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Confrontation between Rouhani, hard-line clerics heats up

Hard-line clerics rail against Iran’s moderate president over his remarks in favor of freedom of speech.
SOCHI, RUSSIA - NOVEMBER, 22 (RUSSIA OUT)  Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaks during Russian-Iranian-Turkish talks at Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia, November,22,2017. Presidents of Russia, Turkey and Iran have gathered in Sochi to talk on Syrian war conflict. Photo by Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images)

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a moderate cleric, has entered a new phase in his confrontation with hard-line clergymen over a number of issues after the recent unrest across the country.

On Jan. 13, Tehran Friday prayer leader Kazem Sedighi, a hard-liner, reacted to the protests, saying, “The nation’s gathering [against the unrest] turned into a sea and cleaned the rubbish.” This description of the protesters as rubbish led to a series of criticisms from moderate and Reformist figures and consequently the president.

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