The legacy of the founder of the Islamic Republic, former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, is contested among Iran's top leadership circles. Reformists refer to his near decade of rule after the 1979 revolution as a “golden era” and selectively refer to some of his decisions to reinforce their own policies, particularly those in favor of compromise and flexibility. Conservatives, particularly hard-liners, recollect a strong political figure who stood up to the West.
In his latest statements, President Hassan Rouhani has attempted to blend the two disparate readings, while at the same time, perhaps in a nod to the current stalemate in the nuclear negotiations, reminding the top leadership that the former supreme leader knew when it was time to “choose peace.”