AJ English: Iran's supreme leader in 'power struggle' with Rafsanjani

[Turborama]

Run time: 02:53 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCQ7OIQ_zjs   Posted on YouTube: June 19, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: June 19, 2009 By DU Member: Turborama Views on DU: 570

 
Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, has supported Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election as president.

But some believe this support may be born out of necessity. Khamenei is rumoured to be in a power struggle with Hashimi Rafsanjani, a former president who opposes Ahmedinejad and is chairman of the country's Assembly of Experts, which has the power to remove Khamenei from his post.

Al Jazeera's Hamish MacDonald reports.


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Some background on why the location if the speech he is making is so provocative...

Iran's supreme leader to speak at site of crackdown

Source: CNN International

Iran's supreme leader will deliver a sermon Friday at Tehran University, just days after a bloody crackdown at the school, according to a statement from the pro-government Basij militia.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will give his sermon during Friday prayers. It will be closely watched for a sign of how the government plans to resolve the stalemate over the country's recent presidential elections.

Crowds of demonstrators have been protesting in the streets of Tehran, demanding that officials throw out election results that showed hardline incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad defeated opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi.

Khamenei has appealed to Iranians to stand behind the Islamic republic.

The Basij militia -- which is affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps -- declared Friday a day for the Iranian nation to renew its allegiance to Khamenei.

Moussavi called for a day of mourning Thursday.

Tehran University students told a CNN iReporter that government forces staged a massive crackdown early Monday at the university. Some students were detained in the raid.

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/06/18/iran.university/index.html


Students slaughtered in tehran university attack

Source: The Australian

John Lyons, Tehran | June 19, 2009

DETAILS emerged last night of the slaughter of students at Tehran University by suspected members of the Basij militia, as defiant opposition supporters held a new rally to mourn slain protesters.

At least three men and two women were killed in the attack on their dormitory on Sunday.

The regime has attempted to cover up the killings - in which the students were believed to have been stabbed and bashed - but a public split by senior members ofthe regime triggered a rare confirmation.

Dozens of academics from the university have resigned in outrage over the incident.

Read more: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25658596-2703,00.html


Originally posted here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3929028

[marybourg]

1. Byzantine. nt.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Absolutely

[MADem]

3. The Mousavi supporters will be boycotting Friday prayers with the Big Cheese.

It is said that Rafsanjani is jawboning the members of the Assembly to give Khameini his walking papers. We'll see what happens. I really think it is become more obvious by the day that cheating happened, and Khameini was, at the very least, aware of it and went along with the deception. That's pretty unforgiveable.

No matter how this shakes out, Khameini is wounded and weakened. He's going to have to give the speech to end all speeches to even survive. I don't think the bum has it in him.

[earcandle]

4. I am suspicious of everything except the people.

I am not sure if Moussavi is part of Kissinger's coup or what,
but one thing I know.
The people are demonstrating their power and that is a good
thing.  I hope they
can get a fair and democratic government once again.  They are
very intelligent and 
sophisticated people, as were the Iraqis before we ripped up
their lives and diminished
their possibilities.  Please don't let us be setting these
people up for more horrors.