SIDING WITH THE MAJLES, KHAMENEHE'I FURTHER COMPLICATED IRANIAN POLITICAL IMBROGLIO
By Safa Haeri, IPS Editor
TEHRAN 8 July (IPS) Iran's leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameneh’i, gave Saturday the green light for a parliamentary investigation into the operation of the Voice and Visage of the Islamic Republic (VVIR, or the Iranian state-run Radio and Television Organisation), transforming the country’s traditional two wings feuds into a "three prong confrontation", according to Iranian political analysts.
In a short letter to Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, the Head of the Nation Interest’s Discerning Assembly (NIDA), Mr. Khameneh’i reiterated his earlier decision to authorise the Majles (parliament) to investigate the budget and performances of the VVIR, one of the tens of powerful or influential – or both –organs controlled and supervised directly by him or by his office.
"While thanking your Excellency about the praise worthy efforts of the Discerning Assembly to abide and respect the legality, but it deems necessary that the Assembly revise its approval", Ayatollah Khamenehe'i ordered, dashing attempts by the former president to cut the remaining feathers of his already seriously handicapped successor Mohammad Khatami.
Reformists hailed the leader’s decision as an "eye-catching" victory for both the embattled President the Majles, largely dominated by the reformists who, a month ago, passed a resolution seeking to investigate the VVIR.
"The dual Khatami-Khamenehe'i, or reformists-conservatives conflict has now become a triangular battle, with Mr. Hashemi-Rafsanjani as the flag-bearer of the extremists in the conservative faction of the leadership", commented a respected independent journalist who requested anonymity.
According to this source, most of the hard line elements among the conservatives, apprehending a possible reconciliation between the leader and the president have now joined Mr. Hashemi-Rafsanjani.
In his opinion, the recent denunciations made by Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, the Secretary of the Council of Guardians against the Oil Ministry "plundering by millions" the nation’s oil wealth was a warning to Mr. Khamenehe'i "not to cross the red lines" fixed in dealing with the reformists.
Considered as a close ally of the leader, Mr. Jannati is also one of the staunchest opponents of the reform process.
"Like Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi and Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi and other top clerics opposed to the reforms, Mr. Jannati has defected from Mr. Khamenehe'i to join Mr. Hashemi-Rafsanjani", the journalist noted, reminding that the surprise attack on the Oil Ministry came immediately after the leader showed "flexibility" concerning the Majles bid to probe the VVIR.
In sermon delivered Friday, the former president again took aim at the reformist papers, accusing them of "working for the enemy".
"His angry attack on the independent press is a reminder of similar remarks made a year ago by Mr. Khamenehe'i, giving the Judiciary the order for the bundle closure of all pro-reform publications", observed Mr. Hoseyn Baqerzadeh, a human rights activist living in England.
"More than any other, Mr. Hashemi-Rafsanjani is concerned about the possible return to news stands of some of the banned press and the release of influential journalists who revealed some of the flagrant wrong doings perpetrated under his presidency, chief among them the assassination of tens of dissident intellectuals and politicians both at home and abroad", Mr. Baqerzadeh told the Persian service of Radio France Internationale.
Invoking the law forbidding any probe of organisations that are under the supervision and control of the leader, the powerful leader-controlled Council of Guardians had immediately blocked the probing bill defended by reformist deputies.
Earlier in February, the Guardians had rejected the parliament's bid for a cut in the budget of the VVIR, accused by the reformists – and most of Iranians -- of biased reporting in favour of the conservatives, neglecting the reformists.
The organisation is also accused of full co-operation with "rogue elements" of the Intelligence Ministry, carrying "fabricated" confessions made by dissidents, as seen recently with Mr. Ali Afshari, an outspoken students leader and Mr. Ezzatollah Sahhabi, a veteran journalist and politician associated with the Islamist-nationalists.
According to the Constitution, the 12 Guardians, six of them appointed by the leader, must approve the strict conformity of all laws passed by the Majles with Islamic canons.
Ayatollah Khameneh’i gave the go-ahead to the Majles to look in the performance of the state media, saying the probe could ensure the safe operations of the networks and called on the NIDA to amend the laws accordingly.
However, when the difference between the two institutions over investigating the VVIR was referred to the NIDA for arbitration, Mr. Hashemi-Rafsanjani wrote a letter to Mr. Khamenehe'i, informing him that the Discerning Assembly was not entitled to amend the law forbidding investigation into organs controlled by the leader.
"By doing so, the master manipulator Hashemi-Rafsanjani was hoping that that under pressure from conservative radicals, Mr. Khameneh’i would step back and order the Majles to forget about investigations. By rejecting the bid, Mr. Khamenehe'i has at the same time complicated further the Iranian political imbroglio", the journalist said. ENDS VVIR INVESTIGATION 8701