[Pen-l] The power struggle at the top becomes visible in the streets: Iran events

[ken hanly <northsunm@xxxxxxxxx>]

It seems that Ahmadinejad is moving against Rafsanjani in spite of the praise I quoted in my other post in Khatemi's speech. Ahmadinejad may feel that his hand is being forced. It will be interesting to see what Khameni does at this stage. He is already supported by the Assembly of Experts headed by Rafsanjani so it would seem that Rafsanjani will expect Khameni now to move against Ahmadinejad. This may end up with the richest man in Iran being the darling of the left! Ahmadinejad's real sin is not rigging an election but trying to fight corruption among powerful members of the elite.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090621/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iran_election

State-run Press TV reported that Rafsanjani's eldest daughter, Faezeh Hashemi, and four other family members were arrested late Saturday. It did not identify the other four.

Last week, state television showed images of Hashemi, 46, speaking to hundreds of supporters of opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi. After her appearance, hard-line students gathered outside the Tehran prosecutor's office and accused her of treason, state radio reported.

Rafsanjani, 75, has made no secret of his distaste for Ahmadinejad, whose re-election victory in a June 12 vote was disputed by Mousavi. Ahmadinejad has accused Rafsanjani and his family of corruption.

The influential Rafsanjani now heads two very powerful groups. The most important one is the Assembly of Experts, made up of senior clerics who can elect and dismiss the supreme leader. The second is the Expediency Council, a body that arbitrates disputes between parliament and the unelected Guardian Council, which can block legislation.

His daughter's arrest came as something of a surprise: Just Friday, Khamenei had praised Rafsanjani as one of the architects of the revolution and an effective political figure for many years. Khamenei acknowledged, however, that the two have "many differences of opinion."


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