Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, president of the Republic of Iran, last month took legal action against Ali Motahhari. This development comes in light of the great rift between conservatives and supporters of the presidential clique. And it is another step in the escalation of the confrontation.
Ali Motahhari is the son of a respected figure of the Iranian Republic who was assassinated in the early months of the Islamic Revolution. He is a member of parliament in Tehran and represents the traditional opposition.
Fearing the concentration of power in the hands of supporters of the so-called “hard line,” moderate conservatives jointly oppose President Ahmadinejad and constantly criticize his economic and social policies.
In turn, the presidential administration and the entire branch of executive branch apparently refuse to implement a number of laws passed by parliament.
The mutual conflict of interest began behind the scenes in parliament, but is now entering the public arena and will be resolved in court.
The participants themselves refuse to comment on what is happening. Motahhari prefers to refrain from answering and replies vaguely: “Publicizing the details of this court case would only hurt Ahmadinejad.”
Analysts also speculate about personal animosity, since it was Motahhari who played a crucial role in the process of forming an opposition to the president, gathering around him conservative deputies from among the disaffected.