Iranian conservative lawmaker resigns

Ruhollah Hoseinian

In an unprecedented move, a conservative Member of Parliament and a pro-Ahmadinejad hardliner, Ruhollah Hoseinian surrendered his letter of resignation today complaining that he finds himself “defeated” by the establishment of certain people in the governing offices of the regime who are, according to Hoseinian, “at a 180-degree angle from the Supreme Leadership.”

He adds that all his 12-year struggles to defeat reformists have been destroyed by “professional parliamentarians.”

Ruhollah Hoseinian, an Islamic Republic judge, is also a political and security aide to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. His letter states that he believes “Basij and security forces are being demeaned and oppressed by military courts under various pretences.”

Fars reports that Hoseinian criticizes the Speaker of the Parliament’s decision to appoint “one of the chief culprits in making the allegation of fraud in the elections,” head of the Parliament’s Defence Committee. He is apparently referring to AliAkbar Mohtashamipour, who was head of MirHosein Mousavi’s Committee of Ballot Supervision.

Despite pressure from Parliament hardliners, Speaker of the House, Ali Larijani has not dismissed Mr. Mohtashamipour.

Ruhollah Hoseinian also complains that Basij and security commanders are being “investigated and slandered and no one defends them.”

Ruhollah Hoseinian’s complaints in an atmosphere where the government is back at widespread arrest of prominent reformists, and the judiciary is anticipating a series of death sentences for dissidents, reveals finer divisions within the conservative faction of the Islamic Republic establishment which has been heavily challenged by election protesters and reformists since the disputed June presidential elections.

Mr. Hoseinian is also one of the 36 MPs that recently proposed a bill to reduce the waiting period for death row inmates convicted of “moharebeh” or armed combat, which is the charge against several recent detainees.

In reference to this bill, Ruhollah Hoseinian’s “extremist sensibilities” were criticized by Ali Motahari, another conservative lawmaker.