Rafsanjani is a former president of the Iranian regime and currently the mullahs’ Chairman of the Assembly of Experts. The frank and hostile remarks toward him mark growing tension and divisions among regime factions.
On Thursday, the daily Resalat, a newspaper close to the dominant faction led by the mullahs’ Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, refrained from using the usual religious titles cited when referring to Rafsanjani, calling him by his first and last name only, and quoting him as telling families of the detainees that, “If I communicate your demands to the agents, I am not sure if I would receive a positive response and perhaps may backfire. But, I will pursue your demands with the Leader (Khamenei) and I hope they will bear fruit.”
A member of the regime’s Majlis (Parliament) from the faction associated with Khamenei, said in what were meant to be clearly insulting remarks that, “Instead of visiting families of prisoners tied to the sedition [popular protests], Rafsanjani must deliver his son to the Judiciary.”
Another member of the Majlis, Fatemeh Alia, said, “It would be better if Mr. Hashemi talked about his own family and those politically affiliated with him and determine their status first.”
Qasem Ravanbakhsh, another Majlis deputy, said, “By conducting these meetings, he only discredited himself more in people’s eyes.”
Recently, a number of spouses and relatives of members of the regime’s subordinate or defeated factions had met with Rafsanjani, pleading with him to secure their release.