The Lifeline of the Resistance Coup Against Raisi Part One

The Artery of the Stability Coup Against Raisi

The Artery of the Stability Coup Against Raisi According to Iran Gate, Hamid Rasaei, a prominent ultraconservative figure from the Stability Front, announced the establishment of a party on July 23, 2023, which many experts believe to be one of the most significant plans by the Stability Front to seize seats in the twelfth parliament. The party, known as the Strategic Network of Islamic Revolution Companions, or Artery, was effectively founded under the behind-the-scenes management of Sadegh Mahsouli and Mehrdad Bazrpash, and has made significant strides for a strong presence in the parliamentary elections in March 2024.

The presence of Mehrdad Bazrpash at the inauguration ceremony of the Artery Party and his collaboration with Hamid Rasaei in establishing this radical political movement has sparked much debate. This development has occurred while Mehrdad Bazrpash is currently the Minister of Roads and Urban Development in Ebrahim Raisi’s government, and his electoral and political activities are contrary to norms and even illegal to some extent.

However, there are interesting and strange points about this unusual political activity of the Minister of Roads and Urban Development, the most important of which are the harsh stances of the Artery Party against the performance of the thirteenth government. This government, in which one of its behind-the-scenes figures is a minister, should naturally defend Raisi’s administration’s record, yet bizarre positions have been adopted by this group.

Iran Gate, in a two-part series, has examined the newly established Artery Party in the political sphere of the Islamic Republic, a party that indicates deep divisions within the revolutionary movement and the ultraconservative Stability Front. On the other hand, it is also an example of the super-revolutionaries’ actions against Ebrahim Raisi’s government. This report delves into the new Artery Party’s dynamics and analyzes the stances of prominent Stability Front figures regarding Raisi’s administration’s performance.

The Artery Movement

According to the founders of the Strategic Network of Islamic Revolution Companions, known as Artery, the idea for forming this party emerged in mid-2021 after the establishment of Ebrahim Raisi’s government. Interestingly, just two weeks before announcing the movement’s existence, Zohreh Elahian, a super-revolutionary representative of the eleventh parliament, established an organization called the Society for the Promotion of Islamic Revolutionary People’s Institutions. According to posters released for the inauguration of this society, Mehrdad Bazrpash was supposed to be the main speaker alongside Alireza Zakani.

However, this did not happen, and Bazrpash, due to severe disagreements with Zakani and some parliament members, including Mojtaba Tavangar and Zohreh Elahian, refrained from attending the inauguration of the Society for the Promotion of Islamic Revolutionary People’s Institutions. The Minister of Roads and Urban Development of the thirteenth government not only did not attend the ceremony himself, but there are reports indicating Bazrpash prevented individuals close to him from attending the inauguration of this political organization.

Therefore, it is said that Artery is essentially a reaction to the formation of the Society for the Promotion of Islamic Revolutionary People’s Institutions, which effectively aims to outdo each other in opposing Raisi’s government. However, what can be stated with certainty is the decision by the Stability Front and the super-revolutionaries who supported Raisi in the 2021 presidential election to undermine the thirteenth government. This decision now shows signs of division, which will likely lead to the public unveiling of these differences and factionalism among the ultraconservative Stability Front.

As mentioned, it is Hamid Rasaei who is introduced as the Secretary-General of the Artery Party in its showcase, but in reality, it is Mehrdad Bazrpash and, on a larger scale, Sadegh Mahsouli who are in charge of directing this ultraconservative movement.

Genealogy of the Movement

Political parties and movements in authoritarian regimes are generally person-centric rather than ideology-centric. Naturally, the discourse of these parties and movements aligns closely with the ruling discourse, with differences mainly existing in the interpretations by the individuals behind the parties. However, this is slightly different for Artery. Artery is essentially a person-centric party that, despite being labeled as part of the establishment, has an unusual and different approach compared to similar movements.

As mentioned, Artery is a person-centric party that has entered the country’s political arena under the guidance of Sadegh Mahsouli and Mehrdad Bazrpash. Despite a denial by a member of Artery’s central council regarding the party’s election-centric nature, it seems that the founders’ entire focus is on the powerful presence of the Stability Front in the 2024 parliamentary and 2025 presidential elections. Many analysts believe there is a possibility of Mehrdad Bazrpash running in the next presidential election and leading a full-fledged coup against Raisi’s government by one of the most prominent radical figures in Ebrahim Raisi’s cabinet.

It may not even need mentioning that the primary figure behind movements similar to Artery is none other than Sadegh Mahsouli, the godfather of all super-revolutionary movements, who took a staunch stance in support of Ebrahim Raisi during the 2021 presidential election and is now determined to overthrow the same government he once fully backed, even sending cover candidates to assist Raisi in the June 2021 television debates.