According to Tehran Bureau it has been reported that right after the last election Khamenei told
Rafsanjani that if Rafsanjani had won, the IRCG would have staged a coup rather
than allow him to take office.
True or not? Considering the likely source (could it be R) and dangerous environment, one can understand why the story can’t be easily confirmed. However I find it plausible considering what we’ve all seen
of the Guard’s recent behavior–including open warnings to the people prior to and after the recent election day coup. The Basilj is now a sub-branch of the Guard and both groups are known to have run the seven prisons where most torture, rapes and murders of political prisoners occurred since June 12th. The IRCG will obviously stop at nothing to achieve it’s goals.
At the time of the last election Rafsanjani
was hardly regarded by anyone–including the Praetorian Guard (hope that nickname sticks) as a reformer. That suggests the
IRCG’s strong opposition had other motives–very worldly ones–that would apply double in the case of Goody Too Shoes reformers. Like Rome’s Praetorian Guard, Iran’s generals have built a growing empire of power and privilege and will eliminate anyone who threatens it right up to the Supreme Leader hismelf who would suffer Nero’s fate if he were to get in the Guard’s way.
That won’t be necessary in Khamenei’s case. Aside from being a hard-core reactionary, the Supreme Despot will be gone soon (prostate cancer or lung cancer?) Afterwards the Guard can replace him with a suitable candidate who knows whats good for him. Recall how Rome’s Praetorian Guard, after killing Nero and wiping out his entire family, preserved a stuttering Claudius who they discovered hiding in a closet and made him an emperor.
The IRCG loves Ahmadinejad who gives them
everything they want. Under him the Islamic Republican has become an IRCG empire in disguise. Note the composition of Iran’s latest cabinet and purges of key ministries like
foreign affairs, intelligence and defense. Don’t worry: Guard generals will retain all the useful trappings of fundamentalist Islam as a supporting device, much as Rome insisted on worship of the emperor.
Tehran Bureau’s fine report describes other Guard outrages, particularly during the
reform presidency of Mohammed Khatami. Among them were threats against newspapers who exposed murder and corruption
and (this one should be easy to prove). When such newspapers were shut down with a fatwa from Khamenei himself, students broke out in large demonstrations. At that point, 24 hard-line IRCG generals sent a letter to Khatami warning that if he did not put an end to
the pursuit of his reformist policies, they would be forced to take
strong action. I assume Khatami saved that letter. Perhaps its time to post it on every internet site available to throw further light on the Guard’s present behavior.
For a very thorough report on the IRCG’s longtime war on refomists see the following Tehran Bureau report:
http://tehranbureau.com/irgc-khatami-wanted-bring-…
