Rouhani demands respect

Incoming Iranian President Hassan Rouhani took his oath of office at the Iranian parliament in Tehran on Sunday night, providing the headlines for Arab media. Considered the moderate candidate by Iran’s voters, Rouhani’s inaugural speech called on Western nations to come back to the negotiating table regarding the Iranian nuclear program.

The London-based daily A-Sharq Al-Awsat leads off with the headline “Rouhani: The only solution with Iran is dialogue, not sanctions.” While lamenting the severe damage Western restrictions have inflicted on the Iranian economy, Rouhani said that these alone “cannot force the Iranian people to give up their rights.”

“The only way to deal with Iran is through dialogue on equal footing and in the framework of mutual respect to reduce hostility,” he declared. “If you [the West] want an appropriate response from Iran, you will not use the language of sanctions, but of respect.”

According to the London-based pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat, Rouhani’s inauguration was notable in that it was the first time in history that foreign dignitaries were invited to attend. Representatives of every country were welcome except from the United States and Israel. Ten heads of state from mostly central Asian countries ended up making the trip.

The main editorial in A-Sharq Al-Awsat, entitled “Rouhani: Cautious optimism,” states that Iran’s neighbors in the Persian Gulf are pleased with his election as Iran’s new leader and are hoping he’s as pragmatic as early analyses suggest.

“Iranians are hoping their new president ends divisions and brings about national reconciliation,” the editorial notes. “Unfortunately, the complexities of the Iranian system encourage radical elements. This is disturbing to Iranians themselves and to their neighbors in the Middle East.”

“In private conversations, Rouhani does not hesitate to describe the years of the presidency of his predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadenijad, as the lost years. . . There is now great hope that Rouhani’s term will see an end to Iran’s interference in the affairs of other states under the slogans of ideology.”

White House officials are also optimistic that Iran’s new president will improve relations with the international community. However, it is unclear how moderate a course he will be able to take since it is Iran’s religious leadership, led by Ayatollah Khamenei, that wields ultimate authority.

Moroccan king revokes pardon a little too late.

Following a great public outcry and street protests, Moroccan King Mohammed VI revoked the pardon of a convicted Spanish pedophile who was previously sentenced to 30 years in prison for the rape of 11 Moroccan children. The problem, however, is that the convict, Daniel Vina, who had only served two years of his sentence, has already been sent back to Spain.

The Doha-based media channel Al-Jazeera reports that King Mohammed VI agreed to release 48 Spanish citizens who were incarcerated in Morocco after receiving a visit from Spanish King Juan Carlos I. But once it was reported that Vina was included on the list of those to be released, hundreds of people protested in Rabat.

The Moroccan monarch asked for the matter to be looked into and, once he realized how severe Vina’s crimes were, revoked the pardon. The London-based daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi states that this episode brings great shame upon the monarchy. Morocco’s government has already received a great deal of flak over the past year for being dysfunctional and out of touch with the needs of the people.

Its ineffectiveness at keeping track of a dangerous pedophile such as Daniel Vina is bringing the king a great deal of embarrassment. Nevertheless, the Royal Court issued a statement picked up by the Dubai-based media channel Al-Arabiya promising “it will not spare any effort to continue to treat victims and families with care. The Moroccan monarch is committed to human rights and child protection in his domain.”

The Spanish government has thus far not re-incarcerated Vina. He remains a free man in Spain, but is banned from ever returning to Morocco.