Will Jammeh Go Quietly? Rafsanjani's Last Show of Force (Part 2)

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Inside Story - Iran after the Death of Former President Rafsanjani

Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has been described as a pillar of the Islamic Revolution and a sheikh of moderation in Iran.

Iran's Former President Rafsanjani Laid to Rest

Tens of thousands of people turned out for the funeral of Iran's former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani in the capital Tehran.

Iran after Rafsanjani: The Power Play between Moderates and Hardliners (Parts 1 & 2)

Iran Mourns Death of Ex-President Hashemi Rafsanjani

Iran has declared three days of mourning after the death of former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei described the loss as "difficult and life-decreasing."

The former president was an influential player in Iranian politics and highly regarded by Western officials.

Al Jazeera’s Dorsa Jabbari reports from Tehran.

Iran's Former President Hashemi Rafsanjani Dies at 82

Iran: Ex-Staatspräsident Rafsandschāni im Alter von 82 Jahren gestorben

Analysis: Reformer Candidate Rafsanjani Disqualified
Ex-president Hashemi Rafsanjani and an ally of President Ahmadinejad disqualified from running in presidential polls.

Rafsanjani Ousted from Iranian Post
AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: 'Moderate' former president steps down as head of state body, a move which seems to tighten hardliners' grip on power.

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a former Iranian president and opposition member, has lost his position as head of an important state clerical body after being criticised by hardliners for being too close to the reformist opposition.



Ayatollah Mohammad Reza Mahdavi Kani, 80, was elected as the new chairman of the Assembly of Experts on Tuesday, after Rafsanjani withdrew his candidacy, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.



Rafsanjani had chaired the 86-member body - which selects the supreme leader, supervises his activities and can dismiss him - since 2007.



"Sixty-three members out of 81 cast vote and voted for Ayatollah Mahdavi Kani who was the only candidate for the chairmanship of the assembly," Ahmad Khatami, a member of the presiding board of the assembly was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency.



Rafsanjani declined to make a fresh bid for the post he had held for four years after Mahdavi Kani declared his intention.



"I announce that if Ayatollah Mahdavi Kani is ready to take the responsibility of the Assembly of Experts, I will not run for the post," Rafsanjani was quoted by the Fars news agency as telling the assembly. >>> Source: Agencies | Tuesday, March 08, 2011

Kommentar: Die grüne Revolution ist schon lange nicht am Ende
WELT ONLINE: Zehntausende Menschen haben sich im Iran wieder auf die Straße gewagt, um gegen die Führung um Mahmud Ahmadinedschad zu demonstrieren. Rückendeckung bekamen sie beim Freitagsgebet von Ex-Präsident Rafsandschani. Je mehr die Demonstranten spüren, dass das Regime wankt, desto mutiger werden sie.

Grün ist zurück in Teheran. Zu Zehntausenden sind die Iraner auf die Straße gegangen, um in den Farben der Opposition zu protestieren. Trotz der brutalen Staatsgewalt der letzten Wochen haben sie sich nicht davon abbringen lassen, das Freitagsgebet zu einer Demonstration ihres Durchhaltewillens zu machen. Die Gebetsteppiche in grüner Farbe sollen auf den Märkten der Hauptstadt gar ausverkauft gewesen sein.

Zum ersten Mal seit der umstrittenen Wahl hat der mächtige Strippenzieher Ali Rafsandschani das Freitagsgebet geleitet, der als Unterstützer des unterlegenen Oppositionskandidaten Mir Hussein Mussawi gilt. Und Rafsandschani hat es an kritischen Worten nicht fehlen lassen. >>> Von Clemens Wergin | Freitag, 17. Juli 2009

La contestation redescend dans la rue à Téhéran
Un bassidji pointe son pistolet lacrymogène en direction d'un homme, hier, à Téhéran, lors d'une manifestation antigouvernementale qui a dégénéré en affrontements violents. Crédits photo : Le Figaro
LE FIGARO: Le prêche de l'ayatollah Ali Akbar Hachemi Rafsandjani, prétexte du rassemblement de vendredi, a étalé au grand jour les dissensions au sommet de régime.

Jamais foule aussi dense et hétéroclite ne s'était donné rendez-vous à la prière du vendredi. Des milliers de partisans du leader de l'opposition, Mir Hossein Moussavi, ont rejoint exceptionnellement, vendredi, la masse traditionnelle des fidèles abonnés à ce rassemblement qui se tient, chaque semaine, à l'université de Téhéran. «Les avenues qui entouraient l'université étaient pleines à craquer. Sous leur tchador, certaines femmes portaient symboliquement un foulard vert - la couleur de Moussavi. Des hommes faisaient le «V » de la victoire avec leurs mains», raconte Reza, un témoin qui s'est rendu sur place.

Une occasion hautement symbolique, puisqu'après un mois de silence, l'ayatollah Ali Akbar Hachemi Rafsandjani était attendu à la tribune. C'est la première fois que cet homme clé du régime, qui soutient Moussavi - également présent à la grande prière - s'exprimait publiquement depuis le résultat du scrutin du 12 juin. «La République islamique court à sa perte si le vote du peuple n'est pas pris en considération», a prévenu Rafsandjani, en référence à la réélection contestée de son ennemi politique, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, contre lequel il avait lui-même fait campagne en 2005. Sa déclaration, qui contraste avec l'intransigeance jusqu'alors affichée du pouvoir, est une nouvelle illustration des fissures qui prévalent au sommet de l'État iranien.

Après avoir évoqué une «solution» possible à la crise, sans en donner les détails, Rafsandjani s'est ouvertement insurgé contre les arrestations de ces dernières semaines, tout en déplorant les atteintes à la liberté de la presse. «Au final, il n'a rien proposé de concret, mais le seul fait de mettre en cause le résultat du scrutin signifie son soutien indirect au mouvement de protestation», relève un journaliste iranien. >>> Beyrouth, Delphine Minoui | Vendredi 17 Juillet 2009

YOUTUBE: Tehran, Friday July 17, 2009

Rafsanjani Calls for Release of Jailed Protesters in Iran Amid Clashes in Tehran
TIMES ONLINE: Iranian police fired tear gas and used batons to disperse thousands of demonstrators outside Tehran University today as a former president who is backing the opposition movement led Friday prayers for the first time since the disputed election.

Hojatoleslam Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the influential head of the Assembly of Experts and key supporter of the opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, called for prisoners to be released as he preached inside the campus that Iran was in crisis.

Demonstrators gathered at the university, which has been a regular focus of the protests, despite a violent crackdown by the authorities, only to be met by a wall of officers who have made at least 15 arrests according to a witness.

The former president’s sermon, broadcast live on state radio, was at one stage interrupted by slogans chanted by Mousavi supporters.

“I will talk about a solution for today’s situation, so that a way can be found to go ahead in the future with the same greatness, unity and consensus which we had in the beginning,” he said.

“Our key issue is to return the trust which the people had and now to some extent is broken ... It is not necessary that in this situation people be jailed. Let them join their families. We should not allow enemies to rebuke and ridicule us because of detentions. We should tolerate each other."

The opposition is seeking to show that their movement remains vibrant even after the repression that followed Iran’s discredited June 12 presidential election. >>> Nico Hines | Friday, July 17, 2009

Iran Cleric Family Arrested?