Iran Parliament Summons Increasingly Vulnerable Ahmadinejad
Is Latest Move the First Step Toward Impeachment?
Iran’s parliament has announced today that it is summoning President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to answer questions on a variety of topics, including his refusal to appoint an acceptable Minister of Sports and his refusal to implement the Metro law.
The topics themselves don’t seem hugely significant, but coming in the context of a growing corruption scandal as well as a major falling out with the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei leave the already vulnerable president in a precarious position.
Speaking to just how serious a situation this is, even Iran’s state media, which usually minimizes the significance of internal political battles, is mentioning that three warnings about legal violations could lead to impeachment for either the president or his ministers.
Despite Ahmadinejad’s reputation abroad, he has increasingly drawn the ire of Iran’s hardline clergy, and top leadership in his government, particularly long-time adviser Esfandiar Mashaei, are facing charges of religious deviancy, a particularly serious charge in the religiously dominated government.
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liveload
June 28th, 2011 at 9:21 am
Ahmadinejad seems to have been trying to erode the power of the mullahs while maintaining his popularity with the people. Coming at the theocracy problem from a conservative angle is a novel approach, if that's indeed what this is. If he can hang on and keep the people on his side, perhaps he can set the precedents that will one day see the mullahs removed from the functions of the state. From the outset it seemed to me that he's been trying to style himself after Mossadegh. The more like Mossadegh an Iranian leader aspires to be, the better it is for Iran.
Samuel Dimuzio
June 28th, 2011 at 2:26 pm
Mr. Ahmadinejad is a shrewed and very intelligent politician. Dancing between extreme religious and congressional power hungry congress is a task he has accomplished for several years. Very smart.