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As the clerical dictatorship in Iran approaches the formation of its new cabinet, internal power struggles and factional disputes have escalated, highlighting deep divisions within the regime. Various prominent figures and factions have publicly clashed, reflecting the high stakes involved in the selection process.
Hashim Hosseini Bushehri, the Friday Prayer Leader in Qom, warned the regime’s president-elect Masoud Pezeshkian to select cabinet members who align with Ebrahim Raisi’s policies and have the Supreme Leader’s approval. “The President should choose collaborators who continue Raisi’s path and have been commended by the Supreme Leader,” Bushehri commanded during his sermon on July 19.
Similarly, Ahmad Alamolhoda, the Supreme Leader’s representative in Mashhad, cautioned Pezeshkian against any divergence from Ali Khamenei’s directives, especially in foreign policy. Alamolhoda criticized previous administrations that had conflicts with the Supreme Leader, attributing their failures to such disagreements. “Every government that diverged from the Supreme Leader, particularly in foreign policy, brought only misery to the nation,” he asserted.
Moreover on Saturday, in a meeting with members of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly in Mashhad, Alamalhoda warned: “Our primary concern today is related to this very foreign policy, to ensure that the implementation in this area does not proceed in a manner contrary to the country’s interests, the people’s welfare, and the principles of the revolution and the regime.”
Factions Close to Khamenei Clash After #Iran’s Sham Electionhttps://t.co/BDEcFQUGOM
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 8, 2024
Ebrahim Azizi, head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, emphasized that Pezeshkian should independently select his cabinet, without influence from former Foreign Minister Javad Zarif. “The people voted for Pezeshkian, not for Zarif,” Azizi noted.
Furthermore, former IRGC commander and current parliament member Esmail Kowsari said that parliamentary cooperation would depend on the new administration’s adherence to Raisi’s model. He warned, “If the government deviates from this plan, the parliament will undoubtedly exercise its legal rights to oppose it.”
A video from a Tehran Friday Prayer sermon, showing Basij members chanting “Zarif, get lost,” highlighted fierce internal animosity toward the former FM who has been chosen to decide on Pezeshkian’s potential cabinet choices. Mostafa Faghihi, former director of the state-run website Entekhab, criticized the premature hostility towards Zarif, questioning the timing of such attacks even before the cabinet announcement. “Why such early insults against Zarif at Friday Prayers?” he asked.
Infighting Intensifies as #Iran’s Regime Forms New Governmenthttps://t.co/peLux8N6jc
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 18, 2024
Taking to social media, Abdolreza Davari, a former advisor to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and supporter of Pezeshkian, suggested that Mossad orchestrated the anti-Zarif sentiments.
Meanwhile, the state-run daily Kayhan, whose editorial guidelines are directed from the Supreme Leader’s office, accused Pezeshkian of surrounding himself with security threats and corrupt individuals, particularly targeting Zarif. The newspaper described Pezeshkian as a “minimal president” with the lowest electoral support in the history of the regime, criticizing his association with what it called “corrupt” and “deceitful” elements.
Saeed Jalili, a Khamenei-aid and a defeated rival of Pezeshkian, declared his intention to continue the “shadow government” initiative, which aims to monitor and critique the official government’s actions. Jalili’s use of the term “competing government” was condemned by Abdollah Ramezanzadeh, a Pezeshkian supporter, as illegal and provocative. “Jalili’s term ‘competing government’ is against the law, and I don’t understand why there is no legal action against him,” Ramezanzadeh said.
Hamid Asefi, a state-affiliated analyst, attacked the faction close to Khamenei and aimed to cause international embarrassment for the rival faction by saying on state TV, “They say, well, we want to fund our proxy forces and fighters in the region, but if we accept FATF regulations, we won’t be able to do that anymore, and they will catch us.”
Alireza Panahian, a propaganda official close to Khamenei, warned about the broader consequences of factional infighting, suggesting that if elections continue to be marked by fierce, divisive battles, public disillusionment with politics will grow. He warned that factional infighting would harm the entire regime, stating: “This infighting not only prevents the country from progressing but also exhausts the people with politics. The slogan will become ‘Reformists, Principlists, it’s game over.’ All of you, get lost.”
