Opinion IRANS KING MAKERS
The victory of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over reformist Mir-Hossein Moussavi in the recent Iranian presidential elections has set the country ablaze....
The victory of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over reformist Mir-Hossein Moussavi in the recent Iranian presidential elections has set the country ablaze,with Moussavis supporters claiming that the polls were rigged. With the Iranian establishment,headed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei,facing its most critical challenge since the 1979 revolution that installed it,a small circle of powerful kingmakers are key to resolving the current stand-off. ALIA ALLANA charts them out:
Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati: This 83 year old cleric is the Chairman of the Council of Guardians; his political allegiance lies with the conservatives. Jannati has been criticised by the reformist camp for not approving reformist candidates and blocking their legislations. Prior to the elections he had claimed that elections in Iran are the healthiest,the most democratic and the most glorious one of their kind worldwide. Following the protests,he urged candidates with grievances to file their cases. Jannati is an Ahmadinejad supporter.
Major General Mohammed Ali Jafari: The man in charge of the military machine the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Jafari reports to the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. Both the IRGC and Basij militia are mobilised through his command,and are in charge of controlling the protests. Jafari has supported Ahmadinejad and issued a statement directed towards the opposition,against a possible velvet revolution which would be nipped in the bud.
Grand Ayatollah Ali Montazeri: Was once the heir-apparent to Ayatollah Khomeini,and was involved in drafting the 1979 constitution. It is believed that a letter to Khomeini addressing the issue of violence earned him bad favour: I surely would follow you up to the entrance of hell,but I am not ready to follow you in. He has since been one of the most vociferous critics of the regime and has claimed,no one in their right mind can believe the official results.
Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani: is a force to be reckoned with in Iranian politics. Currently the head of the Expediency Council,Rafsanjani has previously served as President. He ran against Ahmadinejad in the 2005 elections and lost after which he has been openly critical of the president. His daughter Faezeh Rafsanjani was arrested due to her support for the reformist camp and the protests. She was later released.
Ali Larijani: is the speaker of Parliament and enjoys wide support from Khamenei. He served as Irans nuclear negotiator. Defeated by Ahmadinejad in the 2005 elections,the two have since had heated arguments and disagreements. He has however congratulated Ahmadinejad over his recent victory.
Mohammed Baqer Qalibaf: has Ahmadinejads old job as the Mayor of Tehran. It was believed that he would be a contender in the upcoming elections. Qalibaf has been critical of Ahmadinejads tenure both as mayor and as president. Qalibaf enjoys popularity amongst the youth particularly due to his savvy appearance,a rarity amongst Iranian politicians. He supports Irans nuclear ambitions.
Saeed Mortazavi: serves as the Prosecutor General of Iran. He is responsible for the closure of newspapers and handles cases involving political activists. Of late,Mortazavi has shut down reformist newspaper Yas-e No (New Jasmine),the only newspaper openly backing Moussavi.
Ayatollah Safi Golpaygani: has been involved in presenting a report on the elections to the Guardian Council and has asked the Council to not be biased in favour of any one candidate.
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