Are you from Iran? I am iranian and regularly in touch with friends and family in iran and its a dictatorship. (I guess Theocracy works too). The ayatollah has complete unimpeded rule, he allows a moderate to be president because a vast majority of iranians are very unhappy with him and his government. If Rouhani wants to do something and the ayatollah disagrees, then whatever the ayatollah says goes, no questions.