Hardline foes of Iran's Rouhani rap lack of payoff from nuclear deal
In another confrontation ahead of Iran's elections, Rouhani accuses the Revolutionary Guards of trying to sabotage the nuclear deal when they fired missiles with captions against Israel; his rivals claim that the agreement did not help the economy and did not benefit the people.
Rouhani accused unnamed hardliners of trying to derail the nuclear deal, reffering to a ballistic missile launch in 2016 by the IRGC in which "Israel must be wiped out" was written on the missiles, according to Iranian media.
Iran’s overall economic outlook has improved since the nuclear accord. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts between 4 and 5.5 percent growth in 2016, well up from the 1.3 percent it forecast before the deal was clinched.
Clerical Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a hardliner who holds ultimate authority on matters of state in Iran, guardedly endorsed the nuclear accord but has said Rouhani's economic follow-through has fallen short.
Analysts say many foreign firms remain hesitant to invest in Iran for reasons including lingering unilateral US sanctions imposed over human rights violations and alleged Iranian links to terrorism, and the dominating role of clerical and security institutions in the Middle East’s second largest economy.
International rights groups and activists in Iran say Rouhani has done little to bring about greater social freedoms. Dozens of activists, journalists, bloggers and artists have been jailed by a hardline judiciary beyond Rouhani's control.
But first Vice President Eshagh Jahangiri, who is also running for election but will campaign alongside Rouhani, warned of a return to outright authoritarianism in Iran and isolation abroad if a hardline candidate was elected in May.
"Dear people of Iran, what do you want? Do you want limitations or more freedom? Do you want international tension or peace? Isolation or integrity? By casting your vote you will determine Iran's path," Jahangiri said.
Despite his vulnerability on the economy, analysts say Rouhani retains a strong chance of re-election as he is the only candidate supported by a pro-reform camp while hardliners have failed to unite behind one candidate.
