Tehran Irans ex-president Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani said
on Saturday that there was no power struggle in Iran following the
crisis triggered by alleged fraud in the June 12 presidential
election, ISNA news agency reported.
The election scene was a competition within the system and should
not be considered by some as a power struggle or crack in the
system,' Rafsanjani was quoted by ISNA as saying in his first
reaction to the post-election turmoil.
Rafsanjani, who backed opposition leader Mir-Hossein Moussavi in
the presidential election, was accused by President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad, both before and after the election, of corruption.
Due to the open support of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei for Ahmadinejad, there had been press reports and
speculation that the influential Rafsanjani might start a power
struggle against both the president and the leadership.
These kind of interpretations are de facto an insult against the
Iranian people ... We have to maintain the long-term interests of the
establishment,' Rafsanjani said.
The former president and current head of the Experts Assembly an
influential clergy body - however made the reconciliatory remarks in
a meeting with families of officials who were arrested and detained
since the outbreak of the protests against President Ahmadinejads
re-election.
Besides the arrests of hundreds of dissidents, journalists and
protestors, a number of former officials have also been detained by
Iranian security, including cabinet members of former president
Mohammad Khatami as well former parliament deputies.
Visiting the families of the detainees was a clear sign of
Rafsanjanis sympathy and support for the opposition. The cleric has
also refrained so far from acknowledging the re-election of
Ahmadinejad whose internal and external policies Rafsanjani strongly
opposes.
Unfortunately after the elections, some problems were caused for
some people which left a bitter taste and I dont think that anybody
is happy about the status quo,' Rafsanjani said referring to the
deaths of at least 20 protestors and eight pro-Ahmadinejad militia in
addition to the arrest and imprisonment of hundreds of critics.
The moderate cleric however said he hoped that the crisis would be
settled and the prisoners freed through wisdom and goodwill.
USA
Your Talkback on this Story