Mir Hossein Mousavi’s 2022 statement under house arrest has sparked very strong reactions from two groups: the hardline revolutionary conservatives inside Iran and the mostly Pahlavi opposition outside of Iran. For the expatriate opposition, even Mousavi’s mere breathing is tormenting, let alone his statements receiving attention. They prefer that he remains silent and forgotten in his house arrest rather than reminding them of his presence with each statement.
They see Mir Hossein not as an enemy but as a competitor, and they seek to counter him by discrediting and vilifying him as the strongest available alternative. This is also the approach and preference of the hardline domestic faction, although they consider Mir Hossein as an enemy, not a competitor, and focus more on the content of his statements and words. Their level of reactive attacks rises and falls precisely in accordance with the directness of the words within the statements.
Bringing up the issue of hereditary leadership and harsh criticism of Iran’s presence in Syria, especially the insinuation of a commander’s lack of honor, has so agitated them that they directly threaten in their media to intensify the house arrest and revert the situation to the past. Aside from these, Mir Hossein 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 discusses a rumor or news that has been circulating for 13 years and there is no will to deny it: the succession of Mojtaba Khamenei in place of his father. The apparent talk is that he is merely attacking the hereditary nature of leadership, but it is not just that.
He generally criticizes any form of power succession outside and regardless of the will and choice of the people, as he explicitly mentions the impossibility of returning to 2,500-year-old monarchies. This means his words are also directed at Reza Pahlavi and his supporters if they seek to revive the monarchy and succession of Reza in place of Mohammad Reza. This is likely part of the anger of the Pahlavi prince’s supporters and their attacks on Mir Hossein.
Mir Hossein Mousavi and Reformism
Compare Mir Hossein Mousavi’s recent statement with the latest messages from Mohammad Khatami, the leader of the reformist front. Specifically, he and the reformist front have diverged more and more over these 13 years rather than converged. One of Khatami’s messages in recent months, which was very controversial, was a condolence message for the passing of Reyshahri, in which he praised him. This praise, considering Reyshahri’s background and actions in the Ministry of Intelligence and the Special Clerical Court, was highly criticized 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 detained and has many critics among the reformists for being so direct and biting in his criticism, is Mostafa Tajzadeh. Other reformists, even if they believe in structural reform or have even moved past and become disillusioned with reformism, currently prefer silence and a safe margin. However, in the case of Mir Hossein’s statement, some have even abandoned silence and felt the need to spontaneously delineate their boundaries with Mir Hossein.
A few points about the statement
Regarding the manner and timing of the release of Mir Hossein’s statement, there are several noteworthy points compared to previous statements. Among them is that this statement, according to reports, dates back to more than a year ago. Secondly, unlike usual, it was not released through his children, especially Zahra, in full text but was initially disseminated in an excerpted and quoted form by the former advisor Ardshir Amir-Arjomand on the Kalemeh website.
In this context, the following articles have been published on Iran Gate:
- The removal of Mojtaba Khamenei: The issue of leadership succession is serious.
- Engineer Mousavi’s plan to save Iran.