On March 6, at his first press conference since the Feb. 26 Assembly of Experts and parliamentary elections, President Hassan Rouhani thanked all the people who called on Iranians to vote. One of the most effective calls to vote was by former President Mohammad Khatami, who had made a video message asking Iranians to vote for the Reformist list. His “I repeat” moment in the video was by far the most viral and popular meme on social media and social messaging services ahead of the elections.

Given Rouhani’s acknowledgement of those who asked Iranians to vote, an Iranian journalist with Reformist Shargh Daily asked about the media ban on Khatami, who has been accused by some officials as being one of the leaders of the 2009 Green Movement protests.

“There is no resolution of media prohibition on Khatami,” Rouhani responded. “At no time and at no period was this issue present. I saw this with the consideration of when I was at the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC).” Rouhani was secretary of the SNSC from 1989 to 2007 and served as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s representative to the SNSC from 1989 to 2013.

Rouhani continued, “I asked the secretariat of the SNSC, and they said there is no such resolution. But even if there was a resolution, it would be illegal and the secretariat has no right.” He said that linking a media ban to the SNSC “is more of a joke than a serious issue.”