The story: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected calls for constitutional reform, dismissing them as demands of the country's adversaries. He has also criticized the government for the poor state of the Iranian economy.

The comments, delivered in his annual address on the Iranian New Year, suggest that major political reforms are not likely in the near future. Instead, the Islamic Republic’s focus will likely be on improving relations with foreign states to support the economy.

The coverage: Khamenei on Mar. 21 criticized the state of the economy at length in a televised speech in the northeastern city of Mashhad on the occasion of Nowruz. The last such address was delivered in 2019, before the...