President-elect Hassan Rouhani called on Wednesday for the government and powerful clergy to end interference in the private lives of the Iranian people, free up Internet access and allow state media to be more open about Iran's problems. Rouhani's comments began to flesh out his message of moderation at home and better relations abroad that contributed to his surprise election victory last month.
His election prompted a huge outpouring of support from Iranians hungry for change after eight years of domestic security crackdowns and international confrontation under hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. "There shouldn't be any rift or division between the government or the clergy especially at a time when people have pinned their hopes on seeing some sort of change in society," Rouhani, a mid-ranking cleric, told fellow clergymen in Tehran. "A strong government does not mean a government that interferes and intervenes in all affairs. It is not a government that limits the lives of people. This is not a strong government," said Rouhani who takes office early next month.
"The power of the government lies in improving popular trust and offering services, decreasing problems, setting the stage for further development of all citizens to help meet the needs of the people and desire for change," he said in an address aired on state television.
Rouhani is bolstered by his popular mandate and the backing of an alliance of moderates and reformers led by former presidents Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mohammad Khatami - both sidelined by hard-liners under Ahmadinejad. For now the divided hard-line conservative camp has given Rouhani a relatively free ride, repeatedly emphasising the high turnout in the election as a victory for the system rather than a defeat for themselves and the status quo.