Khamenei Warns Against Political Disputes and Chaos

Warning Comes Amid Growing Factional Infighting in Iran

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei today warned the country’s political factions against “fueling disputes” and “creating chaos” in the country.

“One of the most important and necessary matters for the continuation of the progressive movement of the Islamic Revolution is to avoid fueling the atmosphere of dispute, chaos and clamor in society and all political and ideological currents and organs must be practically committed to safeguarding unity,” Khamenei said. [Fars News Agency, 4 July. Translation by Press TV]

Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks in a meeting in Tehran with commanders of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

“Do those who fuel such disputes not see the contentment of foreign propaganda machines and their analyses? The happiness of the enemy shows that this issue is a weakness for us and therefore it must be stopped.”

The factional disputes in Iran have reached a new height in recent days, with the conservative parliamentarians and media openly calling for the arrest and prosecution of President Ahmadinejad’s closest allies and cabinet ministers. Ahmadinejad himself warned last week that arresting any members of his cabinet would be crossing the “red line,” implying that such actions would bring direct and strong reaction by the president. His opponents replied that the red line is the country’s laws and the constitution, not Ahmadinejad’s cabinet.