As Trump is about to give his speech on the Iran deal and as anti-government protests continue in Iran, a 30 years old footage emerges on social channels showing the process by which Khamenei was forced into taking the role of The Supreme Leader.
In this original footage, Khamenei, current Supreme Leader of Iran, explains why it is incorrect and unethical to make him the Supreme Leader! The meeting was chaired by Rafsanjani who was killed last year.
In this blog I've translated every single word in simple English:
mins:
10:56 - (Rafsanjani speaking) Mr. Khamanei we have already decided that we're gonna vote here, you cannot talk about anything that's to do with our voting system. You cannot talk against us. Look, if you wanna say anything about what we've decided then you have to get off the stage.
11:14 - (Random Voice) Let's hear what he has to say
11:21 - (Khamenei) In the name of God (In Arabic). First of all, we need to cry blood for the Islamic community if someone like me was to be chosen for their leadership!
11:39 - That aside, this process has a technical institutional problem. I have already, two weeks ago, mentioned this to Mr. Rafsanjani, I told him very seriously that I will not take this role, I will not accept your offer.
11:58 - Now besides the fact that I truly don't believe I'm worthy of this, I know this, some of you gentlemen here know this, that this will cause a problem in the future.
12:08 - A Supreme Leader chosen in this manner will be a 'fake' leader and not a real one. Now I'm neither qualified in terms of the constitution or religious/ethical standards. My words don't have the legitimacy of the words of a true leader.
12:27 - The Constitution says that the Supreme Leader should be a 'source' - A source of religion, ethics and law. In terms of ethics, the Supreme Leader should be someone who's words are accepted, who's command is accepted & who's known as a religious figure. Now right here right now there are a number of you guys who already don't agree with me.
13:00 - (words from the seated clerics) Yes we will accept your words once you're the Supreme Leader, we will listen to you.
13:28 - (One Individual ceric) We won't follow you don't worry. (Khamenei) It's not a discussion of 'following' but a discussion about having the rights to possess 'command power'.
14:03 (Khamenei) This is not the vote of the people, this is the vote of you guys here.
Now here is a little explanation to put all of this in perspective:
1979: Iranian revolution finds an Islamic voice lead by Khomeini. A couple of years later Khomeini appoints himself as The Supreme Leader - the highest ranking position in the Islamic constitution of Iran.
1989: Khomeini dies and leaves the country in chaos without a replacement for himself. Rafsanjani, one of the closest advisors to Khomeini, chairs an emergency meeting to elect Khamenei as the next Supreme Leader, who had just finished his second term of Presidency.
In this video Rafsanjani forced Khamenei to take this position because Rafsanjani was very concerned about the government's stability now that Khomeini had died. Most of the clerics agree with Rafsanjani and want to make Khamenei the next Supreme Leader because they too are worried about their stability and future.
Rafsanjani then went on to be the president of Iran for two terms right after this! After Khomeini's death Rafsanjani was the one who actually ruled the country. But as time went on and Khamenei gained more power, he started replacing all of the heads of every single sector so that now he can have control over them and not Rafsanjani. It got to a point where the two would blatantly argue in public meetings. Last year Rafsanjani was killed very suspiciously in what looks to be an inside job so far.
This video will hopefully at least show the Iranian people what foundation their current government is based on.
Original Footage: