Middle East Public date: 24.08.2017 23:12:18

Publisher: Reuters

Author:

31 Dec 2011

Iran blocks former president’s website ahead of vote

Iran has blocked the website of influential former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani ahead of parliamentary elections, for carrying pro-reform critical statements, Iran's semi-official ILNA news agency reported on Friday. The clerical establishment has increased pressure on the pro-reform opposition ahead of the March 2 vote, the first nationwide poll since a 2009 disputed presidential vote that triggered prolonged and widespread anti-government protests. In the past days, some leading reformist figures have been sentenced to long-term jail sentences.
Iran has blocked the website of influential former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani ahead of parliamentary elections,...

Publisher: Payvand

Author:

29 Dec 2011

IRGC and Basij have plans to correct Tehran’s political and cultural situation: General Jafari

IRGC chief has openly admitted that the political and cultural situation in Tehran is far from ideal which poses security threat to the regime. He has also threatened that IRGC and Basij cannot remain indifferent and they have plans to address the situation.
IRGC chief has openly admitted that the political and cultural situation in Tehran is far from ideal which poses...

Publisher: The Washington Post

Author:

27 Dec 2011

In Iran, Ahmadinejad joins battle over women’s fashions

In the Islamic republic of Iran, the law requires women to cover their hair and bodies in public. But how to do so remains up to them, and the result is persistent confusion in the streets. Now, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is stepping into the dispute. He wants to settle it by promoting government-approved apparel for women, garments intended to introduce an array of clothes that are Islamic and beautiful at the same time. Hard-liners are not amused. They say that the new designs encourage "Western values." But at a recent government-sponsored fashion show, young women and their mothers gazed approvingly at the plastic mannequins showcasing the new coats and scarves.
In the Islamic republic of Iran, the law requires women to cover their hair and bodies in public. But how to do so...

Publisher:

Author:

19 Dec 2011

The Battle Within — Ahmadinejad v. Rafsanjani in 5Â Scenes

Hassan Rohani, an ally of former President Hashemi Rafsanjani, hosts a meeting of the Strategic Research Center of the Expediency Council. The topic is the Arab Spring, specifically the role of the Iran-led Islamic Awakening in the movements across North Africa and the Middle East.
Hassan Rohani, an ally of former President Hashemi Rafsanjani, hosts a meeting of the Strategic Research Center of the...

Publisher:

Author:

14 Dec 2011

The Supreme Leader Is Worried — Three Developments You Probably Don’t Know

Followers of our daily coverage of Iran will be aware of the political tensions that have gripped the Islamic Republic's establishment. Those battles, from charges of corruption to warning of a "deviant current" affecting the Government, will only grow in intensity before next March's Parliamentary elections. Yet EA sources have given us a story that goes even farther. The core of the tale is the belief amongst many observers in Iran that, despite all the attacks upon it, the President's camp will be the winner in the elections. Whether or not that assessment is correct, the Supreme Leader's advisors are concerned.
Followers of our daily coverage of Iran will be aware of the political tensions that have gripped the Islamic Republic's...

Publisher:

Author:

5 Dec 2011

Confessions of Attackers on the British Embassy: We Were Used

With the passage of five days since the attack on the British embassy compounds in Tehran, which has so far met with silence from the leader and the president of the Islamic Republic, a senior cleric condemned the attack, amid the strong condemnations that have been made by the British and other governments, newspapers in Iran too are now commenting on the event as have some of the attackers on the embassy.
With the passage of five days since the attack on the British embassy compounds in Tehran, which has so far met with...

Publisher:

Author:

2 Dec 2011

Iran: domestic power plays

Tehran has once again sent shock waves around the globe as protesters stormed the British Embassy and residence forcing London to withdraw its diplomats from Iran at a critical time when Iranians are preparing for what Iran's Intelligence Minister has labeled as "the most critical elections in the Islamic Republic's history".
Tehran has once again sent shock waves around the globe as protesters stormed the British Embassy and residence forcing...

