President Rouhani challenged his critics as he addressed heads of universities on Tuesday, referring to Irans nuclear talks with the 5+1 Powers:
Why must some illiterates who receive money from certain sectors talk, but our university professors, intellectuals and students are silent? Why is it that when an international event occurs professors write private letters to the president? Why do you not shout? Why do you not enter the field? We want a spirit like Socrates.
Those who negotiated in the Geneva [nuclear] negotiations are also from university and are considered our university professors.
Several MPs denounced the remarks and moved to the economic front, criticizing the Government for an unbalanced, unplanned and incorrect distribution of aid linked to changes in support payments for subsidy cuts that has led to long queues in freezing temperatures for food baskets.
First Vice President Eshagh Jahangiri had another explanation for opposition to the Government, We have taken important steps in foreign policy and the current opposition stems more from jealousy.