HARD LINERS WANT THE HEAD OF ALI AKBAR MOUSAVI-KHO’EINIA

TEHRAN, 8 Mar. (IPS) Mr. Ali Akbar Mousavi-Kho’einiha, a reformist lawmaker came under strong attacks from the conservatives-controlled media on Monday for his remarks in the Majles on Sunday, criticising the Assembly of Experts for not doing its job properly in controlling the actions and performances of the leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameneh’i.

As Mr. Kho’einiha was addressing the outgoing House, accusing the leader-controlled institutions such as the Council of the Guardians of trying to transform the Majles into a rubber stamp parliament, hard line deputies run towards him shouting insults, pulled away his microphone and tried to beat him, but were prevented by other reformist colleagues.

"Today like in old days, we are witnessing a parliamentary coup against a current that struggles for transformation, using intimidation, threats and disqualification in the seventh parliamentary elections in order to form a rubber-stamp Majles that would sit and stand up on call", the young Kho’einiha said referring to the rejection of hundreds of reformist candidates by the leader-controlled Council of the Guardians.

Mr. Kho’einia, an outspoken deputy who represents the Iranian students community and like a hundred other reformist deputies was disqualified, said the Expert Assembly should examine "if the leader and the Guardians were rightful in their decision and whether the mass disqualifications was based on justice and expedience".

His remarks, underlining that Mr. Khameneh'i had tacitly confirmed the CG in barring reformist hopefuls from the electoral race were broadcast live by state-run radio.

The Assembly of Experts, a body of 86 senior clerics which began an annual meeting in Tehran Sunday, is the only instance that elects the leader of the Islamic Republic and has also the power to dismiss him if he is deemed to be performing badly or is unfit to hold the office.

"What they (conservatives) are after is a Majles where no voice object to any wrong doing, where no one reveals any thing, where no illegality is controlled, where the Article 90 Committee (that looks into the matters related with prisoners and human rights) is no more a place for the oppressed ones, do not investigate on the police attacks on students, on the serial killing of intellectual dissidents, journalists, political activists and students, where no one stands up defending the rights of political prisoners, a Majles that says and does what the leaders like to see and hear", he went on amidst applauses of the reformists and shouts and insults from the conservative minority benches.

Some hard-line newspapers that usually speaks for Mr. Khameneh'i or reflects his views called on the Judiciary to bring Mr. Kho’einiha to court, as any criticism o Mr. Khameneh’i is considered a criminal offence.

"One common denominator with all the rejected lawmakers is that instead of accepting their failure, they attack the regime, its leaders and structures", observed the radical daily Keyhan, referring to Mr. Kho’einiha’s speech.

To protest the large-scale disqualifications, reformist deputies, including Mr. Kho’einiha, had staged a 20-days sit-in and offered mass resignation.

Observing that the Assembly of the Experts has the duty to control the governance of the leader and his performances, Mr. Kho’einia said one must ask if the action of the leader and the organs under his direct control, particularly during the "unjust, competition-free, unchallenged and illegal elections were in line with principles of honesty, good governance, justice and fairness?".

Answering his own questions, the young lawmaker observed that if the Experts would have done their job properly in supervising the actions of the leader and if the Majles would also have exercised more control over the government of the lamed Mohammad Khatami, it would be "possible to stop many of the wrongdoings".

"However, considering that the honourable members of the Assembly of Experts as well as those of the Council of the Guardians are appointed by the leader, there is few chances to see voices of the just reaching any ear", he said, proposing that "in such conditions, it is better to make away with all these farces and govern the nation with State Orders (emanating from the leader).

He's not new to confrontation. Here's something from Dec.:

"Reformist MM and former leader of the OCU, Hojjatoleslam Ali Akbar Mousavi-Kho’einiha has gone even further in his criticism of the forthcoming parliament elections and publicly said that the biggest problem the Islamic Republic faces is the unlimited power held by the leader (Ayatollah Ali Khameneh'i).

"Since the major branches of the regime operates under the control of a the single person of the Leader of the regime, that person stands in the way of any fundamental development and meaningful change", he noted, adding: "when the very person who stands at the pinnacle of the regime’s power opposes real change, what is the point in holding parliament elections?"

"His view was confirmed by dissident Grand Ayatollah Hoseynali Montazeri, Iran’s and Shi’a Muslims senior religious authority, telling recently the Washington Post that there is no justification that a single person decides how 70 million citizens need to run their lives. "In today’s world, there is no longer room for tyrannical rule. Eventually, autocracy is bound to crumble and leave the arena "sooner or later".

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