Publisher:

Author:

1 Dec 2011

Iran’s ruling system seeks comfort zone amid diplomatic crisis

The UK embassy attack crisis could hand hard-liners just the type of Iran-versus-West escalation they have always tried to leverage to their advantage. The outward confidence of the parliament speaker, Ali Larijani, and other officials suggest Iran s Islamic leadership is far from panic mode - and could even have set the showdowns in motion by sending paramilitary loyalists into Tuesday's demonstrations. "All this could not have happened without a green light from the highest level," said Mehrzad Boroujerdi, an Iranian affairs expert at Syracuse University. "There's no doubt that hard-liners will look for ways to strengthen their hand."
The UK embassy attack crisis could hand hard-liners just the type of Iran-versus-West escalation they have always tried...

Publisher:

Author:

1 Dec 2011

Analysis British embassy storming bares rift in Iran elite

The storming of the British Embassy in Tehran has bared a rift in Iran's ruling elite with conservative hardliners pushing Iran towards global isolation as they maneuver for the upper hand over President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ahead of elections in 2012.
The storming of the British Embassy in Tehran has bared a rift in Iran's ruling elite with conservative hardliners...

Publisher:

Author:

29 Nov 2011

Khamenei Supports the Military’s Political Activities in Politics

As much criticism for the involvement of the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and the Basij para-military forces in political affairs has been going around in Iran in recent years and critics call such interference to be contrary to the constitution and contradicting the guidance of the founder of the Islamic Republic ayatollah Khomeini, the country s current leader ayatollah Khamenei through recent remarks approved the interference of the military in politics by calling the Basij a "political" entity.
As much criticism for the involvement of the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and the Basij para-military forces in political...

Publisher:

Author:

22 Nov 2011

Security Forces Raid Iran Newspaper, Beat, Pepper Spray, and Arrest Journalists

Security forces attacked Iran Newspaper, one of IRNA s major publications, to arrest Ali Akbar Javanfekr, the President s press adviser and Managing Director of IRNA News Agency. Javanfekr was sentenced to one year in prison for publishing articles and photographs considered against public morality in Khatoon, a special insert in Iran Newspaper. He held a press conference about his sentence this morning. At the end of his press conference, he was approached by representatives from the Tehran Prosecutor s Office who had come to arrest him, leading to the confrontation with the entire editorial staff. In a November 19 interview with Etemad Newspaper, Javanfekr sharply criticized Iran s Prosecutor General, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejehi, and former Iranian Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki.
Security forces attacked Iran Newspaper, one of IRNA s major publications, to arrest Ali Akbar Javanfekr, the President...

Publisher:

Author:

22 Nov 2011

The Security Forces Cross Ahmadinejad’s Red Line

As I watched the 23-minute video of Monday's raid by Iranian security forces on the offices of the newspaper Iran, using tear gas and electric batons to seize President Ahmadinejad's senior advisor Ali Akbar Javanfekr --- while Javanfekr's staff tried to block their way and set fire to papers --- I was reminded of our response last week to the declaration, "Ahmadinejad has risen like a phoenix from the ashes": "The pendulum does not swing that far. Rocky does not throw a climactic punch. The Phoenix does not rise."
As I watched the 23-minute video of Monday's raid by Iranian security forces on the offices of the newspaper Iran, using...

Publisher:

Author:

20 Nov 2011

Iran daily closed over Ahmadinejad aide interview

Iranian authorities shut down a reformist newspaper on Sunday after it published a scathing attack by an aide to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the president's rival conservatives, the latest sign of a split in the highest echelons of the Islamic Republic.
Iranian authorities shut down a reformist newspaper on Sunday after it published a scathing attack by an aide to Mahmoud...

