In a speech pronounced Wednesday in the central and historic city of Esfahan, the megalomaniac Khameneh’I said though the regime’s three powers could have different views on minor matters, but they must obey and carry out the leader’s decisions without discussion.

Placing himself above everyone and all institutions, he said all must obey the leader and no one should question his guidelines.

He went on to repeat his opposition to any negotiations with the United States over the question of Afghanistan, the fight on international terrorism and again, condemned the joint US-UK bombing of Taleban and Al-Qa’eda positions in Afghanistan, thus taking side with the afghan ruling Taleban.

He threatened the advocates of dialogue with Washington with unspecified punishment, warning them that "dialogue with the United States would cause Iran more harm that good".

He was answering some MMs (members of the Majles, the Iranian parliament) who in recent weeks have urged the government of President Mohammad Khatami to open a dialogue with Washington and give some backing to the US-led campaign against terrorism.

On Mr. Khameneh’is’ instructions, the Judiciary, that acts as his political and police arms, created Tuesday a special Committee aimed at dealing with all those who speak about resuming talks with the United States "in public", branding them as "traitors" to the Islamic regime of Iran.

Ayatollah Mahmood Hashemi-Shahroodi, the Iraqi-born Head of the Islamic Judiciary warned that those who speak about negotiating with "the Great Satan" would be dealt as "mohareb", or fighting God, a charge that carry death penalty.

He also urged Islamic ulemas, or learned ones, to set up an international Islamic Tribunal for the crimes America has committed against humanity and Islam.

Mr. Ali Keshtgar, Editor of the Paris-based monthly "Mihan" (Nation) said Mr. Khameneh’i "always acts not on the interests of the nation, but of his own".

"Not only Mr. Khameneh’i is stranger with notions of nationalism, but he loathes that word. He never speaks of nationalism, but about interests of Islam, which in this case means himself and his entourage", he observed.

In the opinion of Mr. Keshtgar, Mr. Khameneh’i’s harsh attacks on the reformists MMs who call for improving relations with Washington was more to boost the morale of his own troops than to offer a guideline.

He said since Mr. Khameneh’i had no constitutional mandate or duty from the people, therefore he has no right to interfere in the people’s life, let alone deciding on important domestic and foreign affairs.

"According to the Constitution, Mr. Khameneh’I has the duty of guiding, not governing", he pointed out, adding that by placing himself above all other Iranians, he in fact seek to both humiliate and insult in order to satisfy his own ego.

For his part, Mr. Ahmad Salamatian, an influential observer of the Iranian theatre who also lives in Paris said contrary to what Mr. Khameneh’I asserts, there are "plenty of channels" were Iranians and Americans talk to each other directly or indirectly.

"The problem with Mr. Khameneh’i is that he wants to keep the monopoly of direct meetings with the Americans for himself and his entourage", he said, speaking with the Persian service of Radio France Internationale (RFI).

Mohammad Arasi, another Iranian scholar and expert on Caucasus based in the United States accused Mr. Khameneh’I of "serving the interests of the enemies of Iran".