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Internal Divisions among Iranian Hardliners Come to the Fore

(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) Mehdi Khalaji - There are signs of deep internal divisions in Iran's hardline camp, part of a longstanding pattern in the Islamic Republic: as soon as one faction seizes power by cutting out its opponents, it splits into warring parties. Until recently, the old conservatives and new conservatives remained united because they saw the reform movement as a serious threat to the regime. Yet Khamenei now believes that the regime's oppressive machinery has successfully managed the postelection crisis. As a result, the unbridgeable gap between President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's circle and traditional power centers such as the clergy and bazaar has become apparent. The old conservatives control two branches of government (the judiciary as well as the Majlis and its associated Guardian Council), while the more powerful executive branch is in the hands of new conservatives led by Ahmadinejad. Neither faction seems capable of eliminating the other from the political scene, but each can impede the other's initiatives. The writer is a senior fellow at The Washington Institute.
2010-08-13 09:50:52
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