Mashai: saga highlights contrast between Khamenei and Ahmadenejad
Beirut (AsiaNews) – It seems that the saga of Iran's first vice president, Esfandiar Rahim-Mashai is taking on the appearance of a real tug of war between the Supreme Guide, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, despite that fact that Khamenei had been the strongest supporter for his re-election. It thus indicates an internal struggle within the establishments most conservative wing.
Mashai was appointed last Thursday, provoking an outcry from the most stringent conservatives. On Sunday his resignation was announced, only to be denied by Mashai on Monday. On Tuesday the highest authority in the country was called into question and in the following two days the vice-president of parliament, Mohammad-Hassan Aboutorabi-Fard, and a leading ayatollah, Seyyed Ahmad Khatami, leader of ad interim of Friday prayer in Tehran, referred to a letter Khameni wrote to Ahmadiejad alling for a change of decision on the appointment of Mashai. The semi official Fars, writes that "the point of view of the Guide regarding the removal Mashai from the Vice Presidency was notified in writing to Ahmadinejad”. Then yesterday Ayatollah Khatami, added that "it is in the interest of Ahmadinejad to follow the positions of the Guide on the recent appointment”. This view was carried by Press TV, an agency that refers to the Supreme Guide, according to which "Ahmadinejad has so far refused to remove Mashai”, whose son is married to the President’s daughter.
The contrast inside the "conservative" front comes at a moment when for the first time the "reformist" front has launched an attack on the Supreme Guide, whose authority over the entire system of government had never before been questioned. So much so it suggests that the subject of the dispute is the role currently held by Khamenei. But in reality, the conflict is not bent on the unthinkable "secularisation" of Iran, rather it is an entirely internal dispute in relation to the role of the ayatollahs. Khamenei is one of these religious leaders but so are all of his major opponents: from Rafsanjani to Mousavi.
The latter, who has demonstrated that he has the support of the young people (in Iran they are in the majority) and students, at least in large cities, is now trying to convince even the middle class to switch to his side. During a meeting, speaking to professionals and managers, he declared that "the government is not interested in taking advantage of the experience of the elite" and that this will "result in lack of efficiency and legitimacy that will only lead to an increase in internal and international problems”. (PD)
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