IRAN POWER STRUGGLE

The power struggle between Supreme Ruler Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad reached a high point today when the President threatened to resign and Khamenei told him to go right ahead! So apparently Ahmadi-Nejad has stopped going to his office.

What is interesting behind the scenes is that Ahmadi-Nejad's representatives met SECRETLY WITH OBAMA DELEGATES IN THE PERSIAN GULF to try to depose the Supreme Ruler.

Already furious at this, the Supreme Ruler clamped down on Ahmadi-Nejad's efforts, last week,  to remove the Minister of Intelligence and take over that Intelligence and Security operation in favor of the IRGC (Revolutionary Guard Corps) which met with Khamenei's resistance and nearly 100 officers and guards of the IRGC  were arrested for planning a coup. And the Minister "fired" by the President was told to go back to work.


Here are some headings of events:

According to Amir-Hossein Sabeti, Raja News columnist, Ahmadinejad has three preconditions for returning to the presidential office: Appointing Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei as first vice president, dismissal of Said Jalili as Supreme National Security Council secretary, and dismissal of Hojjat al-Eslam Heydar Moslehi as intelligence minister.


According to Aftab News, Ali Larijani, parliamentary speaker, and Ayatollah Mahdavi Kani, Assembly of Experts head, have had a meeting with Ahmadinejad during the past couple of days.

Twelve parliamentarians call for impeachment of Ahmadinejad.

In an interview with Rooz Online, Hojjat al-Eslam Jafar Shojouni says "the destiny of [Abol-Hassan] Bani-Sadr is awaiting Ahmadinejad
Shojouni refutes having given an interview to "the counter revolutionary daily."

Rooz Online releases the audio tapes of the interview with Shojouni.

Sobh-e Sadeq criticizes Ahmadinejad's attempt to dismiss the intelligence minister "in the midst of a regional crisis."

The Student Basij distributes a CD-Rom containing Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei's thoughts on the school of Iran

100 parliamentarians sign a letter warning Ahmadinejad and reminding him that he has made a pledge to "serve the people and stand by the Supreme Leader of the revolution."

10 cabinet ministers met with Ahmadinejad Wednesday night.

According to Serat News, Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei and Hamid Baqaei had a separate "secret meeting" Wednesday night.

Ayatollah Mahdavi Kani's Office dismisses rumors on the ayatollah's meeting with Ahmadinejad.

Ayatollah Alam al-Hoda: "Even if the entire country has voted for a public official, he would be illegitimate if the Supreme Leader does not approve of him." (Khamenei touted as teh 800 pound gorilla in charge)

Hojjat al-Eslam Ali Saidi, the Supreme Leader's Representative to the Revolutionary Guards, (split among the Guards) says Ahmadinejad can only preserve his popularity "by obeying the Supreme Leader." He adds: "Failing to obey the orders of the Guardian Jurist amounts to not obeying the commands of God and the Imam of the Era."

The various Guards units have splintered into groups with the three main ones being those who refuse to hurt Green Movement demonstrators, those who will follow the Supreme ruler and are ruthless against demonstrators and an ambivalent set of splinters who are devout followers of Ahmadi-Nejad (a former IRGC commander himself) but prefer to follow less violent and more "secular" activity.

Hopefully the power struggles will weaken all of them but they are already turning to their buddy Obama to help call the shots. And not to bother their Syrian allies where 10,000 of the IRGC have moved and are suppressing the populace in the same brutal fashion they used in 2009 in Iran and continually since then.