Rafsanjani makes peace with Khameni

While Mousavi continues to challenge the establishment and demand a new vote altogether, Rafsanjani one of his richest most powerful supporters has distanced himself from him and even moreso from the protesters. Some of Sanjani's relatives were involved in the demonstrations and were even briefly arrested. The family patriarch has no doubt laid down the law rather than joining them in a direct confrontation. None of the defeated candidates have chosen to bring their complaints before the official body.

These quotes are from PressTV.

"The developments following the presidential vote were a complex conspiracy plotted by suspicious elements with the aim of creating a rift between the people and the Islamic establishment and causing them to lose their trust in the system," Rafsanjani said Sunday. "Such plots have always been neutralized whenever the people have entered the scene with vigilance."

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Hashemi-Rafsanjani urges fair vote probeSun, 28 Jun 2009 18:22:44 GMTHead of Iran's Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani has called for a "fair and thorough" study of the legal complaints made about the disputed presidential election. "The developments following the presidential vote were a complex conspiracy plotted by suspicious elements with the aim of creating a rift between the people and the Islamic establishment and causing them to lose their trust in the system," Rafsanjani said Sunday. "Such plots have always been neutralized whenever the people have entered the scene with vigilance." Following the June 12 election, which saw President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad re-elected to a second four-year term, Iran became the scene of rallies with defeated candidates Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi rejecting the result as fraudulent and demanding a re-run. In his Sunday remarks, Rafsanjani praised the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei for extending by five days the Guardian Council's deadline to review issues pertaining to the elections and removing the ambiguities surrounding it. "This valuable move by the Leader to restore the people's confidence in the election process was very effective," he said. He expressed hope that "those who are tasked with this issue (election) can thoroughly and fairly review and study the legal complaints." On Saturday, the Expediency Council called on all defeated candidates in the disputed presidential election to legally pursue their complaints through the proper channels. “As the best and most appropriate way, the Expediency Council asks all to observe the law and resolve conflicts and disputes [concerning the election] through legal channels,” the council said in a statement. The statement came after the Guardian Council on Thursday announced that it would form a special committee to investigate the June 12 election. Mousavi has rejected the offer of a partial recount, refusing to cooperate with the Guardian Council's special commission. Karroubi has also refused to send a representative to the commission. He has criticized what he considers the "lack of impartiality" among the group's members, some of whom have publicly supported President Ahmadinejad. The third candidate, Mohsen Rezaei, will not be sending a representative to the commission either. SF/HGH
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The power struggle in Iran and Rafsanjani

Behind all the twitters and wall to wall coverage of each cell phone image by CNN is the reality of a power struggle among elites. Rafsanjani is arguably the richest person in Iran and he hates Ahmadinejad because among other things he has accused his family of corruption. Khameni is playing both sides and recently in his speech has high praise for Rafsanjani and criticised Ahmadinejad for his accusations against Rafsanjani's family. As a reward the Assembly of Experts that Rafsanjani heads supported the guidelines in his speech. But now it seems that Ahmadinejad has moved against Rafsanjani's family. This will create a crisis and Khameni might very well decide to turf Ahmadinejad and support Rafsanjani: This is from Yahoo.

State-run Press TV reported that Rafsanjani's eldest daughter, Faezeh Hashemi, and four other family members were arrested late Saturday. It did not identify the other four.Last week, state television showed images of Hashemi, 46, speaking to hundreds of supporters of opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi. After her appearance, hard-line students gathered outside the Tehran prosecutor's office and accused her of treason, state radio reported.Rafsanjani, 75, has made no secret of his distaste for Ahmadinejad, whose re-election victory in a June 12 vote was disputed by Mousavi. Ahmadinejad has accused Rafsanjani and his family of corruption.The influential Rafsanjani now heads two very powerful groups. The most important one is the Assembly of Experts, made up of senior clerics who can elect and dismiss the supreme leader. The second is the Expediency Council, a body that arbitrates disputes between parliament and the unelected Guardian Council, which can block legislation.His daughter's arrest came as something of a surprise: Just Friday, Khamenei had praised Rafsanjani as one of the architects of the revolution and an effective political figure for many years. Khamenei acknowledged, however, that the two have "many differences of opinion."

