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Rouhani to domestic critics: Peace more daring than war

After the first-ever attack by the Islamic State against Iran, President Hassan Rouhani will have a difficult time pushing for compromise with regional countries and reducing tensions.
Iranian president Hassan Rouhani gestures during a news conference in Tehran, Iran, May 22, 2017. TIMA via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. - RTX372F9

Using the momentum from a recent re-election and in an effort to live up to his campaign promises, President Hassan Rouhani is urging his country’s various power centers, particularly the country’s supreme leader, to push for peace and better ties with regional countries and world powers. However, with the recent attacks by the Islamic State (IS) and the attempt of some military officials to link those countries to the attack, Rouhani’s message will have more difficulty getting through.

In a June 10 speech on the occasion of the birthday of the second Shiite imam, Hasan ibn Ali, who was known for seeking a truce with his enemies, Rouhani said, “Patience and forbearance for peace is more difficult than patience and stamina in the field of war.”

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