Publisher:

Author:

18 Nov 2011

Iran fires up voters with partial lifting of water pipe ban

Revoking a smoking ban may seem an unlikely way to boost election turnouts. But in Iran, authorities are hopeful that allowing the traditional hubble-bubble, or water pipes, back into tea houses could encourage reluctant voters to go to the polls.
Revoking a smoking ban may seem an unlikely way to boost election turnouts. But in Iran, authorities are hopeful that...

Publisher:

Author:

16 Nov 2011

Will Ayatollah Khamenei eliminate the Iranian presidency

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, one of the greatest failures of the country s leadership has been the inability to make a promised transition from a monarchy to republican rule. In fact, since Ayatollah Ali Khamenei began his tenure as Supreme Leader twenty-two years ago, he has centralized power further in his own hands, creating what can be called a clerical monarchy.
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, one of the greatest failures of the country s leadership has been the...

Publisher:

Author:

11 Nov 2011

Khamenei’s power consolidation gambit

Throughout his tenure as Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei has utilised control of Iran's judiciary to enforce his rules. When the legislative branch became an obstacle during the refomist-dominated sixth Majles - with the chairmanship of Mehdi Karroubi - Khamenei countered. Utilising the judiciary, he purged nearly all sitting reformist parliamentarians. Each Majles since has coalesced around his rule. With the Judicial and Legislative branches showing fealty, Khamenei set his sights on the Executive. In 2005 and 2009, contested presidential elections were used to eliminate political opposition and send a message to conservative factions that full allegiance to Khamenei was non-negotiable.
Throughout his tenure as Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei has utilised control of Iran's judiciary to enforce his...

Publisher:

Author:

11 Nov 2011

Iranian reformists see free elections, not constitutional changes as way out of crisis

Even though the suggestion that Iran s supreme leader ayatollah Khamenei made two weeks ago about changing the constitution of the country from a presidential to a parliamentary system received a cold response in domestic political circles including key regime personalities such as ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a Majlis members who is close to the conservatives yesterday announced that ayatollah Khamenei had named a special group to examine the possibility of amending the constitution.
Even though the suggestion that Iran s supreme leader ayatollah Khamenei made two weeks ago about changing the...

Publisher:

Author:

7 Nov 2011

Decoding Ahmadinejad: Did He Just Declare the Final Confrontation within the Establishment

Over the last 48 hours, reports have emerged of an extraordinary speech by President Ahmadinejad to a group of his backers, the Supporters of Islamic Revolution Dialogue, in Tehran. Our initial reaction was "Did he really say that?" And that as the reports built in their detail, we began to consider, "If he did say that, what does it mean for the conflict inside the Iranian system?"
Over the last 48 hours, reports have emerged of an extraordinary speech by President Ahmadinejad to a group of his...

Publisher:

Author:

2 Nov 2011

Fraud Case Rattles Iranian Leader

Iran's Parliament moved against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's economy minister over a banking-fraud case, only to back off, in a roller-coaster session that showcased the battle between the president and the country's political establishment. he $2.6 billion fraud case, the largest in Iran's history, has become a powerful vehicle for rivals of Mr. Ahmadinejad to attack his administration.
Iran's Parliament moved against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's economy minister over a banking-fraud case, only to back...

Publisher:

Author:

1 Nov 2011

Iran’s economy minister survives vote

Iran's economy minister has survived an impeachment vote in parliament after appeals by the president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to keep the government intact despite anger over a major banking scandal. Parliament members voted 141-93 on Tuesday to keep Shamsoddin Hosseini, who has been accused of failing to take action after learning of the alleged $2.6bn bank fraud. Ahmadinejad, who had been called to the parliament for questioning, said that dismissing Hosseini would be a setback for Iran's efforts to fight international sanctions over its nuclear programme.
Iran's economy minister has survived an impeachment vote in parliament after appeals by the president, Mahmoud...

