Meeting at his home with a group of student activists, Nuri made clear that he didn’t think the nuclear program was good for Iran. “The downsides of the nuclear program have gotten out of control and the establishment needs to make a rational and wise decision to find a way out of this deadlock in order to protect the country’s national interests,” he said.
But he didn’t seem to trust the establishment to back away from the nuclear program and suggested holding a national referendum. “Our Constitution considers referendums as a solution for such important and crucial issues,” he said.
Article 59 of the Constitution says: “In extremely important economic, political, social and cultural matters, the function of the legislature may be exercised through direct recourse to popular vote through a referendum. Any request for such direct recourse to public opinion must be approved by two-thirds of the members of the Majlis.”
Nuri, now 62, was interior minister under both Presidents Rafsanjani and Khatami but fell afoul of conservatives for his outspokenness and was expelled from office by the Majlis. In 1999, he became the first cabinet minister since the revolution to face trial. A clerical court sentenced him to five years for carrying anti-Islamic articles in the newspaper he published and advocating diplomatic links to the United States.
He was freed in 2002 but stood aside from politics—at least until now. There have been many suggestions from reformists that he should be the reformist candidate for president next year.
According to opposition websites, he told the student gathering, “It is quite obvious that we have the right to pursue a peaceful nuclear program. The question is whether it is worth sacrificing national interests for the sake of this one issue.”
He said, “It would, therefore, be wise to let the people decide, in a referendum, about the nuclear dispute between Iran and the major powers.”
He said, “Iran’s approach must be realistic, considerate of national interests and free of emotional reactions.”
Nuri speculated that the West’s position might be a “trap to damage and weaken IranÖ. In that case, our policy should focus on saving the country rather than sacrificing everything for the nuclear issue.”
He pointed to the new sanctions imposed on Iran, the sliding price of oil and declining national revenues and said, “Current policies could cause serious damage to the country’s infrastructure and institutions.”
Surprisingly, many officially sanctioned media carried reports of Nuri’s meeting with the students. But they omitted the part suggesting a national referendum. Only the reformist media carried that aspect of what he said.
Nuri said it would not be remarkable for the state to shift its policy 180 degrees for the sake of the national interest. He cited the sudden decisions to free the US hostages in 1981 and to agree to a ceasefire with Iraq in 1988—reversals that were both made by Ayatollah Khomeini. Many looked at Nuri’s remarks as a criticism of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenehi for lacking the judgment of Khomeini and his ability to see when the country needed to reverse course.