Iran judiciary chief slams Rouhani election pledges

TEHRAN: Iran’s judiciary chief criticised moderate President Hassan Rouhani on Monday over his promises to release jailed opposition leaders -- a sign of the obstacles facing the newly re-elected leader’s reform efforts.

During his election campaign, "a candidate said during a gathering of his supporters that he wanted to end the house arrest" of two reformist leaders, Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani said, without directly naming Rouhani.

"Who are you to end the house arrest?" he asked, according to the judiciary’s Mizan Online news agency.

The jailed leaders in question are Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, both presidential candidates in the election of 2009 that triggered months of protests after allegations of rigging.

They have been under house arrest since February 2011 for their part in the protests. Rouhani supporters chanted for their release during his campaign rallies -- displays that were tolerated in the relatively liberal atmosphere that attends election periods when the regime is keen to maximise participation.