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  "authors": [
    "Karim Sadjadpour"
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Source: Getty

In The Media

A Growing Controversy in Tehran

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s efforts to consolidate power by firing members of the cabinet and naming himself oil minister have ignited a controversy over his ambitions for more power and influence in the Iranian political system.

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By Karim Sadjadpour
Published on Jun 2, 2011
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Source: BBC

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s efforts to consolidate power by firing members of the cabinet and naming himself oil minister have ignited a controversy over his ambitions for more power and influence in the Iranian political system. Speaking on the BBC, Carnegie’s Karim Sadjadpour explained that “Ahmadinejad has overstepped his mandate.” He said that Ahmadinejad is the first president to challenge the power and authority of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Ayatollah Khamenei has responded by using the Iranian parliament to put Ahmadinejad in his place.

Ahmadinejad’s utility for Khamenei has become increasingly suspect, Sadjadpour argued. In 2005, “the Supreme Leader used Ahmadinejad as a bludgeon against his opponents,” he noted, “but since those opponents have largely been defeated, Khamenei no longer sees the need to indulge Ahmadinejad.” However, it is unlikely that Khamenei will remove Ahmadinejad from office because he is such an unpredictable figure that could do something to damage the entire system. Moving forward, it is likely that Khamenei will work to quarantine and weaken Ahmadinejad, while allowing him to remain in office.

 

About the Author

Karim Sadjadpour

Senior Fellow, Middle East Program

Karim Sadjadpour is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he focuses on Iran and U.S. foreign policy toward the Middle East.

    Recent Work

  • Q&A
    Iran Wanted to Survive the War. Now What?

      Suzanne Maloney, Aaron David Miller, Karim Sadjadpour

  • Q&A
    What’s Keeping the Iranian Regime in Power—for Now

      Aaron David Miller, Karim Sadjadpour, Robin Wright

Karim Sadjadpour
Senior Fellow, Middle East Program
Karim Sadjadpour
Political ReformMiddle EastIran

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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