Publisher:

Author:

1 Nov 2011

Is Ahmadinejad’s team planning a military coup in Iran

The fundamentalist movement in Iran close to the supreme leader of the Islamic republic, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has criticized president Mahmud Ahmadinejad and his close circle, referring to it as "the perverted team," of planning a military coup in a bid to take full control of the country
The fundamentalist movement in Iran close to the supreme leader of the Islamic republic, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has...

Publisher:

Author:

30 Oct 2011

Iran parliament set to question Ahmadinejad over fraud case, corruption, in blow to prestige

Iran s parliament is set to summon President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for questioning over an economic scandal and his polices after the required number of lawmakers signed a petition Sunday, the latest salvo in a long battle between the president and his rivals.
Iran s parliament is set to summon President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for questioning over an economic scandal and his...

Publisher:

Author:

23 Oct 2011

Iran moves to impeach economy minister

Iran's parliament has decided to impeach the minister of the economy over an alleged financial scandal amid mounting political infighting which has weakened the government of the president, Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad
Iran's parliament has decided to impeach the minister of the economy over an alleged financial scandal amid mounting...

Publisher:

Author:

20 Oct 2011

In Iran, a new challenge to hard-liners

A rapid succession of challenges directed at Iran in recent days has reignited a debate in Tehran over how to deal with the rest of the world. Iran s rulers, led by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, continue to refuse any negotiations in which they would have to compromise. But an influential faction is now pushing for back-channel talks with the United States as a step toward lowering the tensions raised by U.S. allegations about an Iranian assassination plot.
A rapid succession of challenges directed at Iran in recent days has reignited a debate in Tehran over how to deal with...

Publisher:

Author:

16 Oct 2011

Iran could scrap directly elected president leader

Iran could do away with the post of a directly elected president, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday, in what might be a warning to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and possible successors not to overstep the executive's limited powers
Iran could do away with the post of a directly elected president, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday,...
18 Sep 2011

The end of an era in Iran

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrives at the United Nations this week for what promises, once again, to be a belligerent address. Media speculation is sure to focus on his diminishing political fortunes - underscored by tensions with the judiciary over the fate of the two American hikers held since July 2009 - the shifting balances of power within the theocratic state and, as always, Iranian nuclear ambitions. Missing from this narrative is a key point: The Islamic Republic has entered its post-authoritarian stage.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrives at the United Nations this week for what promises, once again, to be a...
11 Sep 2011

Playing with Khamenei in Syria’s Field

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad s live interview on August 24th with al-Minar Television - the official mouthpiece of Lebanese Hezbollah - in which he discussed events in Syria resulted in much speculations. A behind-the-scenes source knowledgeable with the interview spoke to Rooz about the event.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad s live interview on August 24th with al-Minar Television - the official mouthpiece of Lebanese...

Publisher:

Author:

22 Aug 2011

Families of U.S. hikers imprisoned in Iran stay hopeful

The gap between words by Salehi, Iranian foreign minister and the verdict suggests an increasing rift between President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's administration and hardline judiciary, controlled by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters.
The gap between words by Salehi, Iranian foreign minister and the verdict suggests an increasing rift between President...

Publisher:

Author:

20 Aug 2011

Is the Arrest of Ahmadinejad Imminent

Evidence is piling up that suggests Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, will order the arrest of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the not-too-distant future. This conclusion, based largely on information from open sources, is supported by extraordinary new revelations provided by a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who recently spoke with this reporter.
Evidence is piling up that suggests Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, will order the arrest of President...

Publisher:

Author:

19 Aug 2011

The rise and rise of Iran’s Guards

The appointment of Rostam Qasemi as the new Iranian oil minister has touched off a flurry of reporting and analysis on the alleged expansion of the economic and political role of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in the country.
The appointment of Rostam Qasemi as the new Iranian oil minister has touched off a flurry of reporting and analysis on...

Publisher:

Author:

16 Aug 2011

Ahmadinejad’s newspaper in fight with hardliners over hijab

Iran's ultra-hardliners have gone after a newspaper that acts as a mouthpiece for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad after it published a supplement on the Islamic dress code for women in what is perceived as a battle for the loyalty of the country's middle class.
Iran's ultra-hardliners have gone after a newspaper that acts as a mouthpiece for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad...

