign policy conflicts or enmities, we’ll have a strong, unified nation standing behind its leadership,” he added.
Since the June 24 ceasefire between Iran and Israel following 12 days of conflict, Tehran has increasingly embraced nationalist symbols, including imagery and figures from the pre-Islamic era, both in public and during state broadcasts.
