Ejei: A New Sedition is Ahead

A few days after the verbal clash between Hassan Rouhani and the commanders of the IRGC, the spokesperson of the judiciary referred to the "destruction" that has occurred against the IRGC, Basij, and the judiciary, stating that "a new sedition is ahead." According to Tasnim News Agency, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said on Friday, July 9, in a speech before the Friday prayers in Tehran: "As someone who has been in the judicial and executive apparatus since the beginning of the revolution, experience has proven that after every destruction against the IRGC and some revolutionary elements, a dangerous action has occurred." Ejei continued by referring to what he called "attacks and insults against revolutionary institutions," including the words of Abolhassan Banisadr, the first president after the 1979 revolution. He added: "Banisadr thought people voted for a person. He did not know that people voted for the president of the system. He was destroying the committee, looking outside, and getting into sidelines." Earlier, Ayatollah Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, said on Tuesday, July 22, that the experience of 1979 should not be repeated, where "the then president [Abolhassan Banisadr] polarized society and divided people into two opposing and supporting groups." Following these remarks, some Telegram channels and websites supporting Ayatollah Khamenei warned that Hassan Rouhani might face a fate similar to Mr. Banisadr. Meanwhile, during last Friday's rally, some around Mr. Rouhani chanted slogans like "Death to the hypocrite" and "Rouhani, congratulations on your connection to Banisadr," which has received widespread attention in Iran. According to reports, the Ministry of Intelligence of Iran has "interrogated" two journalists from Fars News Agency, affiliated with the IRGC, but did not arrest them. Fars News Agency announced that this action was taken without a judicial order and is "against the law." Ejei also referred to the Islamic Republic's conflict with its opposing forces in the 1980s and the protests following the 2009 presidential election. He said: "Today, destruction against military and law enforcement agencies, Basij, and IRGC has emerged; based on past experience, I think a new sedition is ahead." The leader of the Islamic Republic and his close associates refer to the protests against the 2009 presidential election and similar events as "sedition." The verbal clashes between Hassan Rouhani and Ayatollah Khamenei, as well as the institutions under his supervision, have increased following Rouhani's re-election as president. Meanwhile, Hassan Rouhani, on July 1, implicitly criticized the activities of the IRGC, stating that part of Iran's economy has been handed over to a "government" that "has both guns and media" and "no one dares to compete with them." Mohammad Ali Jafari, the commander of the IRGC, called these remarks "unfair" and said that if the government is "without guns," it will be "humiliated and surrendered" by enemies.