Publisher:

Author:

11 Aug 2011

Ahmadinejad appears to have done a deal with IRGC

Getting the military on his side allows him to prepare to challenge Khamenei's nominees in the 2012 presidential elections A major surprise in Iran this week was the appointment of General Rostam Ghasemi who held a post with the Revolutionary Guards as oil minister. A few months ago Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad failed to get approval to give this key job to his loyalist Mohammad Ali Abadi. The oil minister's job has been at the heart of a bitter battle between Ahmadinejad and his conservative opponents headed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is supported by the Guards.
Getting the military on his side allows him to prepare to challenge Khamenei's nominees in the 2012 presidential...

Publisher:

Author:

5 Aug 2011

Iran gives key oil role to a Revolutionary Guard on sanctions list

deal between beleaguered Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his opponents has given control of Iran's crucial Oil Ministry to a commander of the Revolutionary Guard who is under international sanctions, according to analysts and a former industry official in Tehran.
deal between beleaguered Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his opponents has given control of Iran's crucial Oil...

Publisher:

Author:

2 Aug 2011

Is Ahmadinejad’s Romance with U.S. Over?

The embarrassment just doesn't stop for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's beleaguered President. Even before this past weekend, when a third Iranian nuclear scientist was murdered in as many years, gunned down in front of his house in what critics are calling a major security failure, the President's prospects were dimming rapidly.
The embarrassment just doesn't stop for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's beleaguered President. Even before this past...

Publisher:

Author:

2 Aug 2011

What Happened at Khamenei-Majlis Leaders Meeting

Khamenei: I intended to hold this meeting first thing in the morning, but this did not happen. The incident at yesterday s Majlis session has deeply disturbed me and has raised a serious concern. At times some events require one to seek help from God. My unhappiness is because of the disrespect that was provided to the president. You disrespected the president. You have the right to point out things to him, question him, and even censure him but you cannot insult anyone, particularly the president.
Khamenei: I intended to hold this meeting first thing in the morning, but this did not happen. The incident at yesterday...
1 Aug 2011

Why Ahmadinejad isn’t on his way out

There has been much dancing on the grave of Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad. After his unnerving re-election two years ago in a disputed and bloody vote, Ahmadinejad's many critics abroad and at home have savored the thorough political beating he has suffered over the last few months by Iran's real power, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei . Yet there are signs that Ahmadinejad is not a spent force just yet. This wily survivor is in the midst of renewing himself. His prime weapon has been a combination of oil supplicance and oil populism.
There has been much dancing on the grave of Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad. After his unnerving re-election two...

Publisher:

Author:

21 Jul 2011

Ahmadinejad and clerics fight over scarves

Every summer, Iranian police get tough on women who violate the country s strict Islamic dress code by adjusting their veils and long coats to try to cope with the rising temperatures. But this year, amid the annual crackdown, the issue of how women wear the veil - and what the government does about it - has become part of an intensifying rift between President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and powerful Shiite clerics.
Every summer, Iranian police get tough on women who violate the country s strict Islamic dress code by adjusting their...

Publisher:

Author:

16 Jul 2011

Mohammad Khatami’s recent conciliatory stance towards the Iranian government has alienated former supporters.

The world might be distracted by the dramatic events in Syria, Libya, or even Yemen, but the pushing and pulling, jostling and shoving, kicking and elbowing for the post-Ahmadinejad Islamic Republic is well underway.
The world might be distracted by the dramatic events in Syria, Libya, or even Yemen, but the pushing and pulling,...
15 Jul 2011

Iran’s power struggle is set to escalate

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government has suffered an unprecedentedly harsh blow to its credibility during the last few weeks. The Iranian president has witnessed the arrest of officials close to high-ranking members of his cabinet, and has engaged in an escalating war of words with senior conservatives and Iran's judiciary. Even high-ranking members of the Revolutionary Guards, long believed to be politically aligned with Ahmadinejad, have sparred publicly with his administration, with both sides accusing each other of illegal financial dealings.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government has suffered an unprecedentedly harsh blow to its credibility during the last few...

