Mohammadreza Khatami, a senior Iranian reformist, says the chief of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) should refrain from threatening politicians.
In a letter to Brigadier General Mohammad Ali Jaffari, the brother of former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami emphasizes that any interference by the IRGC in political matters is contrary to the Path of Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic. Khatami accuses the military chief of behaving as if he were leading a “coup d’etat government.”
The letter was published on Norooz website, the media outlet for the reformist Islamic Iran Participation Front, and other opposition websites.
Earlier this week, General Jaffari set conditions for the participation of reformists in the coming elections, in an interview with Mehr News Agency.
He said: “Those individuals, who have not crossed the red lines, can naturally participate in the elections.” He went on to say that the participation of former president Mohammad Khatami will depend on his political stance.
General Jaffari added that Khatami did not pass the test during the “recent sedition,” which is how the establishment refers to the protests that followed the controversial reelection of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He said Khatami must distance himself from the opposition leaders and refrain from “political manoeuvrings” in order to join the political race.
Mohammadreza Khatami said the reformists are concerned for the future of the country and insisted that his statement contained proof of “the allegations of the critics and protesters” over the past two years.
The opposition contends that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was brought to power in a rigged election and accuses the IRGC and Basij paramilitary of interfering in the election.
