Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, in a meeting with a top moderate figure has reportedly promised not to wage a campaign of repression against the moderate and reformist factions in the lead-up to the May 2017 presidential elections. Eshaq Jahangiri, a vice-president to President Hassan Rouhani, reported that Khamenei had told him in a meeting that he “likes” the reformists and that no political faction in Iran will face any restrictions in their election activities.
Comment: These reports follow repeated warnings from the moderate and reformist camps that the security and intelligence services are preparing to interfere in the upcoming elections to pave the way for an election win for the hardliners. As the commander-in-chief, Khamenei officially oversees the operations of all security, military and intelligence agencies in Iran. President Hassan Rouhani has during recent week’s stressed that any interference by the security and intelligence agencies has to be confronted. Khamenei’s meeting and remarks to Jahangiri are evidently aimed to assuage fears in the moderate/reformist camp.
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