But this time Rouhani confronted opposition bluntly.
True, the Syrian regime has never confronted opposition on such a scale.
But even before he and his cabinet have a chance to start their promised overhaul of Latin America's largest country, some of his key appointees are fending off charges of conflict of interest or confronting opposition from within the president-elect's own fractious coalition.
Yet both parties seem poised to confront that opposition because they want a budget deal to commit Congress and the White House to overhaul the tax code next year.
"The regime 10 days ago took a decision to confront the opposition in a different manner," said Ayham Kamel, of the Eurasia Group risk consultancy.
But Republicans have begun floating possible alternatives for changing the system as they confront mounting opposition to plans for personal accounts.
He considered canceling that trip in order to confront the opposition and rally support at home to his cause — a job that fell for the most part to his wife and partner in interfaith work, Daisy Khan, executive director of the American Society for Muslim Advancement.
The first 100 days of this new administration will indicate whether Obama is going to confront the opposition head-on, while it is weakened, or slice it up and neutralise it bit by bit, over time, as he has done previously.
The paper accuses police of beating up protesters and journalists, and the authorities of "bussing in" Nashi supporters to confront the opposition activists.
A year ago, the president did just that in response to the use of chemical weapons in Syria, only to confront significant opposition to aggressive action, particularly within the UN and the US Congress.
