Iranian President Hassan Rouhani criticized the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Nov. 4 for arresting journalists, marking his first public response to high-profile incarcerations that have undermined his efforts to create a more open political climate, particularly since concluding the nuclear deal in July with the six world powers. Rouhani let his objections be known in a speech to administration officials.

In a video shared on his Instagram page, Rouhani said, “We should not senselessly go after one person or two people, and take them from here or there, and say this is linked to infiltration and make this a big case in the country.” On Nov. 3, the IRGC's Intelligence Unit had released a statement announcing, “A number of members of an infiltration network connected to the American and British governments have been arrested.” According to the unit, the individuals were journalists or active in the media and social media.

The phrase “infiltration or influence” is one Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei used in a Sept. 16 speech in which he asked the IRGC to prevent foreign countries, in particular the United States, from culturally and politically influencing or penetrating the country. The phrase has become a catchall expression that some hard-liners use in pushing back against domestic political rivals.

On the politicization of the word “infiltration,” Rouhani said, “We have to fight in a serious and real way any type of foreign infiltration and a few should not toy with the word.” He continued, “If the supreme leader presents a word, we should understand it correctly and apply it and not allow a few individuals to take advantage of it in pursuit of their personal, group or partisan interests.”