Iran: Tensions Rise In Parliament Over Effort To Question Ahmadinejad

Tehran MP Reza Akrami has countered suggestions that the Supreme Leader opposes a move to summon the president before Parliament for questioning, saying: “The Leader will not oppose something that is in accordance with the law, and it is not appropriate for anyone else to do so.”

Karami’s comments were published today on the Khabar-on-line site, a day after it reported similar comments by MP Mostafa Reza Hosseini, who said “the Supreme Leader’s words are being taken out of context.”

On Saturday, MP Ruhollah Hosseinian, a conservative, told Parliament that in view of the the Supreme Leader’s comments in a meeting with MPs, “it is clear that Ayatollah Khamenei would not approve of summoning the president to Parliament for questioning.”

Earlier, Tehran MP Fatemeh Alia had told Parliament that the Supreme Leader had condemned Ahmadinejad’s harsh treatment by MPs during the parliamentary vote for the Minister of Sports and Youth. MPs greeted Ahmadinejad’s introduction of the sports minister with shouts of “Doe! Doe!” to indicate their disapproval.

Ali Motahari, one of the initiators of the petition against the president, said the Supreme Leader’s statements were in reference to that particular event; they had no bearing on questioning Ahmadinejad about administrative irregularities with regard legislation passed by Parliament.

Motahari had also indicated that the 100 MPs who signed the motion to question the president may be put under pressure to withdraw their support.