Khamenei To Ahmadinejad: Bad Dog!
In case you still hadn’t figured out who holds the leash and who wears the collar in Iran, the BBC makes it plain: Iranian vice-president ‘sacked’
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has dismissed his most senior vice-president, it has been reported.
The decision, the state news agency Irna said, came after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered Mr Ahmadinejad to do so.
First Vice-President Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie had angered hardliners last year by saying Iranians and Israelis were friends.
An aide said Mr Mashaie did not now consider himself first vice-president.
The decision came after a week-long stand-off between Ayatollah Khamenei and Mr Ahmadinejad, who had defended Mr Mashaie.
Ayatollah Khamenei wrote to the president, telling him that appointing Mr Mashaie was “against your interest and the interests of the government”.
In the letter, which was broadcast on Iranian state TV, Ayatollah Khamenei said: “It is necessary to announce the cancellation of this appointment.”
Ahmadinejad isn’t even allowed to select his own deputies, much less make decisions on important issues.
