Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s recent remarks about the prevalence of corruption in some powerful Iranian institutions suggest that his relations with the country’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) are entering a new and potentially tense phase. On Dec. 7, addressing a conference on bureaucratic efficiency and anti-corruption policies, Rouhani argued that when a single public organization possesses guns, newspapers, websites and power, it is unlikely to remain free of corruption. While he did not name any specific organization, many observers have interpreted his comments as an implicit reference to and criticism of the IRGC. Conservative media outlets affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard quickly warned Rouhani about false accusations after European and American media gave broad coverage to his remarks.

Whether or not Rouhani was actually targeting the Revolutionary Guard, various political factions inside Iran’s regime clearly viewed his speech as an attempt to criticize the group’s vast financial and business activities. Open criticism of the Revolutionary Guard is unprecedented and could indicate a shift in Rouhani’s relationship with a key component of the Islamic Republic. ...