In his most extensive comments yet on the protests, Rouhani said that those people who took to the streets across the country did so because they were seeking a better life. “Some imagine that the people only want money and a good economy, but will someone accept a considerable amount of money per month when for instance the cyber network would be completely blocked?” he asked. “Is freedom and the life of the people purchasable with money? Why do some give the wrong reasons? This is an insult to the people.”

Rouhani, a moderate, has been seeking a relaxation in social controls, but he faces resistance from hard-liners in unelected power centers like the judiciary, vetting councils and the state news media. They want to keep in place the framework of Islamic laws that effectively dictate how people should live, despite enormous changes in Iranian society in the past decade alone.

Iran’s judiciary and the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, blame the country’s “enemies” for the protests in over 80 cities, which started Dec. 28. They said the actions were organized by the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia with the aim of bringing down the Islamic government.

They call the hundreds of protesters who have been arrested “rioters” and want all social media to be banned.

Seeking to blunt criticism over the economy, Rouhani stressed the breadth of the protesters’ demands as well as their validity.

“The people have demands, some of which are economic, social and security-related, and all these demands should be heeded,” he said Monday. He did not directly refer to slogans calling for Khamenei, to step down, but he said that no one was exempt from criticism.

“We have no infallible officials and any authority can be criticized,” he said.

The New York Times