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Subscriptions help us deliver original coverage of the region's most important issues.The story: Amid ongoing political and social tensions, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected calls by pro-reform figures and critics for a referendum to forge a way forward. Instead, he has called for unity within Iran’s political establishment and among the public. This comes amid controversy over footage of a rare display of dissent expressed directly before Khamenei by an apparent student.
The coverage: In an Apr. 18 address to a group of students, Khamenei dismissed recent calls by critics and pro-reform figures for a referendum as a means of resolving the country's issues.
Iranian media and supporters of the establishment on social media highlighted the large crowd attending Khamenei's Apr. 22 sermon on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr—marking the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadhan—as proof of there being no need for a referendum.
In his Eid sermon, Khamenei underlined the importance of unity both among the people and between the three branches of government.
On the same day, a video was released of the Apr. 18 address by Khamenei, showing how his speech was interrupted by a member of the audience.
However, state media on Apr. 23 accused foreign media of fabricating “tensions” via selective video editing and released a longer clip showing the “full version” of events.
The context/analysis: Khamenei's rejection of a referendum came in apparent response to calls by leading pro-reform figures for changes to the constitution and a plebiscite to decide major state policies.
Iran holds parliamentary and presidential elections every four years, with candidates vetted by the constitutional watchdog, the Guardian Council.
The display of dissent during Khamenei's Apr. 18 speech—purportedly by a member of the volunteer Basij paramilitary force—could be telling of a lack of consensus among even the most loyal supporters of the establishment.
The future: The supreme leader's call for unity might be indicative of concerns about the rising tensions within the establishment as well as between government supporters and critics.