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Rafsanjani is probably the richest man in Iran. As this article points out he owns many educational insitutions including university campuses. The press never seems to think this of importance or that Rafsanjani might be using his power to generate student activists. Rafsanjani favors freer markets and accomodation where possible with the West. He is just what the West ordered and the media cheerleaders go along with great enthusiasm both on the left and right.

This is from Wikipedia:

Many believe Rafsanjani to be the richest man in Iran due to his deep involvement in various Iranian industries, including the oil industry, as well as his ownership of many properties throughout the country. There have also been allegations that some of his wealth has come from arms deals made after the Revolution.[27] His wealth has earned him the nickname of Akbar Shah in Iran.[33] The Rafsanjani family own vast financial empires in Iran, including foreign trade, vast landholdings and the largest network of private universities in Iran, known as the "Islamic Azad University" which has 300 campuses spread all over the country. The Islamic Azad University campuses not only have large financial resources, but also a cadre of student activists numbering around 3 million.[34]The American business magazine Forbes has included Rafsanjani in their list of richest people in the world. In 2003 Forbes described Rafsanjani as the real power behind the Iranian government, and asserted that he "has more or less run the Islamic Republic for the past 24 years." [35] His son Mehdi Hashemi Rafsanjani is the head of the state-owned company Gaz'>http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gaz_Iran&action=edit&redlink=1">Gaz Iran.Many believe Rafsanjani to be the richest man in Iran due to his deep involvement in various Iranian industries, including the oil industry, as well as his ownership of many properties throughout the country. There have also been allegations that some of his wealth has come from arms deals made after the Revolution.[27] His wealth has earned him the nickname of Akbar Shah in Iran.[33] The Rafsanjani family own vast financial empires in Iran, including foreign trade, vast landholdings and the largest network of private universities in Iran, known as the Islamic Azad University, which has 300 campuses spread all over the country. The Islamic Azad University campuses not only have large financial resources, but also a cadre of student activists numbering around 3 million.[34]The American business magazine Forbes has included Rafsanjani in their list of richest people in the world. In 2003 Forbes described Rafsanjani as the real power behind the Iranian government, and asserted that he "has more or less run the Islamic Republic for the past 24 years." [35] His son Mehdi Hashemi Rafsanjani is the head of the state-owned company Gaz'>http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gaz_Iran&action=edit&redlink=1">Gaz Iran.

Khameni praises Rafsanjani

The Supreme Leader Khameni is covering all the bases just in case and it has already paid off handsomely. He praised Rafsanjani fulsomely in his speech but at the same time criticised Ahmadinejad who accused Rafsanjani's relatives of corruption--probably rightly! If things go wrong and the establishment regards the death toll and bad press as too damaging then Ahmadinejad can be sacrificed and turfed out by the Supreme Leader while he himself survives.

Here is a section of Khameni's speech from this site: (ha, ha, my post)

[02:11] (A. K.) Some important figures of the state were mentioned[02:11] (A. K.) People who have spent their lives for the state[02:11] (A. K.) I have never have mentioned names during prayers on Friday before but I have to now[02:11] (A. K.) Rafsanjani and Nateq Noori's names have been mentioned[02:11] (A. K.) These gentlemen have not been accused of financial misdoings[02:12] (A. K.) But their relatives.[02:12] (A. K.) If you have anything against them, prove them legally through the courts[02:12] (A. K.) Unless it is proven, no one can be accused.[02:13] (A. K.) I have known Rafsanjani for a long time[02:13] (A. K.) he is one of the most prominent members of this revolution[02:13] (A. K.) he was one of the major fighters before the revolution[02:13] (A. K.) after the victory,[02:13] (A. K.) he was one the most influential members of the Islamic state[02:13] (A. K.) still is[02:13] (A. K.) he walked with the Imam[02:13] (A. K.) Still walking with him[02:13] (A. K.) he was almost martyred several times[02:14] (A. K.) he spent all his money on the revolution,[02:14] (A. K.) they young people should know about this fact[02:14] (A. K.) he has had many responsibilities now[02:14] (A. K.) president, leader of parliament[02:14] (A. K.) he has not made money out of the revolution for himself.

