An internal move to sideline Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei reportedly took place in Tehran shortly before the bloody crackdown on protests on the night of January 8-9. This information is reported by the French newspaper Le Figaro, citing sources with knowledge of the developments.
A leading role in the attempt was allegedly played by former president Hassan Rouhani, who – according to the same sources – tried to remove Khamenei from at least managing the crisis, at a time when the protests had reached their peak.
Rouhani is said to have arranged a meeting with his inner circle, including former foreign minister Javad Zarif, religious figures from Qom (the holiest Shia city) and figures linked to the Revolutionary Guards. The initiative, however, collapsed as Ali Larijani, head of the Supreme National Security Council, reportedly did not ultimately agree with the move.
Shortly thereafter, according to the statement, house arrests and arrests of reformist figures followed, while the regime’s hard-line apparatuses — the Al-Quds Force and the Basijis, the notorious militia — took control of the repression. The repression was severe, with tens of thousands dead within a few days, something Tehran itself admitted.
Le Figaro writes that these internal processes are unfolding at a particularly fragile moment. Tehran is facing intense social pressure and at the same time critical negotiations with the United States over its nuclear program. Donald Trump has left open the possibility of military strikes, while Washington insists on abandoning its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, exceeds 440 kilograms with up to 60% purity.
Iran’s leadership insists it does not aim to acquire nuclear weapons and calls for “recognition of its right” to peaceful enrichment. However, disagreements over the lifting of sanctions remain deep, while international trust in Tehran has suffered a serious blow after the Iranian regime has repeatedly played tricks on international observers.
Source: KYPE