Ahmadinejad’s Claims Are Baseless

Representatives at the Islamic Republic Majlis responded to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s latest remarks in exclusive interviews with Rooz. Mohsen Kouhkan, a member of the Principlist faction, advised Ahmadinejad not to focus on divisive and controversial issues, while Abdollah Kabi, Abadan’s representative in the Majlis told Rooz, “The standard is the Constitution, not Mr. Ahmadinejad’s statements.” Orumiyeh’s representative, Nader Ghazipour, dismissed Ahmadinejad’s statements as divisive remarks that should not be taken too seriously. Isfahan’s Principlist representative, Nayereh Akhavan, told Rooz, “It’s better not to discuss his remarks.”

On Saturday, in an interview with Iran daily, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed that the executive is the main branch of government, dismissing a famous quote from ayatollah Khomeini that the Majlis was the main branch, since at the time, the Islamic Republic was parliamentary system as it used to have a prime minister.

Ahmadinejad had added, “Some focus on a statement from the Imam from when our system was a parliamentary system. At that time the president was not charged with governing the country. Rather, the prime minister was in charge of governing the country, and the Majlis appointed him. At that time, the Majlis was the top branch. Now, according to the Constitution, the executive carries the main burden of governing the country, and the other branches must assist it.”

Responding to Ahmadinejad’s statements, Mohsen Kouhkan, a prominent Principlist lawmaker tells Rooz, “We don’t plan to dwell on this issue very much because we want to preserve our unity, but we evaluate these statements and do not agree with them.”

He adds, “First, the Majlis’ position is higher and more respectable than to be lowered by a singular statement, even it if is uttered by the country’s second official in charge. So I don’t count this as staining the Majlis’ position. Second, the statement that the Majlis is the top branch was uttered by the Imam in his position as the supreme leader. It is fine for individuals to share their opinion, but if the underlying structure is changed, we must hear about the change from the supreme leader in his position.”

Urumiyeh’s representative in the Majlis, Nader Ghazipour, has a different take on things. He says, “I don’t know if these words are Ahmadinejad’s, or if Mashaei has put them in his mouth, but I say that Ahmadinejad is wrong to say such things. Before him, all presidents agreed that the Majlis is the top branch. The supreme leader accepts this also, and we emphasize that all of the administration’s actions must be supervised by the Majlis and that is the essence of the Constitution. This is the view of not just me, who is a Majlis representative, but also respected lawmakers who have positions in the cabinet. This is the view of the Iranian people, and the president is not permitted to say such things.”

In addition to various lawmakers, Majlis speaker Ali Larijani officially announced yesterday, “If Imam Khomeini said Majlis has full authority, it was to prevent the reemergence of dictatorship in Iran.”