Majlis Happenings Reveal Conservative Disunity

The Ahmadinejad camp launched an effort to oust Ali Larijani -- one of its chief conservative-principalist political rivals -- as head of the Majlis this week. A member of the assembly that is close to Ahmadinejad stated that the Speaker of Majlis should be replaced so that "when necessary, more direct postures can be taken."

This move comes amid increasing tensions between members of Iran's political right -- namely, between traditional conservatives-principalists and the fringe who back the un-elected President. As Speaker, Larijani (who was Iran's chief nuclear negotiator before resigning amid reported clashes with Ahmadinejad) blocked the passage of legislation pushed for by the administration on several occasions. But he is also close to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and in this respect serves as a useful (but loyal) counterweight to Ahmadinejad for Khamenei.

It was not surprising, then, that the efforts to unseat Larijani failed. Seyed Reza Akaram, a senior member of the principalist Society of Combatant Clerics, strongly came out and quashed such talk, stating, "The principlist faction is against any plan to replace Larijani as the leader of the principlist faction." Ahmadinejad-crony Morteza Agha-Tehrani ended up receiving only seven votes.

Meanwhile, Majlis' high-profile report into post-election abuses (that no one was holding their breath for) was delivered but remained classified, thus hiding its contents from the public. Although this prevented direct accusations at being laid against Ahmadinejad by the conservative-run body, many believe that Iran Deputy Prosecutor General Saeed Mortazavi and Tehran police chief Ahmad Reza Radan's guilt will be difficult to deny much longer. Majlis-member Ali Reza Zakani for one is openly claiming that documents will soon be made available to Iran's judiciary establishing Mortazavi's guilt.

And all of this from Ahmadinejad's supposed political allies.