A group of Iranian members of parliament has asked for the younger brother of moderate President Hassan Rouhani to be put on trial, a move interpreted by Reformists as politically motivated.

On Jan. 4, 46 lawmakers demanded "punishment" and an “investigation” into charges of economic corruption against Hossein Fereydoun. (The surname of the president at birth was Fereydoun, but as an adult he changed it to Rouhani, which literally means "cleric" or "spiritual" in Persian.)  

Also on Jan. 4, hard-line member of parliament Javad Karimi Ghoddousi, a staunch enemy of Rouhani, asked the judiciary to summon Fereydoun in an interview with the conservative Basij News.

Ghoddousi said, “Lately, we have witnessed that Mr. Rouhani has left the Pasteur complex [presidential office] and has given [control over] Pasteur to his brother and children. … There is a series of corruption and heavy and complicated seditions that are closely connected to each other. A part of this [plot] is in the hands of the [2009 post-election] sedition activists and the other part is in the hands of [the foreign] spy agencies. The center for the mobilization of these [plans] is in the hands of Mr. [Ali Akbar] Hashemi Rafsanjani’s current.”