ISNA reports that Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani gave a speech at the office of the Islamic Republic Party at the threshold of the anniversary of the bombing of the party’s office 29 years ago, which killed tens of Islamic Republic top political figures at the time. Rafsanjani said that people’s judgement will save the Islamic Republic from the recent “character assassinations.” He told his audience that “the enemies have diversified and enemies disguised as friends have infiltrated our ranks.” He described the current political atmosphere of the Islamic Republic, saying that in this environment “divisiveness is called honesty, insult is called candour, lies are called tact, slander is called boldness and slogans are called insight.”
The moderate cleric had told Communications Management monthly magazine last week that he is willing to retire from power. Last June, the Chairman of the Assembly of Experts wrote an open letter to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, sharply criticizing Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who had previously accused the children of Ayatollah Rafsanjani of financial corruption in the presidential candidates’ debates with Mir-Hossein Mousavi. Rafsanjani has also been the target of attacks from Ahmadinejad supporters. Some media analysts have suggested that he will soon be omitted from Iran’s political scene.
Ayatollah Rafsanjani has long been linked to the reform movement in Iran. In the post-election turmoil resulting in protests against the alleged vote fraud in the victory of Ahmadinejad, Rafsanjani aligned himself with the opposition. Dariush Ghanbari, a reformist Member of Parliament has condemned the continued media and government efforts to “destroy the image of Hashemi” and claims that if he resigns from power, it would be as a result of such “pressures.”

source: Radio Zamaneh