Iran hardliners oppose Ahmadinejad's VP choice
AFP
19-Jul-2009 (2 comments)

TEHRAN — A group of Iranian hardliners raised objections on Sunday to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's decision to appoint close aide Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie as the country's new first vice president."It is imperative to terminate the appointment of Mashaie as first vice president in order to respect the wishes of the majority of the people," said Hossein Shriatmadari, managing director of the hardline Kayhan newspaper who was appointed to his post by the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei."When people found out about the appointment, they viewed this move as one taken not just in bad taste... but as one which shows indifference (towards them)," he wrote in an editorial in the newspaper. The appointment of Mashaie, a close confidant of Ahmadinejad, had been expected to ruffle feathers among the country's hardliners and clerical groups who heavily influence politics in the Islamic republic. Mashaie, whose daughter is married to Ahmadinejad's son, is a controversial figure who last year was rapped by hardliners and Khamenei for saying Iran is a "friend of the Israeli people."The Islamic republic has repeatedly vowed never to recognise Israel, which was an ally of pro-US shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, ousted by the 1979 Islamic revolution.Mashaie also provoked the ire of MPs for allegedly watching a Turkish woman dance while at a tourism congress in Turkey in 2007.Ahmad Khatami, a leading hardline cleric and one of Tehran's Friday prayer leade... >>>

Majid Zahrai

Mahmoud gets back at his opponents in Qom

by Majid Zahrai on

Some say Mahmoud's rush to appoint this guy to the top position, even before he has been inaugurated, is to get back at the top clerics and hardliners who have not yet acknowledged his presidency or who have withheld support for him during the recent turmoil.  Even Hossein Shariatmadir objects to this guy's appointment.  Some also say that Mahmoud cannot legally appoint anyone to any cabinet post before being officially inaugurated and confirmed by the Supreme Leader.  Watch this spot, as things will be developing here.



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Proud_To_Be_Anonymous

Interesting

by Proud_To_Be_Anonymous on

Trouble in paradise?