Gossip grows as Rouhani skips meetings
As rumors spread in the Iranian media about President Hassan Rouhani boycotting Expediency Council meetings, some observers are comparing his avoidance strategy to that of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Conservative Iranian media outlets have been buzzing with the news of President Hassan Rouhani’s continued absence from the country’s Expediency Council meetings, which is chaired by his political mentor, Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.
According to Fars News, Rouhani clashed with the Expediency Council over the writing of the country’s Sixth Development Plan, a five-year plan meant to address the needs and future goals of the country.
Expediency Council member Mahmoud Mohammadi Araghi told Fars News Nov. 30 that Rouhani had objected to the council’s involvement in writing the specifics of the development plan, arguing that it is the administration’s job. However, the majority of the members of the council did not vote with Rouhani, and Rouhani skipped subsequent meetings.
When asked if the president was intentionally avoiding the meetings, using a Persian term for “sulking,” Mohammadi Araghi said that this was his impression after hearing Rafsanjani's comments about the issue. As president, Rouhani is obligated to attend Expediency Council meetings.
