Ali Motahari: Armed Forces Should Not Act Like a Party or Economic Entity

According to the Deputy Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, the armed forces should not act like a 'party or economic entity' and the 'concentration' of military, political, economic, and media power in one 'institution' is not in Iran's interest. Ali Motahari made these remarks on Tuesday, October 19, in an interview with the 'Asr Iran' website in response to a question about the 'importance' of prohibiting the armed forces from entering 'political, factional, and electoral classifications.' Although this issue has been repeatedly quoted from Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, it was recently emphasized in the general election policies communicated by Ali Khamenei to the heads of the three branches of government and the chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council. Motahari also referred to Ayatollah Khomeini's view on the military's avoidance of political involvement, stating that the armed forces' interference in politics 'leads to divisions among them and consequently weakens them.' He further added: 'Today, an armed force should not act like a party... nor should it act like an economic entity.' According to the Deputy Speaker, 'the concentration of military, political, economic, and media power in one institution is not in the country's interest and threatens the future of the Islamic Revolution.' It seems that in this conversation, he is referring to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), whose commanders have always intervened in politics and elections under the pretext of protecting the 'Islamic Revolution and its achievements.' The IRGC also has extensive economic activities in various fields, including through the 'Khatam al-Anbiya' headquarters, and has become one of the largest economic cartels in Iran. This military organization, by launching various media outlets in both virtual and real spaces and providing both overt and covert financial support to them, while training its forces to operate in this area, also identifies opponents and critics and deals with them. Yesterday, Ali Saidi, the representative of the Supreme Leader in the IRGC, reacted to the publication of the prohibition on military involvement in 'political and electoral classifications' by Ali Khamenei, which was welcomed by media critical of this military force, stating that political activity is 'part of the essence' of the IRGC. Mr. Saidi said in an interview with the 'Sobhe No' newspaper that 'in political matters of the country, it is expected that the IRGC will announce its positions... sometimes a short period passes, and for example, I or General Jafari do not take a position, and the audience tells us why we do not take a position?' He added that 'if we divide the country's issues into security, military, cultural, and even economic issues, the IRGC has a specific role in all of these.' However, Ali Motahari, criticizing the political activities of military personnel as legal entities, states that a military person, as an individual, is only free to express 'his opinion privately to individuals.' Meanwhile, according to the political deputy of the IRGC, a distinction must be made between 'political activity and interference with explanation and clarification.' Rasoul Sanaei Rad added that 'the armed forces must be aware of currents, parties, groups, and personalities' and 'if any explanation or clarification occurs, it never means interference and entry into political classifications.' The IRGC strongly rejects any criticism regarding its interference in politics, and Massoud Jazayeri, the deputy chief of staff of the armed forces, responded to critics by saying that 'if anyone has documents, evidence, or proof that the armed forces have organized themselves in favor of or against a current or group, they should present it.'