Hardline Rivals Challenge Ahmadinejad

Conservative rivals handed a new snub to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday, appointing the man he fired from the post of intelligence minister as the country's state prosecutor.

The appointment was made by the head of the judiciary, Sadeq Larijani, who is the brother of parliament speaker Ali Larijani. The two brothers are emerging as rivals of the hard-line president within Iran's conservative camp in what could shape up to be a power struggle during Ahmadinejad's second term.

The wrangling among conservatives comes as the pro-reform opposition has stepped up its campaign against Ahmadinejad, who it says won the June 12 presidential election by fraud. The opposition, led by Mir Hossein Mousavi, who , says Ahmadinejad's government is illegitimate.

State television announced that the judiciary chief named Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi as state prosecutor.

Ahmadinejad dismissed Ejehi last month in a dispute that reportedly included the authorities' handling of the crackdown on pro-opposition street protesters following the disputed June 12 presidential election. Ahmadinejad publicly criticized Ejehi, saying "if he would have carried out his tasks properly, we would not have these problems on the streets" after the election.

The dismissal gave Ahmadinejad a chance to tighten his grip on Iran's powerful intelligence services. He purged at least four senior ministry officials who challenged the crackdown. The officials had reportedly refused to back the government's claims that the wave of protests were part of a "velvet revolution" aimed at overthrowing the ruling clerical Islamic system. Some in the ministry also had reportedly opposed broadcasting confessions by detainees that the opposition says were obtained by abuse.

Ejehi had also criticized Ahmadinejad over his attempt to name a close associate, Esfandiar Rahim Mashai as his top vice president. Conservatives opposed Mashai because he made comments friendly to Israel in the past.

Ejehi's firing infuriated conservatives, and his appointment to the prosecutor's post illustrates how the judiciary is likely to become more independent of Ahmadinejad and challenge him during his second term.

When Sadeq Larijani was sworn in as judiciary chief, he hinted he may prosecute security agents blamed for torture and other abuses against detainees during the crackdown - a move that could embarrass Ahmadinejad, who has strongly backed the security forces,

In parliament, Ahamdinejad is expected to face a tough battle over his proposed 21-member Cabinet list. The parliament is to vote on the list next week, but lawmakers have indicated that at least some of the names will fail to win a vote of confidence from the chamber, saying the nominees are inexperienced.