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Iran's clerics consider removing Supreme leader and President Ahmadinejad



22 June 2009 @ 04:04 pm ET

Iran's clerical leaders are said to be considering removing the position of the Supreme Leader and forcing the resignation of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, when the government said it had arrested the daughter and other relatives of former President.



Demonstrators protest against the Iranian election in front of the White House in Washington June 21, 2009. Iranian opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi urged supporters to continue protests over the re-election of hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in a direct challenge to the Islamic Republic`s leadership. (REUTERS / Molly Riley)
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Iran's state-owned Press TV said on Sunday the daughter and four other relatives of former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanijani were released later.

The country's Assembly of Experts and the Expediency Council are reported to be considering the formation of a collective leadership to replace the position of supreme leader according to Al Arabiya, citing sources in the holy city of Qom.

The Assembly of Experts, a body of Islamic clerics, is responsible for overseeing the Supreme Leader and can even remove the Supreme Leader should they decide to.

The Expediency Council is responsible for mediating disputes between the parliament elected by the people and the unelected Guardian Council.

Both groups are headed by former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a key rival to Ayatollah Khamenei and a strong supporter of defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi.

On Saturday five members of Rafsanjani's family were arrested for taking part in demonstrations against the controversial re-election of President Ahmadinejad. They have subsequently been released.

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Comments
1.
Jun 22, 2009 9:34pm

Unfortunately, probably wishful thinking.... What are your sources?
2.
Jun 22, 2009 10:33pm

Seems almost too good to be true. I am keeping my fingers crossed.
3.
Jun 23, 2009 12:12am

it says the source is "Al Arabiya"
4.
Jun 23, 2009 12:57am

I had a discussion about this possibility with a friend today. I know anything and anyone is better than Khamanei and Ahmadi right now but let us not forget that the Khamanei is part of the clerical leaders and has been for decades. The people wanting to overthrow him are very much like him. True, they may not be as psycho and brutal as Khamanei (and hopefully they won't desire to strip the people of their freedoms) but they are none the less the people, the group that Khamanei was among for so many years. A part of me believe that Iran may be a bit of a better place with them in power but I think much of the same policies and way of life will be the same (I TRULY hope I'm wrong). I think what needs to be decided by the Iranian people (or if it has already been decided then we need to hear them out) is what type of government they want. Do they want all religious, all democratic, or something in between? The latter will be hard to obtain but my HOPES are that if the clerical leaders due overthrow Khamanei and Ahmadi, they will be able to establish such a system... if that is what the Iranian people desire. I'm definitely interested in what people think about this.
5.
Jun 23, 2009 9:38am

I think this is the link to the Al Arabiya article. http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2009/06/21/76567.html
6.
Jun 23, 2009 8:21pm

Won't make a bit of difference. It's all for show. Remove the "Supreme Leader," and have that job done by others, who will, in all honesty, just be a puppet for...you guessed it...The Supreme Leader.
7.
Jun 24, 2009 3:43am

I'm not so sure if Ali Khamenei would be an outright "puppeteer" so much as that many of the conservative voices who were part of the revolution happen to share pretty much the same views as him. I suppose that would end up being a rather similar scenario anyway, but if this things happen it would very much be a step in the right direction, at least.

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