Mir Hossein Mousavi’s 2022 statement while under house arrest has elicited very strong reactions from two groups: the hardline revolutionary conservatives within Iran and the mostly Pahlavi opposition outside Iran. For the opposition abroad, even Mousavi’s mere breathing is distressing, let alone his statements being well-received. They prefer that he remains quietly forgotten in his house arrest rather than reminding them of his presence with each statement.
They see Mousavi not as an enemy, but as a competitor, and seek to counter him as the strongest available alternative by defaming and discrediting him. This is also the approach preferred by the domestic hardliners, although they consider Mousavi an enemy, not a competitor. They focus more on the nature of Mousavi’s statements and words, with the intensity of their reactions rising and falling in direct proportion to the frankness of the language used in the statements.
Raising the issue of hereditary leadership and sharply criticizing Iran’s presence in Syria, especially with a jab at the lack of honor of a commander, has so enraged them that they directly threaten in their media to intensify the house arrest and revert to past conditions. Regardless of these, Mousavi’s statement can be examined from two perspectives: the audience for part of the statement and his distance from the reformist front.
Reza and Mojtaba together
The most controversial part of Mousavi’s statement is where he talks about a rumor or news that has been circulating for 13 years without any effort to deny it: the succession of Mojtaba Khamenei in place of his father. His apparent message is that he is merely attacking the hereditary nature of the leadership, but it’s not just that.
He generally criticizes any form of succession of power outside the will and choice of the people, as he explicitly references the impossibility of returning to the 2500-year-old monarchies. This means his message is also directed at Reza Pahlavi and his supporters if they are seeking to revive the monarchy and have Reza succeed Mohammad Reza. This is likely a part of the anger from the supporters of Prince Pahlavi and their attacks on Mousavi.
Mir Hossein Mousavi and Reformism
Compare the recent statement by Mir Hossein Mousavi with the latest messages from Mohammad Khatami, the leader of the reformist front. Clearly, he and the reformist front have moved more and more towards divergence rather than convergence over these 13 years. One of Khatami’s messages in recent months, which was very controversial, was a condolence message he wrote for the passing of Reyshahri, in which he praised him. This praise was highly criticized given Reyshahri’s past involvement in the Ministry of Intelligence and the Special Clerical Court, to the point where some believed Khatami should have remained silent instead of sending a condolence message.
Perhaps the closest and most similar reformist figure to Mir Hossein Mousavi, who is also currently imprisoned and has many critics among reformists for his sharp and biting criticisms, is Mostafa Tajzadeh. Other reformists, even if they believe in structural reforms or have moved past and become disillusioned with reforms, prefer silence and a safe margin these days. However, in the case of Mousavi’s statement, some have even abandoned silence and felt the need to spontaneously delineate their boundaries with Mousavi.
A few points about the statement
Regarding the manner and timing of the release of Mousavi’s statement, there are a few noteworthy points in comparison to previous statements. For one, this statement is reportedly from over a year ago. Secondly, unlike usual, it was not released through his children, especially Zahra, and as a complete text, but initially in a fragmented and quoted form on the Kaleme website by his former advisor Ardeshir Amir-Arjomand.
In this context, the following content has been published on Iran Gate:
- The removal of Mojtaba Khamenei: The issue of leadership succession is serious.
- Engineer Mousavi’s plan to save Iran.