Presidents Ahmadinejad and Rohani on Collision Courses with Iran's Leader
Merely nine years ago, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei staunchly supported Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and sided against the reformist camp which claimed fraud in the 2009 contested Presidential elections. Green reform movement and bloody street protests ensued. Hundreds were injured, killed or arrested including the reformist leaders Mousavi and Karrubi who are still in house detention without any court hearings. But things have since changed. Both Ahmadinejad and the reformist camp are now, separately, on collision courses with the Supreme Leader.
Ahmadinejad ignored Supreme Leader's advice to stop political activity following his term. Two of his Vice Presidents, Baghaei and Mashaei, are indicted for corruption, and the third one, Rahimi, convicted and imprisoned. But unlike reformist leaders, Ahmadinejad and his team did not budge quietly. They have fearlessly confronted Iran's Judiciary Chief, Ayatollah Larijani, appointed by Iran's Leader, and accused the powerful Larijani family of corruption, land usurpation, injustice and even espionage for foreign powers. Ahmadinejad and his team are now demanding "totally free democratic elections without engineering" and "serious leadership reform" in open letters and ultimatums issued to Iran's Supreme Leader, published on their website Dolatebahar.com. They also demand clean up of Iran's "corrupt Judiciary," or else "there is fear of regime collapse and outside intervention," as Ahmadinejad recently warned Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.
Ahmadinejad still enjoys support among the poor, rural and working class Iranians, including parts of government-funded militia (Basij) and revolutionary Guards, while reformists close to President Rohani and former President Khatami have widespread support among urban, liberal, young and educated Iranians.
Separately, the reform-minded President Rohani, blamed for economic inflation and slow reforms that sparked recent street protests across Iran, is now suggesting a Constitutional Referendum on key issues facing the country. Pro-leader conservative clerics have lashed out at Rohani for even implying the need for change in the future of Leadership and for resorting to popular vote instead of divine Rules of Jurisprudence.
But Rohani is not the conservatives' only target. Iran's Judiciary and conservative clerics keep warning Ahmadinejad and are pushing ahead with trials of two of his Vice Presidents. Judiciary spokesperson said yesterday "Ahmadinejad's own file is getting thicker and he will be dealt with in the right time!" (news link in Persian).
One conservative cleric even calls Ahmadinejad the biggest and real threat to the rule of clergymen and Supreme Leader in Iran:
Iran's former Head of Armed Forces, Hassan Firouzabadi, admitted in an unprecedented interview last week that "Ahmadinejad fooled us in 2009 elections" and "He is not a believer in the authority of our leader," and that detained "Reformist leaders were not foreign spies."
The Supreme Leader also recently issued an unprecedented apology for "failure of the Revolution in administering social justice." But he has implicitly warned Ahmadinejad in the past: "Acting like the regime's opposition by someone who was in charge for years at the highest level is unacceptable."
Separately two pro-Ahmadinejad clerics, for the first time have criticized Iran's Leader for censorship, punishing critics, promoting sycophants and preventing free elections in Iran.
Related to Ahmadinejad:
- In a Diatribe against American Media, Ahmadinejad wishes Trump success in Overturning the US Establishment
- What was Ahmadinejad insinuating?
- Iran's next President? (Video)
- Gaffe in Ahmadinejad's auction: $80000 Montblanc pen sold for $400!
- Pictures from Venezuela may cause trouble for Ahmadinejad
- (Video) Iran's TV censors Ahmadinejad's live Press session
- Jewish rabbis meet Ahmadinejad in New York (Video)
- Ahmadinejad entourage stormed Costco, Payless for cheap shoes, medicine and shampoo?!
- Obama, Ahmadinejad and Netanyahu speeches at UN (videos)
- Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson beaten up in New York (video)
- President Ahmadinejad "How Many Time Have You Been In Love?"
- Ahmadinejad: Our expert detects underground minerals from the turf, Guaranteed!
- The tale of two cars: Shah's and Ahmadinejad's
- Ahmadinejad uses Persian poetry to criticize leader?
- (Video) Woman leaps on President Ahmadinedjad's car
Related to Democracy:
- Blowback: Iran, the Ayatollahs, and the CIA (Video)
- Paulo Coelho Calls Reza Pahlavi a Moron and Asks Him to Shut Up!
- Videos of Protest Rallies Across Iran
- Pink Floyd's Roger Waters Threatened After Calling for Boycott of Israel
- Reza Pahlavi discusses with US Congressmen plans to overthrow Iranian government (Video)
- How Liberals and Minorities Helped Rohani win Re-election? Data analysis
- Women in Iran's remote Province win record breaking seats in election
- In Pictures: Rohani's fans celebrate victory despite pressures
- In Pictures: Iranians, brides, grooms, actors, athletes form long lines to vote
- Rohani's candid remarks enrage Iran's Leader
- A record 20 percent of Tehran City Council election candidates are women
- Iran's Culture Ministry blocks cancellation by Militia of rock music concert
- Six million voters banned from the ballot box in the US
- Meet Iranian American candidates for 2016 elections: New York, California, Washington
- Record number of women elected in Iran's Parliamentary elections
