An aide to President Rohani says the potential release of Iranian opposition leaders from house arrest depends upon their willingness to “come to terms and accept responsibility.”
Hessameddin Ashna was quoted as saying that the house arrest of MirHosein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard and Mehdi Karroubi is multifaceted, and even if all of those facets are resolved, it will come down to the decision of those who have been under house arrest.
Mousavi and Karroubi challenged the legitimacy of the 2009 presidential election and triggered mass street protests that rocked the integrity of the Islamic Republic system. They were put under house arrest in 2011 together with their wives. While Fatemeh Karroubi was later released, Mousavi, his wife Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi remain under house arrest for close to three years.
Hopes that the moderate administration would finally achieve their release have so far been dashed by a backlash from conservative elements of the establishment and Hassan Rohani’s refusal to make a public stand for these figures.
