I've posted that in a couple of previous posts, most recently in my reply to Gar. To reproduce here:
Tariq Ali noted: "The mullah–bazaari nexus behind Rafsanjani has already thwarted Ahmadinejad's efforts to clean up the Oil Ministry, and remains entrenched in the Expediency Council" (at <http://www.newleftreview.net/NLR27201.shtml>). Ahmadinejad doesn't have to lose on this and other fights against the ruling class and clerical gerontocrats, if he could cultivate the sort of well organized mass following in Iran, including its military and militias, that Chavez has.
But that will take time, and this won't be the last intra-Iralian conflict over control of oil. The Chavez government (Chavez was first elected in 1998) couldn't move to retake the control of oil till 2001, when the Congress passed a package of 49 laws that included the hydrocarbon law that increased government control of oil. That's what in part triggered the US-backed coup and lockout attempts. The hydrocarbon law in Venezuela is still a work in progress, too: <http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=1961>.
That's what Ahmadinejad needs to do, but he's dealt a weaker hand than Chavez. Economic troubles and political collapse of the ruling-class party duopoly in Venezuela had cleared the political field for Chavez and Bolivarians. Not so in Iran. Ahmadinejad is the president of Iran, but Iran's military, police, and militias officially answer to Khamenei. Here's Iran's politico-economic class structure at the top in a nutshell:
<blockquote> At the top of the decision-making pyramid we have a Supreme Leader (Valli-e-Faghih) who is supposed to be the representative of God. Therefore, he practically and legally has the last word and the veto power on any important national or international decisions made by the government. He is not just the spiritual leader of the nation but also the ultimate political decision maker of the country. He controls the military, the police, radio and television and the judiciary system. Some of the most important commercial and industrial foundations are also directly or indirectly under his control.
Below the Supreme Leader are the Council of Guardians, the Expediency Council, and the Assembly of Experts. The Council of Guardians, the most powerful organ below the Supreme Leader, is legally the guardian of the entire system and therefore has veto power on the most vital decisions made by the government. In fact, its main function is supervision of each piece of legislation passed by the Majlis. Members of the Council of Guardians are selected by the Supreme Leader. If any serious differences arise between the Majlis and the Council of Guardians over legislation, the Expediency Council is to arbitrate. The head of the Expediency Council is also selected by the Supreme Leader.
The main function of the Assembly of Experts is to select the Supreme Leader. Members of this Assembly are elected in a general election. However, the candidates can only come from a select group of expert religious jurors whose qualifications are scrutinized by the Council of Guardians.
Two very important political factors characterize this power structure: first, the existence of decision-making organs, composed of a group of the most conservative right-wing clerics, forms a closed circle which is unaccountable to the public; Second, this small circle is practically impenetrable to "unfriendly elements." This small circle of Mullahs is also able to constrain the Supreme Leader. This ruling group has intimate relations with and the support of some of the richest and most powerful Bazaaris and merchant capitalists who control the Chamber of Commerce and the largest import-export companies.
(Morteza Mohit, "Background to the Parliamentary Elections in Iran," Monthly Review, March 2001)</blockquote>
That's the structure of the Islamic Republic that must be done away with. If Ahmadinejad is serious about his economic and other reforms, he will eventually be forced to choose between his agenda and the basic structure of the Islamic Republic.
-- Yoshie <http://montages.blogspot.com/> <http://mrzine.org> <http://monthlyreview.org/>