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June 22, 2009 3:19 PM

Days Numbered For Iran's Supreme Leader?

Posted by Daniel Carty
(AP Photo)
In what could be a huge development, Iran's religious leaders are reportedly discussing the creation of an alternative form of government that would replace the supreme leader with a collective leadership body, according to Al Arabiya news channel.

Iran installed a supreme leader following the 1979 Islamic revolution and only two men have held the post – Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the current leader. The stability of that system has come under question as protests over the disputed June 12 presidential election have turned violent.

Clerics in Qom, an important Iranian religious center, and members of the Assembly of Experts are considering changes to the current government model in order to restore political stability, sources in Qom told Al Arabiya.

IranWatch: Track the latest coverage of Iran's election upheaval

A central figure in such a debate is Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the chairman of the Assembly of Experts, which is responsible for electing the supreme leader. He also chairs the Expediency Council, which settles disputes between parliament and the Guardian Council.

Rafsanjani is widely believed to be supportive of opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, though he has made no public declarations on the matter. Several of his children have very publicly backed Mousavi and were arrested and briefly detained by Iranian authorities over the weekend.

Clerics are also reportedly considering the forced resignation of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose reelection sparked the massive demonstrations that have gripped the Iranian capital for a week.
Tags:
iran ,
supreme leader ,
qom ,
ayatollah ,
khamenei ,
rafsanjani
Topics:
Iran
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Add a Comment See all 11 Comments
by ramos1129 June 22, 2009 5:21 PM EDT
The single most tragic aspect of this nightmare is that it took so many lives and suffering to get to the point where the powers-that-be have finally realized that they had to get rid of the bad guys. Adding to the tragedy are the additional lives and suffering that the people of Iran will have to endure before a new government is formed.
Reply to this comment
by ramos1129 June 22, 2009 5:21 PM EDT
The single most tragic aspect of this nightmare is that it took so many lives and suffering to get to the point where the powers-that-be have finally realized that they had to get rid of the bad guys. Adding to the tragedy are the additional lives and suffering that the people of Iran will have to endure before a new government is formed.
Reply to this comment
by 1notrub11 June 22, 2009 5:05 PM EDT
"In what could be a huge development, Iran's religious leaders are reportedly discussing the creation of an alternative form of government that would replace the supreme leader with a collective leadership body, according to Al Arabiya news channel."

OK, call me a pessimist, but having seen their behavior for some number of years now, what makes anyone think this is anything but a smokescreen? Well, we tried, you know, to consider something more effective, but just couldn't see our way to anything better. Yeah right!

"Clerics are also reportedly considering the forced resignation of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose reelection sparked the massive demonstrations that have gripped the Iranian capital for a week."

Awww, now there you go - why would you ever consider asking for his resignation, unless you thought he cheated? Or maybe it's obvious.

Never the less, I certainly think it's an excellent idea to get "His Supreme Incompetence" out of power. If he had been smart, he would have dealt with the lesser evil, and dumped Ame - whats his face.
Reply to this comment
by 1notrub11 June 22, 2009 5:04 PM EDT
"In what could be a huge development, Iran's religious leaders are reportedly discussing the creation of an alternative form of government that would replace the supreme leader with a collective leadership body, according to Al Arabiya news channel."

OK, call me a pessimist, but having seen their behavior for some number of years now, what makes anyone think this is anything but a smokescreen? Well, we tried, you know, to consider something more effective, but just couldn't see our way to anything better. Yeah right!

"Clerics are also reportedly considering the forced resignation of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose reelection sparked the massive demonstrations that have gripped the Iranian capital for a week."

Awww, now there you go - why would you ever consider asking for his resignation, unless you thought he cheated? Or maybe it's obvious.

Never the less, I certainly think it's an excellent idea to get "His Supreme Incompetence" out of power. If he had been smart, he would have dealt with the lesser evil, and dumped Ame - whats his face.
Reply to this comment
by Sapere_Aude June 22, 2009 5:00 PM EDT
With the confirmation by the ruling elites that more ballots were cast in 50 cities than there are citizens in those cities - one piece of the proof the election was stolen from the people falls into place.
.
Next - since in Iran ballots are counted BY HAND - there is no way the millions of votes could have been counted WITHIN THE FEW HOURS between when the voting booths closed until Amadinajad was declared the winner!!!
.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei can only be viewed as lying in the name of Allah in the face of these proofs by declaring Amadinajad the winner by a 'significant margin'.
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The true votes were either never counted or were simply discarded.
.
Can a man of such high office as Ayatollah Ali Khameniei lie in the name of Allah and not be condemned??
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Unfortunately - yes - because of what is known as "Al-Takeyya".
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When challenged - all Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has to do is claim that on the basis of "Al-Takeyya" that telling the lie that Amadinajad has won is profitable and better for the general welfare to accomplish the settlement of conciliation among Muslims - namely between those whose votes for Moussavi were ignored and those who supported Amadinajad were not (or were 'stuffed' into the ballot boxes to make it seem Amadinajad received more votes).
.
How very convenient for Ayatolla Khamenei, the Guardian Council, and Mr. Amadinajad, this appeal to "Al-Takeyya", but unfortunately for them, an "OOPS" moment has occurred - they stuffed more votes into the boxes than there were citizens!!
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This so clearly proves that robbing the people of their rightful winner was never about bringing 'conciliation among Muslims' but instead provides evidence against Ayatollah Khamenei, Amadinajac, and the rest of the ruling elite that they are all guilty exploiting the Holy Quran for their own selfish purposes, namely to keep themselves in power - even to the shedding of innocent blood of Muslims such as Neda to achieve their goal - all the while blaming their crimes on others (the protesters, the US, the British, etc.) - everyone but themselves.
Reply to this comment
by mcintoshlou June 22, 2009 4:48 PM EDT
I bet the Iranians will be as happy to be rid of their

appallingly ignorant evangelical leader, as we Americans

were to be rid of OUR appallingly ignorant evangelical

leaders, the bush/cheney/McSame crime family.
Reply to this comment
by ABM_21 June 22, 2009 4:12 PM EDT
I bet the Iranians will be as happy to be rid of their

appallingly ignorant evangelical leader as we Americans

were to be rid of the bush/cheney crime family.
-------------------------------------------------------
Amen!!!
Reply to this comment
by mcintoshlou June 22, 2009 4:47 PM EDT
RIGHT ON DUDE, RIDE THAT WAVE MAN!
by mcintoshlou June 22, 2009 3:58 PM EDT
I bet the Iranians will be as happy to be rid of their

appallingly ignorant evangelical leader as we Americans

were to be rid of the bush/cheney crime family.
Reply to this comment
by notblue June 22, 2009 5:54 PM EDT
pythoncharlie, explain in detail your comparison of an Islamic dictatorship and republicans in a democracy. Secondly,explain the differances in Americas policies towards these evil Islamic dictatoships now that Obama and the Dems are in complete control. The re-read the ongoing false garbage you spew everyday and expalin how any of itmakes any sense moron.
by BeckieBest June 22, 2009 10:19 PM EDT
Religious fanatics are the same everywhere. Ours are call themselves Republicans.
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