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Iranian president criticizes recent arrests of journalists

Iranian demonstrators pour gasoline on the U.S. British and Israeli flags to set on fire during an annual rally in front of the former U.S. Embassy in Tehran, marking 36th anniversary of the seizure of the embassy by militant Iranian students, Iran, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2015. The annual state-organized rally Wednesday drawing greater attention this year, as Iranian hardliners are intensifying a campaign to undermine President Hassan Rouhani's outreach to the West following a landmark nuclear deal reached with world powers in July. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) Iranian demonstrators pour gasoline on the U.S. British and Israeli flags to set on fire during an annual rally in front of the former U.S. Embassy in Tehran, marking 36th anniversary of the seizure of the embassy by militant Iranian students, Iran, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2015. The annual state-organized rally Wednesday drawing greater attention this year, as Iranian hardliners are intensifying a campaign to undermine President Hassan Rouhani's outreach to the West following a landmark nuclear deal reached with world powers in July. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

By Associated Press November 5, 2015 1 min read

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has criticized recent arrests of journalists amid an ongoing crackdown on expression by the country’s hard-liners.

According to a report Thursday in the state-owned daily IRAN, the president says hard-liners “misuse” remarks by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the possible spread of U.S. influence in Iran as an excuse for the detentions.

The paper quotes Rouhani as saying the hard-liners are “exaggerating the case” and making baseless arrests. The Iranian president spoke during a Cabinet meeting Wednesday.

Earlier in the week, the semi-official Fars news agency said authorities detained five Iranian journalists, including two known reformists.

The crackdown and the sharp rhetoric come amid the hard-liners’ push against a nuclear deal with world powers and ahead of crucial February parliamentary elections.