Jeers as Weakened Rouhani Calls for Unity in Deeply Divided Iran

(Bloomberg) -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was jeered by supporters of hard-line conservative rivals as he called for national unity and fair elections in a key address just weeks head of parliamentary polls.

Marking the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution, Rouhani praised Iranians for withstanding the economic hardship and instability brought on by U.S. President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign.

“We shouldn’t talk about this or that faction. The revolution belongs to everyone,” Rouhani told a crowd that also included supporters, government workers and school children.

But his speech in Tehran’s Azadi Square was often drowned out by vocal, mostly male groups who had swarmed a temporary fence dividing the stage area from the public enclosure. They booed Rouhani loudly, while glorifying Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and even calling for war with the U.S.

The two countries have been locked in an increasingly perilous confrontation since Trump reimposed sanctions and sought to contain Iran’s regional influence. The dispute culminated in the killing of Iran’s most senior military general, Qassem Soleimani, last month and Iranian reprisals that sparked fears of war.

‘Shut Up’

“Whenever we’ve stood together, we’ve managed to defeat the U.S.,” Rouhani said, only to be met with chants of “shut up” and “death to the conciliator.”

The main road leading to Azadi Square was lined with stalls promoting the Islamic revolution and Shiite Islam, and decrying the U.S. and Israel.

Rouhani and his government have always been the target of hard-liners opposed to his engagement with the West and the landmark 2015 nuclear deal it delivered.

But his rivals -- fiercely loyal to Khamenei’s leadership and brand of ultra-conservative religious politics -- have been empowered since Trump abrogated the accord and imposed sanctions. They are expected to dominate parliamentary elections on Feb. 21, gaining a new foothold in power ahead of next year’s presidential ballot.

Thousands of reformists, as well as centrist conservatives who backed Rouhani, have been barred from contesting. Last month, the president rebuked officials vetting candidates, charging them with in effect of denying voters a choice. Turnout is expected to drop from previous polls.

Oil Penalties

Rouhani, whose two election wins were propelled by middle class support, has seen his popularity slump as the economy nosedived under sanctions, especially those on Iran’s oil exports. Tehran has responded to Trump’s offensive by abandoning many of the nuclear deal’s enrichment caps.

In November, widespread protests erupted after gasoline prices were raised without warning, and hundreds of people were then killed in a violent crackdown by security forces.

Unrest broke out again in January when, after days of official denials, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard admitted it had unintentionally shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet above Tehran, killing all on board.

The tragedy occurred hours after Iran had responded to Soleimani’s killing with missile strikes on bases in Iraq that housed U.S. troops, sending tensions in the region soaring to new heights.

Invoking Soleimani’s legacy, Rouhani said on Tuesday that Iran “must pursue both diplomacy and resistance,” a comment most likely aimed at opponents who oppose ties with outside powers.

To contact the reporters on this story: Arsalan Shahla in Tehran at ashahla@bloomberg.net;Golnar Motevalli in London at gmotevalli@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Lin Noueihed at lnoueihed@bloomberg.net, Mark Williams, Paul Abelsky

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