Political Reflections from Mehdi Karroubi: Governance, Reform, and Iran’s Foreign Alignment
Mehdi Karroubi offered detailed reflections on Iran’s political trajectory in some of his first major political remarks since his release from more than fourteen years of house arrest.
Green Movement leader Mehdi Karroubi offered detailed reflections on Iran’s political trajectory in some of his first major political remarks since his release from more than fourteen years of house arrest in March 2025. Karroubi gave the remarks in a recent meeting with the family of Mir Hossein Mousavi, leveling criticism at domestic governance, the handling of the 2009 presidential election, and the country’s increasing alignment with Russia.
Karroubi was a cleric, former Speaker of Parliament and ran for President in both 2005 and 2009 on a reformist platform. Following the announced victory of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009 that many Iranians viewed as fraudulent, he emerged as one of the leading voices of the Green Movement protests, alleging that the results were rigged and demanding answers on allegations of torture of protesters. His continued activism led to an arbitrary fourteen years of house arrest, along with Mir Hossein Mousavi and Zahra Rahnavard.
During his meeting with Mousavi’s children, Karroubi appeared to raise concerns about the growing pro-Russia orientation of the government. He stated, “the deviation from the ideals of the revolution has reached a point where some military figures in Parliament defend President Putin so intensely that even if the Tudeh Party were in power, it would not have shown more enthusiasm for the Russians.”
A few days before Karroubi’s remarks, Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf publicly criticized Mohammad Javad Zarif and Hassan Rouhani for “damaging Iran’s strategic cooperation with Russia,” underscoring the continuing divide among Iran’s political elites over the country’s foreign orientation.. Since 2021, Iranian foreign policy has increasingly emphasized ties with Moscow in trade, defense, and energy sectors. This policy has been strongly supported by conservative political factions, while some former officials—including Zarif and Rouhani—have expressed concern that excessive dependence on Russia could undermine Iran’s long-term autonomy and strategic flexibility.
Karroubi also revisited the events of the 2009 presidential election, stating that “instead of accepting the people’s vote, the system chose to support fraud and repression.” He observed that critics of the government were subsequently labeled as seditionists and disloyal, and described the outcome of that approach as persistent disorder in economic management, culture, security, and social ethics. Reflecting on that period, he added that “the signs of deviation from the path of the revolution were already visible, and we acted to prevent further deterioration.”
Karroubi attributed many of Iran’s continuing challenges to the expanded role of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Basij, and intelligence agencies in political, economic, and governance affairs. According to him, this consolidation of power has weakened oversight mechanisms and contributed to corruption and inefficiency. He also referred to the sharp economic decline as evidence of structural shortcomings. “The day we were placed under house arrest, one U.S. dollar was 900 tomans; today it is 108,000 tomans,” he said, warning that “if this path is not corrected, God knows how much higher it will go.”
Despite the critical tone of his remarks, Karroubi expressed hope for an end to what he described as an atmosphere of hostility and obstinacy, and called for the release of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Zahra Rahnavard, who remain under house arrest. He emphasized the importance of national dialogue and reconciliation, suggesting that political stagnation has deepened divisions and hindered reform.
Karroubi’s comments reflect the enduring divisions between reformist and conservative factions over political accountability and electoral legitimacy, as well as the concentration of authority within Iran’s security and military institutions. They also illustrate how the country’s deepening relationship with Russia has become a central issue in debates over national sovereignty and independence.
While Karroubi’s statements were made in a personal setting, they carry significant political weight. As a senior revolutionary figure and former establishment insider, his remarks highlight the continuing tension between centralization of power and calls for reform, transparency, and accountability. They also demonstrate that issues surrounding the 2009 election, the balance of power within the state, and Iran’s foreign alignment remain defining elements of the country’s political discourse.