Some call him the kingmaker, for his deep influence over the Iranian political process. No surprise, then, that in the wake of the disputed elections, the recently publicly pro-Reformist Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani would become the object of a very personal counter attack from the usulgaran, or ‘extreme conservatives’.
As a number of prominent reformists go on trial accused of fomenting election disturbances a host of hardliners have come looking for blood, and it’s Rafsanjani’s. Ayatollah Jennati during last week’s Friday prayer, alleged that Rafsanjani, Khatami and Mousavi had conspired together to disrupt the elections for at least three years [Jennati lost to Rafsanjani in 2007 elections for Chairman of the Council of Experts, which 'elects' the Supreme Leader]. Shariatmadari, editor of regime mouthpiece Kayhan, today announced that Rafsanjani was guilty of treason.
The Iranian newspaper Fars reports that six well-known reformists on trial in Tehran, have “confessed” that the elections were completely clean, and that Rafsanjani has been driven since his 2005 Presidential election loss to Ahmedinejad to put a limit to the power of Ayatollah Khamenei (and the concept of Vilayat-e Faqih, or rule of the Jurist) and to exact personal revenge.
While Rafsanjani took a big hit in recent years with pervasive charges of corruption and influence-dealing, he seems to have reclaimed some of his popularity, particularly in comparison to Mousavi, whose Reformist credentials are truly ersatz. Many clearly feel his almost “Republican” approach to international trade and politics offers the most promising path to a steady opening with the West. The battle between Rafsanjani and the Supreme leader for the Supreme Leader’s absolute influence will do much to decide the character of Iran’s inevitable transformation.
–EDC
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