POLITICAL COMPETITION WARMING UP IN
IRAN
Iranian politics witnessed another
impolite appointment in recent weeks that defied political
customs. By means of two separate decrees issued on December
13, 2010, Ahmadinejad dismissed Foreign Minister Manoucher
Mottacki during his visit to Senegal and replaced him with
Ali Akbar Salehi, the Chairman of the Iranian Atomic Energy
Agency. Dismissed during an official visit to a foreign
country, Mottacki said he was unaware of this reshuffle. The
said appointment is deemed important since it displays the
enormity of the political chaos that the country has been
entangled with.
The contention between Ahmadinejad and
Mottacki is known to have been going on for a long time.
Ahmadinejad’s intervention in the implementation process of
foreign policy and the practices of the Ministry
particularly after the establishment of the 10th Government
has irritated Mottacki. Ahmadinejad’s establishment of four
special representations on foreign policy directly
subordinate to himself has deepened the tension in their
relations. Intervening right at that point, Khamaney
demanded the abolishment of the special representations so
as to prevent another crisis.
The weapons captured in Nigeria,
supposedly transferred there by the IRGC, also affected
Mottacki profoundly. The failure to make the required
explanation to the Foreign Ministry and Ahmadinejad’s
indifference have intensified the tension. Mottacki has also
been disturbed by the fact that the Quds Forces of the IRGC
have been taking advantage of the means and cover of the
Foreign Ministry in external operations.
Meanwhile, Mottacki’s close
relationship with Ali Larijani, theChairman of the
Parliament, attracts attention because Mottacki had entered
the cabinet from Larijani’s quota. It has been claimed that
due to this relationship, Mottacki has transferred
confidential information from within the cabinet to Larijani.
As is known, there has been a huge divergence between
Ahmadinejad and Larijani, who represents the anti-Ahmadinejad
conservative front. This contention has clearly resurfaced
in the recent period in tensions between the government and
the parliament. Ahmadinejad has been accused by Larijani of
ignoring the legislation, not implementing the decisions of
the parliament and trying to render the execution
influential over the legislation. Ahmadinejad also has
problems with the judiciary headed by Ali Larijani’s brother.
The judiciary accuses Ahmadinejad of intervening in
the judgments of the judiciary. Thus it is stated that
Ahmadinejad has dismissed Mottacki so as to intimidate
Larijani and to cut the flow of information between the
parliament and the cabinet.
