Reformist Iranian leader Mehdi Karroubi called Sunday on the Assembly of Experts (AE) to face the “despotism” of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Karroubi, a Green Movement opposition leader, has called upon the AE to hold Khamenei accountable for three decades of policies that have pushed the country to its current situation.
In a letter published on Sunday by Saham News, Karroubi has criticized AE members for showering Khamenei with praise.
The AE has a constitutional role to supervise the Supreme Leader.
“In the absence of effective supervision of AE over the Leader and institutions directly controlled by him, including the Guardian Council, the Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Baseej militia, judiciary, state radio and TV, as wells numerous foundations and economic entities across Iran, the country and its people have been irrevocably damaged in the past three decades,” the Green Movement leader wrote in his letter.
Karroubi, a former speaker of parliament, said the constitution needs another amendment in favor of putting the ruling establishment under the nation’s supervision and forever end the era of power being monopolized by a single individual.
He said Khamenei should explain the reasons behind the involvement of IRGC, Baseej militia and Police in banking and oil trade.
“I explicitly say that under such management, the country has been pushed back to the pre-Constitution Qajar dynasty era,” he wrote.
In 2011, Karroubi, former Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mousavi and his wife Zahra Rahnavard were placed under house arrest after they challenged the 2009 presidential election.
This is Karroubi’s second letter this year in which he violently criticizes the policies of the Supreme Leader.
Last March, Karroubi had addressed a letter to Khamenei saying he should be blamed for the country’s chaotic political, economic, cultural and social conditions.
