Unable to outmaneuver the elected and unelected conservative officials to implement economic and social reforms, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has suggested direct referendums to resolve key issues. His proposal has garnered strong reactions from a number of Iranian conservatives and prompted various analyses over social media.
At a Jan. 4 economic conference in Tehran, Rouhani said, “Until when should our economy subsidize our policies? It subsidies both our foreign and domestic policies. Let’s reverse this relationship for one decade. Let’s have our foreign policy subsidize our economy, and let's see what happens to the people, their livelihood and the employment of their youth. Let’s ask the people. ”