Two years after the controversial presidential election of 2009 and at the height of the differences between Ahmadinejad and ayatollah Khamenei, Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani spoke with reporters and stressed his and Majlis's absolute obedience to the leader and said that velayate faghih (i.e., rule of clerics) was the "outstanding" feature of the Islamic republic. He also criticized Ahmadinejad's administration and said "demonstrations" and "protests" were people rightful rights.