In addition to executive posts, Rouhani kept up his academic activities. From 1995 to 1999, he was a member of the board of trustees of Tehran Universities and North Region. Rouhani has been running the Center for Strategic Research since 1991. He is the managing editor of three academic and research quarterlies in Persian and English, which include Rahbord (Strategy), Foreign Relations, and the Review of Foreign Affairs.
Although the president does not command security forces, many citizens held his administration partially responsible for the unrest and economic stress. The 2015 nuclear agreement remains Rouhani’s most significant political moment. It was hailed internationally as a landmark diplomatic breakthrough. The 2018 U.S. withdrawal significantly weakened Rouhani’s political standing, emboldening hardliners who argued that negotiation with Washington was futile.
