Report: Rafsanjani considering alternative ayatollah council
Al-Asharq al-Awsat newspaper reports Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who is considered Iranian regime's No. 2, met with Assembly of Experts responsible for monitoring Supreme Leader Khamenei in attempt to 'protect regime from dangers'
Former Iranian President Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who is considered to be the second most important figure in the country's regime, is looking into different ways to end the political crisis in Iran, and is mulling the possibility of setting up a new religious body, Al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper reported on Monday.
According to the report, the former president and head of the cleric-run Assembly of Experts who is also one of defeated reformist candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi's top supporters, has relocated from the flammable capital of Tehran, to the Shiite holy city of Qom, where the country's religious leaders sit.
The London-based newspaper reported that Rafsanjani arrived in the city a few days ago and met with several religious leaders and members of the Assembly of Experts, which is responsible for monitoring Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The assembly came up with a number of possible ways to solve the crisis in the country, that erupted following the June 12 election results which the opposition claimed was rigged. One proposed solution was the establishment of an alternative religious council, made up of several top ayatollahs, in a move against Khamenei.
'Protecting regime from dangers'
"This move is meant to protect the regime from the dangers that threaten it," the source quoted by the paper said, citing danger that a deepening of the crisis would lead to greater polarization and put the regime at risk.
The source continued to say, "In light of the constitutional authority Rafsanjani and the Assembly of Experts hold, it is their duty to examine all propositions.
"The Assembly of Experts has been appointed to monitor the performance of the supreme spiritual leader, and if this performance contributes to increasing conflict between members of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Assembly of Experts must try to use its authority to support the regime."
There have been a number of reports in Arab media in recent days against the regime in Iran, that have been based on sources from the Iranian opposition, most likely in an attempt to stir inner conflict.
However, at this point, these are only reports, and there has been no concrete sign that Rafsanjani has been active in the matter, and he has made no public comment since the results of the election were published.
Black candle in memory of dead
Rafsanjani's daughter Faezeh, and four other relatives, were arrested on Sunday after appearing in an opposition protest rally, in a possible attempt to pressure him into making a statement. They were released a few hours later.
Sunday was a relatively calm day in Iran, and with the exception of a few isolated incidents, no violence was reported. However, Iran has been under media blackout in recent days, and many foreign journalists have been deported.
Most of the information from within Iran has been received through online social networks and video segments uploaded to YouTube.com.
On Monday, nine days after the riots broke out, the defeated reformist candidates' supporters are planning a quiet protest. Peaceful candle processions in memory of those killed will take place between 5 pm and 7 pm local time.
Drivers will light candles, and reformist websites have called on demonstrators to carry black candles with green ribbons in memory of the dead.
Sunday night Tehran police reported that over 450 people were arrested during clashes between protesters and security forces on Saturday.
