Spy flap weakens Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
LA Times / Borzou Daragahi & Ramin Mostaghim
02-May-2011

All achievements and accomplishments of the revolution are under the auspices of his eminence" Khamenei, Friday prayer leader Ahmad Khatami told worshipers in Tehran last week.

Top intelligence commanders of the Revolutionary Guard and Heydar Moslehi bugged the office of Mashaei — as they must — and monitored his private and public political behavior," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic.

Mashaei, himself a former Intelligence Ministry official, discovered the electronic surveillance with the help of the ministry's No. 2, Hassan Abdollahian, the source said. Moslehi fired Abdollahian after discovering his role in divulging sensitive information to the presidential office.

Told of the surveillance and the firing of Mashaei's confidant, Ahmadinejad on April 17 ordered Moslehi to hand in his resignation, appointing Abdollahian to replace him.

 

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