Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei today called for an end to the crisis within the country’s ruling circle and asked the parliament and the government to work together.
"While there are weakness and problems, the composition of the executive branch is good and appropriate, and the government is working. The government and parliament must help each other," Khamenei said. "When a law is passed, the government must implement it with full power and without any excuse," Khamenei added [IRIB, 29 May].
The traditional conservatives have been urging Ahmadinejad to return to the “right path.” They are particularly against Ahmadinejad’s chief of staff and political confidant Esfandia Rahim Masahie, labeling him “deviationist,” and calling on Ahmadinejad to dump him.
“The deviationists seek to use money and power to influence the upcoming election,” Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, the commander of all-powerful IRGC said on Saturday.
Ahmadinejad has publicly announced his allegiance to Khamenei but at the same time has staunchly backed Mashaie and other close associates under fire.
“It is not in the national interests of the country for the government to be weakened, but it is necessary for the government to gradually distance itself from the deviationists,” said Mohammad Reza Bahonar, an influential Majlis deputy and its former deputy speaker. “The supreme leader wants the government to continue its work to the end of its term with serenity and on a natural course," Bahonar added.
It appears that the traditional conservatives would agree to work with Ahmadinejad until the end of his term in 2013. However, it is clear that Ahmadinejad should sacrifice Mashaie to hold on his post as president.
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