Rouhani made the remarks while addressing a Cabinet session on Sunday as he pointed to recent gatherings in protest against economic conditions in a number of Iranian cities.
"We are a free nation and based on the Constitution and citizenship rights, people are completely free to express their criticism and even their protest," he said.
However,
there's more than one way to stuff a chicken...
he added that the manner of expressing criticism and protest must lead to the improvement of the country's conditions and people's lives.
He emphasized that the settlement of some problems in the country was "not easy and takes time," calling for cooperation between the Iranian government and nation to solve those problems.
The Iranian people have the right to voice their criticism with regard to all affairs, Rouhani said, adding, "We believe that the government and the country belong to the people and the people must properly express what they want."
Rouhani emphasized that criticism completely differed from violence or inflicting damage on public property, saying, "We must not allow an atmosphere to be created in the country under which supporters of the revolution and people will be concerned about their lives and security."
Since Thursday, groups of Iranian protesters have held rallies in several cities to voice their anger over rising prices and economic conditions.
Habibollah Khojastehpour, Lorestan Province's deputy governor for political and security affairs, said on Sunday that two people were killed during a protest rally in the western city of Dorood on Saturday, adding that Takfiri
...an adherent of takfir wal hijra, an offshoot of Salafism that regards everybody who doesn't agree with them as apostates who must be killed...groups and foreign intelligence services appeared to be behind the killings.