Iranian reformist calls Rouhani to fulfill its promises

Abdolkarim Hosseinzadeh, deputy chairman of reformist-moderate Hope faction, said, "A majority of the next Cabinet should be in tune with the political dialogue of the reformists as well as that of the president. People's demands for next elections must be taken into consideration," ISNA reported on Friday.

The Hope faction is compromised mostly of reformists and moderates aligned with the president, who make up a majority in the parliament.

Reformists and moderates dethroned the conservatives in the last round of parliamentary election in 2016, mostly thanks to a youth-driven campaign for more political and social freedoms. They also put their weight behind Rouhani in the May presidential election that extended his mandate for another four years.

Rouhani secured a commanding lead of 57% in a race that drew more than seven out of every 10 voters to the polls. His nearest rival in the four-man race, conservative Ebrahim Raeisi, secured 38% of the votes. On the campaign trail, Rouhani promised to work toward realization of reform-minded Iranians' hopes for greater freedoms and openness at home, and better relations with the outside world.

Hosseinzadeh said, "Those who are selected for the Cabinet must be from [the political parties] that supported the president and are in step with his political lines."

 Need to Avert Disillusionment

Mohammad Reza Tabesh, another reformist lawmaker, said, "The next Cabinet members must be loyal to people's demands and the president's campaign slogans."

Tabesh warned that "we should avoid a state of affairs that may discourage people about [reformist and moderate] pledges."

"There is no doubt that a majority of those who voted for Rouhani were from the reformist movement, but some may have elected him as a protest vote out of fear of conditions getting worse had his opponent won the election," he said, urging the president to take into consideration different social factors that contributed to his reelection.

Raeisi, Rouhani's main rival in the election, pledged that he would increase cash handouts to people and adopt a tougher approach toward the West, insisting on a more self-sufficient economy.

While the pledges apparently appealed to a large portion of the grass roots, they also reminded people of former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's administration whose approaches led to the country's isolation and economic recession.

Rouhani adopted the slogan "We don't go back," which reminded people of the same policies that reduced people's purchasing power and damaged Iran's credibility in what many believed was the main reason why some floating voters opted for him in the end.

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