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The Iranian regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei faces significant challenges as the country approaches what he tries to sell as the early presidential elections. With the loss of his key ally, Ebrahim Raisi, who was expected to help Khamenei navigate existential crises and his agenda for a leadership replacement strategy, the regime grapples with internal power struggles and internal feuds. Recent statements from officials and state-run media reveal the fragile state of the clerical dictatorship.
While former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif declared that there would be no street protests if Masoud Pezeshkian lost the election, the state-run newspaper Vatan Emrooz wrote, “Zarif aims to inject false and dangerous excitement among the silent voters. False excitement has a dangerous side, which is its potential to turn into unrest and chaos.”
Former regime president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has also demanded airtime from state television to respond to Zarif and other candidates, mimicking his successor Hassan Rouhani. Meanwhile, the Kayhan Daily slammed Rouhani, stating, “Why does no one take responsibility for Rouhani’s government? A caravan of politically bankrupt people hides behind Pezeshkian, making this even more disastrous than Rouhani’s third term.”
The regime’s internal conflicts are further exposed by the Revolutionary Guards-affiliated newspaper Javan, which likened Zarif and Ahmadinejad to “two sides of the same coin,” highlighting their mutual disdain. Javan claimed that in private meetings, both figures have used even harsher language against each other.
Internal Turmoil Hits #Iran’s Regime Amid Election Feverhttps://t.co/2Rz4btAQim
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) June 23, 2024
Hassan Ameli, the Friday prayer leader in Ardabil, warned of the dangers posed by the election power struggles. On June 21, Ameli stated, “Elections are a blessing and should not become a curse or a cause of division. Any candidate whose actions before or after the election cause division and undermine national unity is a traitor. Unfortunately, these debates, despite their positive aspects, have also caused significant damage to the country, the Islamic system, and national trust.”
Ameli preemptively cautioned candidates against disputing election results, insisting that “any questioning of the election system is a betrayal to the regime and the country.”
In a revealing interview, Mohsen Hashemi, former head of Tehran City Council, acknowledged that the regime’s strategy of using debates to boost voter turnout has failed. “The debates did not significantly influence participation. If this continues, I don’t think it will have a positive impact,” he remarked.
Abbas Abdi, a former interrogator turned media activist, expressed distrust in government polls while trying to boost the regime’s narrative that a voter turnout of about 50% is possible.
The former head of the parliamentary security commission, Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, attacked one of the candidates, saying, “The current administration’s foreign policy has been influenced by Saeed Jalili, who has placed two heavy locks on it. During his time at the Supreme National Security Council, we saw the imposition of six sanctions resolutions against the state.”
Other members of parliament, like Ali Yazdikhah and Ali Khazaei, have criticized the former administration’s officials for questioning the current government’s achievements. Khazaei urged candidates not to play the opposition but to bring solutions instead of exacerbating problems.
#Iran’s Regime Prepares to Rig Presidential #Election Results in Crisis Management Strategyhttps://t.co/RPzVhxEd5b
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) June 16, 2024
Shahaboddin Sadr, head of the election campaign for Mostafa Pourmohammadi, emphasized that all candidates must prioritize preserving the regime.
The state-run Arman newspaper admitted the emptiness of candidates’ promises, noting, “The election debates have progressed in such a way that some candidates are making unbelievable and unrealistic economic promises. Meanwhile, issues such as squandering resources, rent-seeking, exploitation, and the lack of necessary regulations to preserve natural resources like gas, gasoline, and forests are not being addressed at all, as if these problems don’t exist in the country.”
The Etemad newspaper asked, “Why have the debates, instead of energizing the election, killed the excitement?” It noted that the dull atmosphere had driven audiences away from the elections and made them question the competence of many candidates.
Etemad Online reported on the conflict between Jalili and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stating that supporters of the Stability Front have been busing people to Jalili’s rallies to pressure Ghalibaf into withdrawing.
Meanwhile, Mohammad-Taghi Akbarnejad, a cleric recently portrayed in state media as an opposition figure, admitted that people view reformists as part of the regime. He said, “Whenever the state runs out of breath, the reformists come to its aid.”
“The state is pushing people to demand their rights in the streets,” Akbarnejad warned. “In the future of this country, I see rioting.”