Jannati Defends Khamenei's Performance: 'They Want to Blame the Leader for the Chaos'

Ahmad Jannati, the head of Iran's Assembly of Experts, on Tuesday, September 4, defended the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic during the opening speech of the fifth Assembly meeting, attributing the existing chaos and problems in the country to other branches of government, especially the administration. Jannati, who is also the Secretary of the Guardian Council, went so far as to say that there is a 'malicious plan' by the 'enemy' to blame the Supreme Leader for the 'chaos in the country.' According to the Jamaran news website, he stated: 'They blame the chaos in the country on the leadership, as if the Supreme Leader is responsible for all economic, social, and political matters, while the Parliament and the government are ineffective; this is the enemy's malicious plan.' Contrary to the claims of the head of the Assembly of Experts, it has long been a common belief in Iran that Ayatollah Khamenei is the main decision-maker and often intervenes in even minute issues. The selection of several key cabinet ministers is a privilege that belongs solely to the Supreme Leader. This has become so prevalent in recent years that it can be traced in the speeches of foreign leaders, especially during Barack Obama's presidency and the negotiations related to Iran's nuclear activities. During this period, Obama officially bypassed the President and wrote directly to Ayatollah Khamenei several times. Nevertheless, the head of the Assembly insisted on Tuesday that the Supreme Leader has granted the three branches of government 'the most powers' and 'maximum authority,' but the officials have displayed 'ignorance' and 'mismanagement.' He cited the nuclear negotiations leading to the JCPOA as an example of this ignorance, stating that the Leader had set 'red lines' for the government, but they did not adhere to the system's red lines. According to Fars News Agency, he said: 'The Leader also mentioned in his recent speech that the nuclear negotiating team did not respect the red lines in the negotiations.' Jannati's remarks refer to Khamenei's speech last week in front of the government delegation, where he stated that Hassan Rouhani's administration should not have hoped for European support regarding the JCPOA and the economy. Meanwhile, several high-ranking officials of the Islamic Republic have emphasized in various instances that negotiations with the U.S. were conducted with the Leader's permission, and he has been aware of all the details of the nuclear negotiations. For instance, Mohammad Javad Zarif stated in February 2017 that 'we presented the entire negotiation [nuclear] process with detailed texts to his esteemed presence and fulfilled our duty in this area.' Jannati even attributed social issues in the country to the government, saying: 'Social issues must be addressed... Who should do this? It is clear that it is the responsibility of the executive branches in the country. This is the job of the representatives of the people and the executive branches.' The head of the Assembly of Experts even linked the recent shortage of baby diapers in the country to the government, stating: 'These hoarders have acted in such a way that they have stored even baby clothing in warehouses, causing problems for people in this regard. In these circumstances, no manager should receive exorbitant salaries.' In contrast to Sadegh Larijani and Ali Larijani, the heads of the judiciary and legislative branches, who were also key speakers at the Assembly meeting on Tuesday, the significant absence was Hassan Rouhani, the President. Previously, the spokesperson for the Assembly of Experts stated that Hassan Rouhani had been invited to participate in this meeting, but he declined. The Tasnim news agency, close to the Revolutionary Guards, reported on this aspect of the Assembly meeting, stating that Mr. Rouhani is said to have gone on a work trip, but this trip had not been announced beforehand. Tasnim reported under the headline 'Rouhani's Absences Reached the Assembly of Experts' that 'until yesterday, there was no information about his trip to Assaluyeh, and this trip was made suddenly.' Jannati's defense of Ayatollah Khamenei's performance comes at a time when criticism of the Assembly of Experts has increased in recent months. For example, Ali Motahari, the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, has repeatedly stated that this body is responsible for overseeing the Leader and the institutions and organizations under the Leader's authority, but every so often, members of this Assembly gather 'to have dinner and lunch and issue statements against the seditionists.' Mehdi Karroubi, a leader of the 'Green' protest movement, also wrote a letter to the members of the Assembly of Experts on Sunday, urging them to question the Supreme Leader about the policies of the past three decades that have led Iran to its current situation, rather than 'praising and glorifying' him.