Publisher:

Author:

11 Jul 2011

Khamenei versus Khamenei: Will Ahmadinejad Be Impeached

This is an excerpt from a letter that Mehdi Karroubi wrote to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei protesting the intervention of Khamenei's second son, Seyyed Mojtaba, in the first round of the Iranian presidential election on June 17, 2005. Karroubi ran as a reformist candidate in those elections, and for several hours after the polls closed he was trailing only one other candidate, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.
This is an excerpt from a letter that Mehdi Karroubi wrote to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei protesting the intervention of...

Publisher:

Author:

5 Jul 2011

Larijani Preparing for the Presidency?

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.
Two years after the controversial presidential election of 2009 and at the height of the differences between Ahmadinejad...

Publisher:

Author:

5 Jul 2011

Iran’s supreme leader warns against internal disputes

Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei warned on Monday against fueling disputes among Iranian officials and creating clamor in the country, stressing the importance of unity, the local satellite Press TV reported.
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei warned on Monday against fueling disputes...

Publisher:

Author:

4 Jul 2011

Ahmadinejad v. The Revolutionary Guards

Ahmadinejad had warned last month, amidst the increasing pressure on his camp with arrests of his advisors, that he could reveal information that would embarrass key officials within the Iranian establishment. Last weekend he told journalists that there was a "red line" against moves on his Cabinet and inner circle --- when State broadcaster IRIB censored the passsage, his staff posted the uncut video on the President's official website.
Ahmadinejad had warned last month, amidst the increasing pressure on his camp with arrests of his advisors, that he...

Publisher:

Author:

4 Jul 2011

Voting For Ahmadinejad Was A Political Mistake

Conservative blogger and journalist Mohammad Mohajeri, who used to write for the ultra-hard-line "Kayhan" daily, seems to believe it was wrong to vote for Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad. He says those who made that "mistake" should now admit it:
Conservative blogger and journalist Mohammad Mohajeri, who used to write for the ultra-hard-line "Kayhan" daily, seems...

Publisher:

Author:

1 Jul 2011

Iran state TV censors Ahmadinejad video clip

Iran's state television has censored a video clip that showed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad condemning recent arrests of his close allies. Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), which is under the direct control of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, transmitted only an edited version of the remarks made by Ahmadinejad after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, removing any mention of his comments over the arrests.
Iran's state television has censored a video clip that showed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad condemning recent arrests of...

Publisher:

Author:

30 Jun 2011

Iranian President Warns Against Arrest of Allies

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has warned authorities against arresting members of his government on charges of corruption. Ahmadinejad said Wednesday the arrests are politically motivated and an attempt to put pressure on his government.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has warned authorities against arresting members of his government on charges of...

Publisher:

Author:

28 Jun 2011

Reason for Ahmadinejad’s Absence at Supreme Leader’s Meeting

The crisis between Ahmadinejad supporters and the regime leadership in Tehran is expanding by the day. The arrest of Ahmadinejad s four close allies and his absence at a meeting that ayatollah Khamenei had with visiting Afghan President Karzai last week may be more signs of the return of the domestic crises and the concluding phase of the confrontation
The crisis between Ahmadinejad supporters and the regime leadership in Tehran is expanding by the day. The arrest of...

Publisher:

Author:

23 Jun 2011

Ahmadinejad’s ally ‘arrested’ in Iran

Iran's ex-deputy foreign minister - an ally of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - has been arrested on unspecified charges, an unnamed official has told the semi-official Fars news agency. Malekzadeh had resigned from his position as deputy foreign minister on Tuesday.
Iran's ex-deputy foreign minister - an ally of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - has been arrested on unspecified charges,...

