An article published on October 21, 2010, was relevant to my research paper so I decided to post it tonight. My paper asserts that Shi'ite clerics possess an ability to dominate the political process in Iran. This article clearly portrays how Shi'ite clerics are essential to the stability and legitimacy of the Iranian post-revolutionary government. In many ways, Iran's present constitutional provisions guarantee that the nation will remain Shi'ite for quite some time. In way may seem very nostalgic, Iranian revolutionary leaders decided to continue the "Islamic Revolution" that succeeded in toppling the Shah's government in 1979 by establishing what is effectively a modern day theocracy. Shi'ism, which is the dominant Muslim sect in the country, is afforded special status in the constitution itself. This article gives credence to my claim that political leaders must ally themselves with Shi'ite clerics to exercise political power. In fact, the entire government may need clerical support to maintain its fragile hold on legitimacy within the nation. The article shows Khamenei in his recent efforts to end intra-government and clerical factionalism over the re-election of Ahmadinejad in 2008. He stressed the need to exude national unity in the face of foreign threats. This inherent fear of "foreign manipulation" is also part of my paper. Due to cultural factors and the history of the Iranian culture, contemporary Iranian leaders are able to galvanize support for the government and maintain legitimacy through both advertising the possibility of threats from foreign governments and receiving open support from Muslim clerics. I have included two links: one to the original article and one to Khamenei's personal website.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE69K32Z20101021
http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1372&Itemid=2
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