Tag Archives: khamenei
Khamenei warms America and its allies
Khamenei warms America and Israel
Today in a televised broadcast on IRIB 1 that aired around 7:30pm Tehran time Ayatollah Khamenie addressed an elite group of leaders of the regime. Amongst the upper echelons who attended the event were Ayatollah Rafsanjani, the grandson of Ayatollah Khomeini, President Ahmadinejad and the speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani.
The half hour or so speech focused predominantly on US – Iran relations where the supreme leader made it clear that the Islamic regime has fundamental strategic differences with the United states. To make his point clear he drew on the example of Israel’s right to exist where he said, “we do not recognize the legitimacy of Israel and think it is a false grown state in the Middle East and should not be there.” He further added that “likewise we know that Israel opposes us and does not want an independent Islamic Iran to develop and expand”.
On the ideological front Ayatollah Khamenie touched on the term “global village” where he asserted that the idea of a global village the way it is defined by the west is nothing more than a lie. “This new global village or new global order is merely a myth. It is a term that simply translated means that all countries should give up their rights and independence and allow two countries, the US and Israel, to run the world as they please. On this issue we also have a fundamental difference”.
In conclusion of his talk, Ayatollah Khamenei tried to make the old case that the United States is an imperialistic state with a foreign policy objective to rule the world. He stated that ”if anyone knows the United States will also know that the Americans are relentless in their methods to take what they want by force.” However he made the assertion that America and Israel are at their weakest in 30 years and in all areas of political, economic and the social sphere and that hatred towards America has grown in many parts of the world.
Trying to make it clear that Iran will not negotiate out of fear he even took a jab at President Ahmadinejad when he said that “even if the president wanted to negotiate with the Americans our interest is not to do so under the current climate of intimidation where they, the Americans, expect us to conform to their will.” He added that “This is American style bullyism. This is not deal making but rather negotiating with an agenda and pretext in getting their way. This is not negotiation and the Islamic regime will stand its ground against this form of pressure.”
What was alarming is the final point the Supreme leader made in reference to any plan of attack on Iran by America and its allies. “If Iran is attacked then the war will no longer be limited to our boarders and I don’t think the Americans are that foolish.”
On the domestic front, and recognizing the impact of the international sanctions and the broken state of the Iranian economy Ayatollah Khamenei has ordered the control and better management of imports that has for the past 30 years hindered domestic industry and production. He also called for unity at the leadership level and stated that any differences should not create a rift in the Islamic system “nezam”.
Will Ahmadinejad and co. rule over Iran as they planned or will the news of war between Iran and the West consolidate the interest of left of right and the liberal left?
Today the supreme leader of Iran in a bid to win popular support and legitimacy declared a fatwa against anyone who questions his divine rule over the country and over Shiaa Islam. Some analysts argue that this was a move to consolidate power while there are those who believe that this is nothing more than a desperate attempt to silence the opposition that is now becoming more and more vocal in their opposition to the direction Iran is heading.
Needless to say that an opposition that is also taking on a new form to include the left of right within the hardliner camp who are commonly referred to as the motalefeh. They believe in an Islamic state but not in “mahdaviat” which has a broad mandate to expand Islam at any and all cost, even to the point of Iran’s destruction.
This is certainly a positive sign and yet another indication of further split from radical militant Islamists who have taken Iran hostage since the June 2009 election.
Now the question is can the left of right and the liberal left form a new alliance that is more in tune with the wishes and aspirations of the Iranian people who today demand greater civil liberties and democratic values. My belief is that after 100 years of fighting for such rights, it’s closer than ever before.
Is there a spat between Ahmadinejad and Khamenei or is this yet another PR stunt within the Islamic regime?
An article written in the Tehran Bureau on March 14th suggestes that there is a real spat brewing between the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Could this be true, has the honeymoon period between the two men finally come to an end, and if so, whom or should I say which faction is standing in the wings ready to replace the president?
Looking at the dynamics of the current political situation from a holistic perspective and not falling for this good cop bad cop routine that looks more and more like a bad soap opera coming out of Tehran I doubt there is a rift at all and here are my reasons.
First, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is a hardliner himself and a former sepah member. He is a man that opposes liberal ideals of any kind such as, but not limited to, teaching music or social sciences at universities, the internet, free speech, or political association, and with this ideological view he knows full well that to stay in power he needs someone to the likes of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the mahdavi brotherhood who believe in hardline Islamic leadership with an Iron fist.
Second, to fend off Hashemi Rafsanjani and his reformist allies lead by Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karoubi, and Mohammad Khatami who are out to downgrade the role and influence of the supreme leader through constitutional reform, Khamenei knows that he needs to play tough and rough politics. He knows that if he gives an inch the reformers will take a mile and that last mile is ultimately to get rid of him. Thus in order to preserve his legacy, Khamenie is in no position to back down in light of the turn of the events that took place post June 12th 2009 election and the violence that ensued.
Third, Ahmadinejad and cohort know full well that to have the same monopoly on the economy as the previous generation of Sepah leaders enjoyed they need to maintain a foothold in politics at the national level, and therefore, to create a rift at this point in juncture with Khamenei would be strategically foolish. And
Forth, where Mojtaba Vahedi former chief of staff to Mehdi Karoubi whom Tehran Bureau interviewed makes the mistake is where he suggests that the international community should in fact focus on human rights violations in Iran and strategically sanction the country. If the supreme leader and Ahmadinejad are at odds then why would sanction be necessary, why can’t Khamenei simply order the removal of Ahmadinejad and in doing so hold a new, transparent and free election?
The fact of the matter is that there is no rift and there is no feud between the two men and what Mojtaba Vahedi is saying in coded language is that the system is incapable of modification or repair and in order to bring about fundamental change it is necessary for the international community to get involved on the side of the people of Iran who demand and deserve greater freedoms. Sanctions, focus on human rights and a push towards democratization is what the current situation in Iran calls for without getting distracted by such sideshows.
Iran’s supreme leader calls for the abolishment of a 7000 year old Iranian tradition
Anyone who knows Iranian customs and traditions will tell you that “Chaharshanbe soori” is one of the country’s longstanding festivities dating back to the days of the Persian Empire some 7000 years. It is an occasion where Iranians rejoice, celebrate and jump over small fires, ridding themselves of the old and making way for Nowrouz “the new day”, that marks the first day of spring (on March 21st).
This year however something out of the ordinary but not unexpected has occurred. Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has urged Iranians to shun next week’s Persian fire festival (which falls on March 16th) by labeling it as being un-Islamic.”
The supreme leader of the Islamic regime has stated on his website that Charshanbe Soori has “no basis in Sharia (Islamic religious law) and is the cause for great harm and corruption, which is why it should be scrapped.”
The opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi has also urged his supporters not to use the event for anti-government rallies in fear that provoking the hardliners during this night of celebration could lead to more crackdown, imprisonment and even deaths.