Publisher:

Author:

23 Jun 2011

Enfeebling Ahmadinejad: Iran’s President Downsized for Challenging the Ayatullah

How do you say "lame duck" in Farsi? (According to Google's translation service, the answer would be: ???? ???????) And in a twist worthy of Game of Thrones, less than two years after his disputed reelection and the brutal crackdown on opponents that followed, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been reduced to a ???? ???????. And that's just about where the clerical Supreme Leader Ayatullah Ali Khamenei -- who abandoned the political neutrality required of his office in 2009 to hail Ahmadinejad as the candidate whose views were closest to his own -- wants the president.
How do you say "lame duck" in Farsi? (According to Google's translation service, the answer would be: ???? ???????) And...

Publisher:

Author:

22 Jun 2011

Ally of Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad resigns

In another blow to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a controversial deputy foreign minister allied with Ahmadinejad's increasingly embattled and isolated clique resigned Tuesday under pressure from hard-liners who threatened to impeach the country's top diplomat over the appointment.
In another blow to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a controversial deputy foreign minister allied with...

Publisher:

Author:

21 Jun 2011

Majlis to Ask Questions of Ahmadinejad in 10 Days

Majlis representative Ali Motahari announced that within the next ten days he was going to submit questions for Ahmadinejad to the Majlis leadership. This principlist MP who is a critic of the administration said that 90 legislators had signed the resolution adding that the MPs 'insist that the issue move forward as quickly as possible.'
Majlis representative Ali Motahari announced that within the next ten days he was going to submit questions for...

Publisher:

Author:

17 Jun 2011

Ahmadinejad aides targeted by Parliament

Iran's Parliament announced that it has received a series of reports questioning the actions of Esfandiar Rahim Mashai and Hamid Baghai, two chief presidential aides to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Fars reports that the complaints passed along to Parliament refer to a 'disruption perpetuated by the deviant current in the country s administration.'
Iran's Parliament announced that it has received a series of reports questioning the actions of Esfandiar Rahim Mashai...

Publisher:

Author:

15 Jun 2011

The world can only watch as Iran implodes from within

Two years after the disputed reelection of the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Tehran streets that seethed with protest for months are quiet. But the silence belies the increasingly chaotic and rowdy struggle for control within the corridors of power - a contest in which those Iranians who risked their lives to protest two years ago have no clear favourite.
Two years after the disputed reelection of the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Tehran streets that seethed...

Ahmadinejad Isolated by Battle With Iran’s Supreme Leader

Speaking at the mausoleum of the founder of the Islamic Republic Ayatollah Khomeini last week, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was interrupted several times by chants against his closest aide and the man he'd like to succeed him, Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei.
Speaking at the mausoleum of the founder of the Islamic Republic Ayatollah Khomeini last week, Iranian President Mahmoud...

Publisher:

Author:

9 Jun 2011

Where Politics is a Distraction from Making Money

Judging by the front pages of Persian language newspapers neatly laid out at every Tehran newsstand, political scandal is in the air. President Ahmadinejad's closest aides, including right-hand man Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, are being accused of embezzlement, cronyism, collaboration with opposition forces, and even pagan rituals thrown in for shock value.
Judging by the front pages of Persian language newspapers neatly laid out at every Tehran newsstand, political scandal...

Publisher:

Author:

7 Jun 2011

Iran’s president admits rift with country’s senior Islamic figures

Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has admitted for the first time that a rift has developed between him and some of the most senior figures of the Islamic regime. In a press conference in Tehran on Tuesday, the first since news emerged of his power struggle with the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the president said: "It is very clear now that we are 180 degrees away from them - we are actually on opposite sides."
Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has admitted for the first time that a rift has developed between him and some of...

