Ahmadinejad Defies Supreme Leader

[babylonsister]

Ahmadinejad defies ayatollah on vice president

Iran's president refuses an order by the supreme leader to dump the newly chosen official, who is despised by hard-liners for his remarks on Israelis. In Tehran, authorities crack down on protesters.

By Borzou Daragahi
July 22, 2009


Reporting from Beirut -- Iran's president, under attack by reformists after his disputed election victory last month, on Tuesday openly defied his most powerful backer, refusing an order by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to dump a newly chosen vice president who is despised by hard-liners for insisting last year that Iranians had no quarrel with the Israeli people.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad finds himself under increasing pressure from Iranian hard-liners who appear eager to reap political rewards after leading a weeks-long crackdown on supporters of opposition figure Mir-Hossein Mousavi, who say vote fraud was responsible for Ahmadinejad's victory.

The leader of a hard-line scholars group linked to the Basiji militia said his organization would propose its own "desired Cabinet lineup" to the president.

"Our organization intends to become the government's think tank," said Lotfali Bakh- tiari, leader of the group, in an interview published by Khabar newspaper. "We want to introduce our elite into the government to serve the country. No obstacle is on our way, even the current climate of mistrust."

Ahmadinejad surprised many observers by defending the vice president, Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, an in-law, in the face of a torrent of criticism from his hard-line allies.

News agencies confirmed Tuesday that Khamenei sent a letter to Ahmadinejad on Monday asking for the removal of Mashaei.

more...

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iran-protests22-2009jul22,0,7268956.story

[no_hypocrisy]

1. God will get you for that one, Walter . . . .

[AndyA]

4. That picture made me smile, thanks for posting it.

I loved Bea Arthur, she was so good as Maude Findlay!

[BolivarianHero]

2. That's impossible...

Like fundamentalist Christians, Islamists are not capable of rational thought until they renounce theocracy. As such, they are incapable of forming any sort of viable thinktank.

[Bonhomme Richard]

3. Well that's the end of Ahmadinejad. n/t

[babylonsister]

7. One can hope. nt

[AndyA]

5. I'm predicting a smack down coming.

It's not nice to f*ck with the Supreme Leader.

[spanone]

6. not good mahmoud, not good