Politics and death in Iran
This headline caught my eye, "Iran: Cleric’s Death Opens Way for Rafsanjani".
The brief New York Times article reported the death of Ayatollah Ali Meshkini [at left], the 86-year-old chairman of the powerful Assembly of Experts.It suggested that "His replacement is likely to be Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the more moderate former president who lost the presidential race to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2005."
The Guardian (UK) expanded on that and offered much more speculation about the implications implied in the Times headline.
Senior cleric's death opens up power struggle in Iran
"The death of Ayatollah Ali Akbar Meshkini, chairman of the powerful experts' assembly... is likely to increase the influence of Hashemi Rafsanjani... conservative pragmatist and pillar of the Islamic regime [who] has emerged as favourite to succeed Mr Meshkini...
"Mr Rafsanjani is almost certain to be challenged by Ayatollah Mohammad-Taghi Mesbah-Yazdi, a radical cleric who is seen as a religious mentor to Iran's Islamist president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
"Mr Rafsanjani was judged to have staged a successful political comeback from his 2005 presidential election defeat... Around three-quarters of the body's members are loyal to him, leaving him well placed to become its new chairman...
"Some analysts have suggested that Mr Rafsanjani could use leadership of the assembly as a springboard to the supreme leader's post. The position is the most powerful in Iranian politics, entitling its holder to the last word on all state matters. However, Mr Rafsanjani has told associates that he favours replacing the current one-man role with a collective leadership of several heavyweight figures."
See also:
- "Key Iran post vacant after cleric’s death", a Khaleej Times (Dubai) article
- "Chief of top Iran clerical body dead", from the Gulf Times (Qatar)
- "Prominent Iranian Cleric Dies at 85" from the Washington Post
"pruskin" added a comment pointing to the Los Angeles Times article about Meshkini's death. It is a good article, so I've added to this list.
posted by Ken Wedding @ 11:00 AM
3 Comments:
The LA Times also had a story about this gentleman's death:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/middleeast/la-fg-iran31jul31,1,7507094.story
From The Guardian (UK):
Handshake picture deals election blow to Iranian reformist
"Iran's reformist former president, Mohammad Khatami, has suffered a blow to his political standing by being pictured apparently shaking hands with women in breach of Islamic convention...
"Mr Khatami, a mid-ranking cleric, dismissed the photo as a fake...
"The former president has attempted to deflect the attacks by announcing that he will not stand in the 2009 presidential election, despite his popularity among liberal-minded voters...
"Although Islam generally forbids handshakes between men and women who are not close family relatives, some Shia clerics say it is permitted in certain cases to avoid embarrassment. In Iran, handshakes between men and women have become more common in recent years despite the country's Islamic laws."
Rafsanjani election ups political stakes in Iran
"One of Iran's most illustrious politicians, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, dramatically increased his influence yesterday by winning control of a powerful clerical body in a development that could change the course of the country's leadership.
"Mr Rafsanjani, a conservative pragmatist and former president, was elected head of the experts' assembly...
"Mr Rafsanjani's election sets him on course for a possible power struggle with Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The assembly can dismiss the supreme leader - although this has never happened - and choose a new one.
"Mr Rafsanjani has already antagonised Mr Khamenei by advocating the replacement of his one-man role by a collective leadership. He has also recommended replacing the post's open-ended tenure with term limits.
"Mr Rafsanjani's victory crowned his success last December in topping the poll in popular elections to the assembly, an achievement widely seen as a political comeback after his 2005 presidential election defeat to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the current president..."
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