Publisher:

Author:

4 Jun 2011

Iran marks death of Khomenei

As Iran commemorates the 22nd year since the death of the Islamic Republic's founder, Ayatollah Khomenei, the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has used the occasion to remind the country of Khomeini's vision. Al Jazeera's Dorsa Jabbari reports from Tehran on the occasion against the backdrop of a power struggle.
As Iran commemorates the 22nd year since the death of the Islamic Republic's founder, Ayatollah Khomenei, the supreme...

Publisher:

Author:

4 Jun 2011

Tens of thousands converge on Tehran shrine to commemorate the death of Ayatollah Khomeini

Dressed in black, they came by the tens of thousands from near and far, pouring into the streets of southern Tehran and massing at the Khomeini Mausoleum to commemorate the 22nd anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic on Saturday
Dressed in black, they came by the tens of thousands from near and far, pouring into the streets of southern Tehran and...

Publisher:

Author:

2 Jun 2011

Iran’s lawmakers vote to take Amhadinejad to court

Iran's parliament voted on Wednesday to take Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to court over his takeover of the country's vital oil ministry, escalating the power struggle between the president and the hard-line establishment that has turned against him.
Iran's parliament voted on Wednesday to take Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to court over his takeover of the country's vital oil...

Publisher:

Author:

30 May 2011

Tension Between Supporters of Ahmadinejad and Khamenei

The first direct confrontation between supporters of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been reported in Shiraz. The acting provincial governor general of Fars province was sacked for criticizing the "perverted group," the hardliners' code name for the inner circle of Ahmadinejad and his chief of staff, Esfandiar Rahimi Mashaei.
The first direct confrontation between supporters of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been reported in...

Publisher:

Author:

28 May 2011

Khamenei aide urges Ahmadinejad ‘turn back to main path’ in Iran

An aide to Iran's supreme leader called on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Saturday to 'turn back to the main path', suggesting the Islamic state's highest power may be losing patience with the head of government.
An aide to Iran's supreme leader called on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Saturday to 'turn back to the main path',...

Publisher:

Author:

27 May 2011

Ahmadinejad And Larijani Tussle In An Oil Slick

For years he has treated it with imperious disdain. But now, with his political capital hemorrhaging, President Mahmud Ahmadinejad is being subjected to a relentless assault by Iran's parliament with the apparent approval of the country's most powerful cleric, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader.
For years he has treated it with imperious disdain. But now, with his political capital hemorrhaging, President Mahmud...

Publisher:

Author:

27 May 2011

Ahmadinejad losing ground in Iran power struggle, analysts say

Iran's vital oil industry appears to be the latest front in a power struggle between President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei -- a fight that overseas analysts say the colorful president appears to be losing.
Iran's vital oil industry appears to be the latest front in a power struggle between President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and...

Publisher:

Author:

23 May 2011

Iran’s supreme leader and president in power struggle

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei wanted to send his onetime protege Mahmoud Ahmadinejad an unmistakable message: You're replaceable. The Iranian president had been skipping Cabinet meetings, apparently over Khamenei's decision to overrule his firing of the country's intelligence chief. So Khamenei asked a conservative lawmaker to begin assembling a caretaker Cabinet, just in case the president resigned or had to be removed, said an Iranian official close to the politician.
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei wanted to send his onetime protege Mahmoud Ahmadinejad an unmistakable message:...

Publisher:

Author:

17 May 2011

Ahmadinejad TV Interview Khamenei ‘Like a Father to Our Society’ – Tehran Bureau

Here is Tehran Bureau's transcript of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's live interview Sunday night (and very early Monday morning) on Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting channel TV2
Here is Tehran Bureau's transcript of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's live interview Sunday night (and very early Monday...

Publisher:

Author:

14 May 2011

Iranian ‘feud’ Much ado about nothing

A public spat between Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the country's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made the international headlines last week. Politics is rarely ever a harmonious business in any country, so why the brouhaha over this particular stand-off?
A public spat between Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the country's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made...
Page 1 of 2
  • 1
  • 2

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Name *