So there is Khameni praising his enemy who is head of the Assembly of Experts or Ass as it is affectionately known to those who oppose the theocracy. And guess what the Ass people have just gone and done? Approved the position of the Supreme Leader rather than turfing him out.
If Rafsanjani has not made any money out of the revolution for himself it is strange that he is one of the richest people in Iran and has all sorts of properties including private educational insitutions that guarantee him lots of student demonstrators should he need them.


Assembly of Experts expresses strong support for Leader’s guidelines Tehran Times Political Desk
TEHRAN -- In a statement issued on Saturday the Assembly of Experts expressed its “strong support” for the Supreme Leader’s statements on the presidential elections on Friday.
The 86-member assembly stated in the statement that it is hoped that the nation would realize the current condition and by sticking to the Leader’s guidelines preserve their patience and manifest their unity. The Qom Seminary Teachers Society also issued a statement on Saturday declaring strong support for the guidelines of the Supreme Leader. “The Qom Seminary Teachers Society… announces its strong support for his valuable guidelines and invites all (groupings) to maintain unity, abide by the law, and refrain from any action which leads to tension,” the statement said. Addressing hundreds of thousands of people at the most recent Friday prayers in Tehran, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei urged all groupings to end their street protests and to pursue their complaints through legal channels. Ayatollah Khamenei said the time for rivalry is over and everyone should unite and line up behind the president-elect. -----------Cleric praises Leader’s remarks In a letter sent to the Supreme Leader on Saturday, Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamedani said the Leader’s remarks showed the significant role of the velayat-e faqih (rule by the supreme jurisprudent) in the Islamic system. Ayatollah Hamedani expressed hope that all groupings make the guidelines their priority. --------- Leader’s guidelines guarantee a better future MP Sharif Hosseini stated on Saturday that the Supreme Leader’s guidelines announced at Friday prayers guarantee a better future for the nation. “The remarks showed the Iranian people the path toward a better future under the law without any rift or schism,” he told the Mehr News Agency. The MP added, “All political groupings and the people should prioritize unity and heed the words of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution.” ------- Leader’s guidelines are a road map In a letter to the Supreme Leader on Saturday, Ayatollah Abbas Ka’bi of the Guardian Council said the Leader’s speech has outlined a road map for the nation. Ayatollah Ka’bi added that the GC will spare no effort to safeguard the nation’s votes. “The council will seriously and meticulously examine the protests and the complaints of the candidates through the legal process and will safeguard each one of the nation’s 40 million votes,” he said. ---------- Following the Leader is a religious duty MP Hashem Hashemzadeh said that following the Leader’s guidelines is a religious duty. “The remarks of the Leader of the revolution were definitive… and obeying the orders of the velayat-e faqih (supreme jurisprudent) is a religious duty for everyone,” he told MNA. --------- University chancellors vow to follow Leader In a statement issued on Saturday, university chancellors have emphasized that they will follow the decisive orders of the Supreme Leader. “We regard the maximum presence of the people at the ballot boxes as the most valuable political and social asset for the Islamic system… and urge all the elites of Islamic Iran to do their best to safeguard this asset,” part of the statement said. ---------- Armed forces urge people to follow the Leader The Iranian Armed Forces Headquarters has issued a statement urging all people to follow the definitive guidelines of the Supreme Leader. The statement added that the nation should be wary about the enemies’ plots. “The victory of the great Iranian nation in the tenth presidential election… is a glory which should safeguard the country’s security magnificently. Thus, we should not be unaware of the enemies’ plots to destroy this unique capability,” it added


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