Khamenei Appoints Shamkhani as His Representative in SNSC

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has appointed Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani as his representative in Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) for next three years. (IRINN, 12 September)

Shamkhani was on Wednesday appointed as the Secretary (executive director) of SNSC by President Rouhani. His appointment as Khamenei’s representative in the Council fills in the vacancy left when Rouhani became president. The supreme leader has two representatives, and traditionally the SNSC secretary is one of the two. It was not clear if Khamenei retains Jalili as his second representative.

File photo: Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani (ISNA) 

Foreign Policy Debated by Presidential Hopefuls

Jalili and Rouhani Debate Opposing Visions 

The eight men chosen by the Guardian Council to compete in the upcoming presidential election clashed over foreign policy in their last televised debate today. The actual debate ended up between two candidates, Jalili and Rouhani.

Saeed Jalili, the candidate of the ultraconservatives, accused Hassan Rouhani, the leading moderate candidate of subservience to Western powers when he was the country’s chief nuclear negotiator under Rafsanjani and Khatami administrations. Jalili is the presumed frontrunner in the contest.

Rouhani defended his record by saying he had headed off a possible military attack on Iran and said the country must avoid extremism.

"During the presidency of Mr Khatami the country was saved from a crisis ... two regional countries came under attack and Iran was always in the list,” Rouhani said, alluding to Afghanistan and Iraq which border Iran. “Iran managed to distance itself from that path through wisdom and planning."

Rouhani negotiated a suspension in Iran's uranium enrichment program that eased tensions with Western powers, but which has been derided by conservative rivals during the campaign. The program resumed after the hardline populist Ahmadinejad was elected in 2005.

Jalili hit back by saying that, “During the term of Mr. Khatami and after all the cooperation on Afghanistan, they (United States) called us 'the axis of evil'. This method is wrong. If we want to pursue this method, we will see those results,” Jalili added.

“All of our problems stem from this - that we didn't make an utmost effort to prevent the (nuclear) dossier from going to the (U.N.) Security Council,” said Rouhani. “We need to get away from extremism. We should maintain the country's interests and national security so as to provide conditions where we create opportunities.”

Jalili Changes Hairstyle

From Twitterland

Presidential candidate and Secretary of Supreme National Security Council and chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili has changed his hairstyle (above) to cover piety mark caused by too much prayer.

From a twit by Scott Peterson (@peterson_scott).

What’s going on?

Photo credit: didanihaa.com/news.gooya.com, 1 June.

Mesbah Endorses Jalili

By Nader Uskowi

Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi, the spiritual leader of the ultraconservative Perseverance Front, today publicly endorsed the candidacy of Saeed Jalili for president. Mesbah Yazdi praised Jalili, saying he was hopeful that Jalili would revive Islamic values in the society. The ayatollah, pictured here, made his public endorsement after meeting Jalili for more than four hours today.

“I thank the Almighty for letting me live under a righteous regime that was led by Imam Khomeini and now his successor, a supreme leader that is following Imam Khomeni’s path… Our group evaluated the candidates on different factors, but supporting Islamic values were the determining factor for us… After Mr. Lankarani (who will not be on the ballot), we believe Mr. Jalili is the best candidate that represents the Islamic values… We hope he would be a good assistant to the supreme leader as well,” Mesbah said. (Fars News Agency, 28 May)

Mesbah Yazdi has never been shy about his own fundamentalist religious beliefs and teachings, famously repeating that in Islamic governments, the president and other elected officials do not, and cannot gain their legitimacy from the popular vote, but from the blessing of the supreme leader who acts as the representative of the Hidden Imam.

Mesbah has also said many times that the republican nature of the Islamic Republic is secondary to its Islamic essence; and has actually proposed that Sharia laws be the governing laws of the country. But most importantly, he is the leader of a very influential faction within the Islamic Republic whose thinking are closest to the Taliban and the Saudi Salafis, albeit their Shia Version.

Mesbah’s endorsement of Jalili and Jalili’s expression of joy from such endorsement might actually cost Jalili large amount of vote and further help the chances of the already popular Mayor Qalibaf of Tehran. After the disqualification of Rafsanjani by the Guardian Council, Qalibaf is considered the frontrunner. He would have received the votes of many moderates on both sides of the country’s political spectrum, who would have otherwise voted for Rafsanjani. Now, Mesbah’s spirited defense of Jalili could even push more of the moderate and pro-reform sympathizers to vote for Qalibaf in order to stop Jalili. Interesting election, full of intrigues and surprises; Stay Tuned!