Iran is to recall a number of its ambassadors overseas who chose the wrong horse and gave their backing to “rioters” during the popular unrest which erupted after June’s disputed election, it emerged today.
The semi-official Fars News Agency said that Tehran would be replacing 40 of its ambassadors, a clearout similar in scale to the one which followed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s first election victory in 2005.
“Some of these people officially took positions during the recent riots in Iran in support of rioters,” it said in a report. “It is supposed that the new ambassadors will be selected from committed experts loyal to the basis of the (1979 Islamic) revolution.”
A Foreign Ministry spokesman played down the report, saying that Iran had more than 130 diplomatic missions abroad and would normally replace about 45 envoys a year, usually in the summer months.
But the report coincided with other signs of a crackdown following Mr Ahmadinejad’s confirmation as President.
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They include a sharp attack by General Mohammed Ali Jafari, commander of the Revolutionary Guard, on Mohammed Khatami, Mr Ahmadinejad’s reformist predecessor.
Mr Khatami, who was president from 1997 to 2005, had endorsed the moderate candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi, and backed his claim that the election had been massive rigged to ensure Mr Ahmadinejad’s re-election.
In remarks reported by Fars today, General Jafari accused Mr Khatami and other reformist leaders of seeking to use the election dispute to undermine Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, and of encouraging the protests.
General Jafari’s comments effectively label Mr Khatami and his associates potential foes of the Islamic system and places them at risk of being directly punished by the hardliners wield power in Tehran.
Those include the Revolutionary Guard and their sidekicks in the Basiji military, who helped crush the post-election protests. Several of their ranks have been offered Cabinet posts by Mr Ahmadinejad,
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They include Ahmed Vahidi, a former Revolutionary Guard commander wanted by Interpol for masterminding the worst terrorist attack in Argentinian history – the 1994 bombing of a Jewish centre in which 85 people were killed.
Despite international protests, General Vahidi looks set to become Defence Minister after receiving overwhelming support in Parliament.