MESBAH-YAZDI'S ACCUSATIONS WEAKEN FURTHER THE CONSERVATIVES
By Safa Haeri, IPS Editor
TEHRAN 30TH Jan. (IPS) Iranian reformist press and press organisations, backed by the Guidance and Culture Minister, reacted sharply to the latest declaration of a prominent orthodox cleric who had accused independent publications and newsmen to have received large amount of money from the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
In a letter to both the Information Minister and the Prosecutor of the Islamic Revolution Tribunal, the Islamic Guidance Minister Mr. Ata'ollah Mohajerani urged them to make it clear if ayatollah Mohammad Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi was right in stating that the former CIA Director was in Iran distributing money among Iranian reformist press or not?
According to the cleric, a former CIA Director came to Iran disguised as tourist with a suite case full of dollars, met with a certain number of publishers and directors of reformist publications giving them money.
The ayatollah, known for his provocative declarations, did not identified the CIA Director or the journalists who received the bounty, nor did he explained when and how he entered the country and how the man was able to pass the airport's security controls transporting a large amount of money without being detected by custom officials and arrested by security services.
"It is necessary to verify the correctness of His Excellency's allegations. In case he is right, the names of the newsmen and publications who had received money from the CIA must be declared for the knowledge of both the public and competent administrations in order to bring them to justice and if he is wrong, it is of vital importance that his declarations be officially and publicly denied in order to save the honour and credibility of the press", Mr. Mohajerani observed in his letter, stopping short of calling for his trial.
"Above the 20 millions Dollars the CIA has officially allocated to destabilise the Islamic Republic, the agency is distributing hundreds of millions of dollars among liberal cultural centres and journalists", the eminent fundamentalist cleric had stated, speaking at a gathering of conservative theologians in the city of Qom, 150 kilometres south of Tehran.
Protesting to the declarations of Mr. Mesbah-Yazdi, the Association for the Defence of the Press warned about "plots" by the conservatives aimed at discrediting the Iranian free press, observing that the cleric's "unconsidered" declarations are made on the eve of crucial parliamentary elections the "monopolists are certain to lose".
This view is shared by many Iranian observers who told Iran Press Service that far from being "benign chat with naïve theologians", Mr. Mesbah-Yazdi's remarks are part of a "larger scheme" by the conservatives to mount ordinary people against the reformists, create violence and hopefully stop the electoral process.
"What is disturbing is that not only Mr. Mesbah-Yazdi is considered as one of the most prominent of the fundamentalists ideologues known for his staunch opposition to President Khatami's intended reforms, he is also firmly supported by the ayatollah Ali Khameneh'i, the leader of the Islamic regime", one analyst noted.
In a statement made some months ago, Mr. Mesbah-Yazdi had ruled that ordinary believers could and has the duty of killing immediately and anywhere whoever dare insult Islam or even question the basic principles of this religion without trial or courts.
His remarks drew sharp criticism from reformist newspapers and theologians who accused him of inviting the population to anarchy and civil disobedience.
But far from being rebuked, the embattled leader confirmed this otherwise provocative declaration, describing ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi of one of the Muslim Shi'as most eminent personalities.
The public praise expressed by Mr. Khameneh'i for ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi was denounced by supporters of President Mohammad Khatami as the leader's open invitation for anarchy and disdain of law and order.
Mr. Mesbah-Yazdi's new blunder is regarded by analysts as new blow to both the conservatives and the position of the leader himself.
"Already badly jolted, his position weakened, his credit harmed, his personality diminished, Mr. Khameneh'i can no longer remain silent. He has either to reconfirm his support for ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi and in this case he will be regarded as the mastermind of anti-reformists plotting against the popular President or rebuke him, in this case cutting himself from the conservatives who makes his power-base", one analyst explained.
In a regime where, unlike any other in the world, the public media has officially not the right to air the views of the political parties during the electoral campaigning, newspapers plays an important role and taking into account the popularity and large circulation of the reformist publications, the conservatives do their best to present this independent press as being manipulated by both the "US great Satan and the Zionists", according to observers and political analysts.
"The CIA is also inviting Iranian journalists to the United States in order to be brain-washed and this at a time that some officials welcome such invitations", ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi asserted in an obvious reference to the Guidance Minister Ata'ollah Mohajerani whom he loathes.
In similar accusations, General Yahya Rahim-Safavi, the Commander of the Revolutionary Guard had recently alleged that "American and Zionist spies had infiltrated the highest spheres of decision making and cultural centres".
Calling on the revolutionary guards to counter American cultural offensive against Islam and the Islamic Republic by organising demonstrations and collecting petitions, Mr. Mesbah-Yazdi said defending the vital question of velayat faqih was a prime duty of the Iranians, both revolutionary guards and civilians.
Supporting Mr. Mohajerani, journalists and publishers expressed Sunday the hope to see the competent authorities, including the Intelligence Ministry, the Islamic Revolution Tribunal, the Clergymen's Special Tribunal and the Judiciary to respond positively by calling Mr. Mesbah-Yazdi's shots.
"The deafening silence of the conservatives is itself a denial (of Mr. Mesbah-Yazdi)", Mr. Mohammad Reza Zohdi, publisher of "Arya" daily observed.
Expressing his "astonishment" at such "big lies" being ushered by a senior cleric who is supposed to never lie, Mr. Zohdi said the authorities must do their best to shed light on ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi's allegations "in order that in the future no one, regardless of his rank or position, could utter such grave accusations against the independent press". ENDS MESBAH-YAZDI REACTION 30100