The end of Ahmadinejad?

“Iran has become a one-party system: the party of Khamenei,” said Karim Sadjadpour, an Iran analyst at the Carnegie Endowment. “The most important qualification for aspiring members of parliament is obsequiousness to the Supreme Leader.”

Ahmadinejad may pay the price for failing to conform to this rule in a March 2 election expected to erode his support in parliament, which has summoned him for an unprecedented grilling next month, mainly over his handling of the economy.

“Khamenei likes to divide and rule,” Sadjadpour said. “For that reason he may see it in his interests to weaken Ahmadinejad’s faction but keep it on life support.”…

“I can’t see many people voting and in any case the competition is limited to Ahmadinejad and Khamanei candidates,” he said. “Given that the Revolutionary Guard want to take more seats, this will signify greater strength for Khamenei inasmuch as these candidates are currently identifying with the Leader.”