The Islamic Republic’s Least Crowded Swearing-In Ceremony

The Islamic Republic radio and television as well as the state-run IRNA and Fars news agencies had announced that Ahmadinejad’s swearing-in ceremony with Ayatollah Khamenei would be aired live as has been the case in previous years.  However, for the first time ever, the ceremony was not aired live by the Islamic Republic radio and television and no photographs or footage of the event were released until hours later. 

The absence of senior state officials was so conspicuous that it forced the state-run IRNA news agency to use photographs from the president’s first swearing-in ceremony four years ago in lieu of photographs taken at yesterday in it’s first reports, which were published exactly three hours after the beginning of the ceremony. 

Those Who Did Not Come

While Seyyed Hassan Khomeini had left Iran days earlier to escape pressures exerted on him to attend the swearing-in ceremony, none of Islamic Republic founder Ayatollah Khomeini’s family members attended the ceremony held at the Hosseinieh Imam Khomeini.  Chairman of the Assembly of Experts and the Expediency Council, Hashemi Rafsanjani, also refused to attend the event by traveling to the city of Kerman. 

Seyyed Mohammad Khatami, Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi also did not attend the event, as they had announced earlier.  They have declared several times that they do not recognize the Ahmadinejad government, and that the coup government lacks legitimacy.

Although the absence of such figures at the swearing-in ceremony of the coup president was expected, the refusal of prominent members of the Assembly of Experts as well as other senior political figures and lawmakers gave another tone to the swearing-in ceremony.  Assembly of Experts members Amini, Javadi Amoli, Vaez Tabasi, Reza Ostadi, Hashemzadeh Harisi, Hassan Rowhani, Dastgheib, Ali Razini and Taheri Khorramabadi were absent at yesterday’s event.  One Assembly of Expert member who refused to attend yesterday’s event told Rooz, “Members of the Assembly have harsh criticisms toward the approach taken since the election day, and one day prior to the swearing-in several of them informed Ayatollah Khamenei’s office of their non-attendance.”

Those Who Did Come

Differences between images from last term’s swearing-in ceremony compared to those from this term clearly pointed to the boycott of the event by senior state officials.  Images from the last term show that there was no space available to sit at the special spots near Ayatollah Khamenei.  This time, however, only Ayatollah Shahroudi, the outgoing head of the judiciary and Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani sat next to the supreme leader.  Chairman of the Guardian Council, Ayatollah Jannati, sat at the spot usually reserved for Hashemi Rafsanjani. 

Reports point to the participation of Mojtaba Khamenei at the ceremony, and images of his attendance were published on the web by various websites.  Mojtaba Khamenei is Ayatollah Khamenei’s son and former Majlis Speaker Haddad-Adel’s son-in-law and an extremely influential figure in the supreme leader’s circle.  From presidential candidates, only Mohsen Rezaei attended Monday’s event, although his brother, lawmaker Omidvar Rezaei, had announced previously that the candidate’s presence is a show of respect for the supreme leader, not necessarily an endorsement of Ahmadinejad. 

Images and videos released from the event also point to heavy attendance by Islamic Revolution Passdaran Guards Corps officers.  A small number of foreign dignitaries also were present.

In this midst, and while the non-attendance of prominent state-figures seriously undermined the importance of the swearing-in ceremony, the use of several sports and television icons to fill up the event hall shocked the observers.  The use of such figures at a swearing-in ceremony has been unprecedented.  Informed sources claim that several prominent cultural icons refused the invitation to attend the event with various excuses. 

From the Hand to the Shoulder!

The most important part of the event was the recital of the swearing-in oath, which is normally read by the former president.  However, in the absence of Seyyed Mohammad Khatami and other officials, for the first time in the history of the Islamic Republic, the head of Ayatollah Khamenei’s office read the oath.  In the oath, the Islamic state’s supreme leader described Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a “brave, diligent and intelligence” and praised what he called “the public’s unprecedented and decisive vote for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,” crediting the administration’s four-year performance for the public’s vast support. 

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who kissed the supreme leader’s hand during last term’s swearing-in ceremony, this time kissed the supreme leader’s shoulder instead.

In his speech, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused foreign countries of interfering in Iran’s internal affairs during and after the election.  He said, “The incentive of these government for interfering in Iranian affairs is to prevent the introduction of a new model for democracy in the world.”

After the president’s swearing-in, Ayatollah Khamenei blasted those who protest the election results, declaring, “Some figures did not receive a passing grade in this election.” 

He divided the critics into two categories: “Wounded and angry opponents who will continue their opposition in the next four years, and critics who have no enmity toward the regime and the president, and whose opinions and views must be considered.” 

Describing the post-election events, the Islamic Republic supreme leader said, “These informed people cannot be deceived by the Zarrar Mosque and [claims of] imitating the Imam.”  The Zarrar Mosque was a mosque that was built by a group of opponents to Islam and later destroyed on Prophet Mohammad’s orders.