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Ayatollah Authority Undercut by Flip-Flop

Protests are weakening Khamenei's grip on Iranian regime

By Jason Farago, Newser Staff

Posted Jun 16, 2009 6:28 AM CDT

(Newser) – The about-face done by Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei—first blessing the victory of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Friday's election then opening an inquiry into vote fraud yesterday—was a rare misstep for the shadowy, usually cautious ayatollah, the New York Times reports, and may have done substantial damage to his reputation, as well as incited protesters. "Now the myth that there is a leader up there whose power is unquestionable is broken," one Iranian author tells the Times.

The ayatollah controls the Revolutionary Guards, the judiciary, and public communications, and few are suggesting that his iron grip on the country's levers of powers is seriously weakened. But the election and his response have opened divisions among the clerical elite, and Khamenei faces a difficult choice. Either he allows the protests to continue and chip away at his authority, or he resorts to violence—and destroys any remaining pretense of a popular mandate for the Islamic Republic.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei casting his ballot for the presidential elections in Tehran. (AP Photo/Iranian Students News Agency, Ami Khulousi)

Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei may be losing his grip on the levers of power. (AP Photo/Mehr News Agency, Sajjad Safari)

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during a rare public appearance celebrating the anniversary of the death of his predecessor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. (AP Photo/Mehr News Agency, Sajjad Safari)

Reformist candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi signs a book during the election campaign in Tehran, Iran, June 7, 2009. (AP photo/Islamic Republic of Iranian Broadcasting, Mehdi Dehghan, HO)

A young woman holds up a banner as Iranian supporters of presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi attend a protest near the Iranian embassy in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, June 15, 2009. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)

A supporter of the Mahmoud Ahmadinejad holds a poster showing Ahmadinejad and supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during an electoral campaign meeting in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, June 2, 2009. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

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Ayatollah Authority Undercut by Flip-Flop

Protests are weakening Khamenei's grip on Iranian regime

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Ayatollah Authority Undercut by Flip-Flop

Protests are weakening Khamenei's grip on Iranian regime

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Iran • Mahmoud Ahmadinejad • Revolutionary Guards • cleric • Ali Khamenei • Ayatollah Ali Khamenei • Iranian politics • Iranian election • Mir Hossein Mousavi

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

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More Newser Stories

Khamenei Warns US: Don't Mess With Iran

Any response to alleged plot against Saudi ambassador will be 'resolute' response

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But Iran supreme leader also issues warning to the president

Ayatollah: Aide Has 'Bewitched' Ahmadinejad

Cleric says president's 'unnatural' behavior is due to spells, charms

Ahmadinejad Allies Busted for Sorcery

Genies, 'Hidden Imam,' and US outreach raising tensions in Iran

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Is AWOL From Job

He's in a power tiff with Iran's supreme leader

About Us

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Newser By Users

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What is Newser?