Ahmadinejad's ayatollah's chance to succeed Khamenei

Mr Ahmadinejard's spiritual mentor, Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah-Yazdi, who opposes democratic political structures as an infringement on the sovereignty of God and favors anti-Israel suicide bombers, may or may not be gaining supporters in next month's electoral battle that will determine membership in the Assembly of Experts.  The Assembly represents the authority of Islam in the Iranian 'revolutionary state', and will name Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's successor. 

Considered an extremist even by fellow mullahs, Ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi was a fringe figure in Iran's theocracy until last year's election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who views him as his ideological mentor.

 
He and his supporters will attempt to tighten the ultra-conservatives' political stranglehold next month by standing in elections for the Assembly of Experts, a group of theologians responsible for nominating a replacement for Ayatollah Khamenei, whose health is rumoured to be failing.

 
Opposing them will be a coalition of moderate conservatives led by former president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and members of the increasingly marginalised reformist movement, who have formed an alliance to prevent what both groups fear is a drift towards political extremism.

If war in Iran may now more than likely be coming--whether because Israel or the U.S. attack in order to derail its nuclear ambitions or because Mr Ahmadinejad sees the necessary vision--it will most certainly happen if Ayatollah Taghi Mesbah-Yazdi becomes head of state and Mr Ahmadinejad remains in power.