Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is facing several internal challenges in regards to fulfilling pledges he made during his presidential campaign. He has faced mounting pressure over the ongoing house arrest of reform movement leaders former Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi. Rouhani had vowed to end their arrest, a promise that has yet to be fulfilled. Restrictions curbing the activity of reformist former president Mohammad Khatami were also promised to be rolled back. Reformist MP Elias Hazrati sent an open letter to Rouhani asking him to meet his constitutional duty on releasing Mousavi and Karroubi. When analyzing the internal situation, the ongoing status quo is unacceptable, said Hazrati. “In view of your responsibility to implement the Constitution, I affirm your legal duty in the case of compulsory house arrest imposed on Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi,” Etemad cited Hazrati as saying when addressing Rouhani. He said that ending the house arrest “is a necessary step for national unity and reducing social and political divisions.” Karroubi had sent an open letter to supreme leader Ali Khamenei demanding that he take responsibility for his policies over the past three decades instead of criticizing others. He said the current political, economic, cultural and social conditions are a result of Khameneis strategic and operational policy “adventures.” Karroubi also called the recent popular protests in Iranian cities “a warning bell” against corruption, injustice and discrimination, stressing the need to take the concerns of the Iranian people into account. Backing his father’s position, Hussein Karroubi said in an interview with reformist Insaf News that “his father will not remain silent even after the lifting of house arrest.” He stressed that his father “is still a believer in the Islamic Republic.” However, he disagreed with Khamenei’s approaches. Despite rising differences between the reformist camp and the moderates, reformist movements leaders have confirmed continued support for Rouhani. Their backing of the president aims to reduce the chances for a conservative government takeover backed by Khamenei and Revolutionary Guards forces.