Ayatollah Khamenei in his own words

The American Thinker ^ | Jan. 2, 2004 | James Arlandson

[Kitten Festival]

Iran is developing a nuclear program, ostensibly for energy, but likely also for acquiring a nuclear weapon. Seyyed Ali Khamenei is the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, a life-long office that his predecessor Ayatollah Khomeini created and instituted in the Iranian Constitution. He has held this office since 1990, after the death of Khomeini in 1989. Perched in this position, he gets to appoint members to the unelected institutions.

Iran is a theocratic “democracy.” It is democratic insofar as the people elect the President (now Muhammad Khatami since 1997) and the deputies of the Majlis or Parliament. However, the word “democracy” is in quotation marks because an unelected institution, the Guardian Council, has control over legislation, and this Council, made up of six theologians, is conservative and continually blocks reformist measures. This Council makes Iran a theocracy. For a quick overview of the Iranian government, the BBC, has a helpful flow chart of the elected and unelected institutions and offices.

[Kitten Festival]

A good close look at what Iran's dour ayatollah is really like. A must read.

[weenie]

The following was published by the Iran Press Service on Dec 14th, 2001...

RAFSANJANI SAYS MUSLIMS SHOULD USE NUCLEAR WEAPON AGAINST ISRAEL

TEHRAN 14 Dec. (IPS) One of Iran’s most influential ruling cleric called Friday on the Muslim states to use nuclear weapon against Israel, assuring them that while such an attack would annihilate Israel, it would cost them "damages only".