Ahmadinejad top aide shares Iran ‘survival’ secret

The Islamic system’s adherence to keep an “unbreakable connection” between its legitimacy and popularity is the key to its survival, a senior Ahmadinejad official said Sunday.

Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei, a senior aide to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his chief of staff, said governments around the globe consider efficacy as the sole assurance for their survival.

He said the Islamic system in Iran, however, has based its existence on its efficacy as well as legitimacy and popularity among thenation. Mashaei said the government’s popularity was proven when millions of people took to the ballots in June and re-elected President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, a senior member of Iran’s Expediency Council, said in July that the Iranian government is legitimized by “civil and Islamic laws” when it has the approval of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

“Marxist regimes and liberal democratic governments have all failed because they lacked one or both legitimacy and popularity,” Mashaei was quoted by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) as saying.

The chief of staff said the establishment’s mentality has allowed Iran to disregard the obsolete, standard political equations and rules in the world and plan its actions differently.

“This is the very reason why since the victory of the Islamic Revolution [in 1979] the powers in the East and West have strategically united against the Islamic system,” he said. “They have and will not neglect any opportunity to slow down the significant advancements of the system,” including peaceful nuclear energy.

“Whenever a government or an establishment is met with the ire of arrogant countries and the centers of power affiliated with them, it wins the heart of the nations across the globe,” Mashaei said, adding that “this phenomenon is obvious in the case of Iran.”

Their latest anti-Iran move, Mashaei said, was seen when global powers intervened in the country’s internal affairs following the presidential election in a bid to create chaos.

Protests erupted in Iran after the vote with supporters of the defeated presidential candidates raised allegations of vote fraud. The demonstrations on some occasions turned violent and public property was damaged by vandals several times.

Iran has accused the West, in particular Britain and the United States, as well as Israel of orchestrating the riots.

A number of foreigners were arrested after the election on charges of carrying out acts espionage and participating in efforts to overthrow the Islamic establishment.

Mashaei urged officials at the Public Relations departments of all executive organizations to publicize the government’s “activities and services” and be wary of the “acts of sedition” that are carried out with the aim of “slowing down” the establishment and the Islamic Revolution.