More signs that Iran's mullahcracy cannot be reformed

Some observers interpret recent events in Iran as signals that Tehran might be moderating its law enforcement practices. These supposed indications include comments by Iran’s attorney general that the operations of the Morality Police would be suspended, as well as a conciliatory statement by Iran’s supreme leader that women with bad hijab practices are still children of the revolution.

But the appointment of hardliner Ahmad-Reza Radan as national police chief is the latest reminder that the Iranian system is unreformable. …

This move by the supreme leader likely signaled a desire for Radan’s ideological orientation and skillset. Radan once framed improper hijab practices as “part of the enemy’s soft war against us.” His ascendance at LEC would demonstrate the Iranian establishment’s desire to more fully reinvigorate the atmosphere that was in place during the Ahmadinejad era. That, combined with Radan’s experience at the helm of multiple provincial LEC commands in restive provinces, and his experience during the 2009 Green Movement, signals Khamenei’s desire for a more hardened figure in the top LEC job.