Iran Guardian Council reacts to Ahmadinejad interference

Ahmad Janati

Ahmad Janati, Secretary-General of Iran’s powerful Guardian Council warned Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that the president cannot interfere in the responsibilities and authorities of other officials of the regime.

Janati writes that the Guardian Council is the only point of reference for determining the legality of Parliament’s legislations and other officials and government bodies “have no duty other than executing and heeding those laws” once they are approved by the Guardian Council.

Last week Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wrote to the Guardian Council that three of their approved bills were contrary to the provisions of the Constitution. He added that these laws could not be executed and thus he had refrained from passing it on to the ministries.

The dispute over these laws is the latest development in the war of words that has been going on between Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Parliament in the past months. The two branches of the government have been repeatedly at odds over the limits of their powers.

Ahmad Janati, who has been a supporter of the Ahmadinejad camp in the past year’s election disputes, warns Ahmadinejad that the Guardian Council’s final approval has transformed the bills into law and the relevant government bodies are “required” to follow these laws.

Ahmad Janati also indicated that he has been hesitant in stating his objections to the government in view of the sensitive situation of the country in the past year; however, “some people are trying to take advantage of the situation and take on responsibilities for which they lack the necessary competence.”

The persistence of conflicts between the Islamic Republic parliament and the government forced the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei to interfere in the matter. Rather than taking any clear sides he merely called for greater cooperation.

According to Iranian law, bills passed by the parliament are sent to the Guardian Council in order to be checked against the Constitution and religious laws and once they are approved by this Council, they become laws and the government is charged with their implementation.