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OPINION

Iran a Threat Regardless of Its Leadership

Iran a Threat Regardless of Its Leadership
A clergyman supporting Iranian presidential candidate cleric Ebrahim Raisi for the May 19 presidential election, during a campaign in downtown Tehran, Iran recently. Raisi is believed to be the favorite of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who will remain Iran's top decision-maker. It's unclear whether Raisi will be able to unseat moderate President Hassan Rouhani. (Vahid Salemi/AP)

Frank Gaffney By Friday, 19 May 2017 09:35 AM EDT Current | Bio | Archive

One of the most dangerous regimes on the planet – the Islamic Republic of Iran – will hold presidential elections today. Even though the race is increasingly closely contested, the winner is already known, and he’s not even a candidate.

That would be Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran’s so-called supreme leader.

The only suspense is whether the incumbent president, Hassan Rouhani, remains in office. It appears the aging and ailing Khamenei may want him replaced by one of his trusted, hard-line fellow clerics – and a possible successor as supreme leader – Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi.

Make no mistake, under either man, Iran will be a great and growing threat. At least that will be more obvious if – instead of a phony, so-called "moderate" like Rouhani – it’s President Raisi, whose elevation will make it impossible to pretend we can do business with the mullahs in Tehran.

Frank Gaffney, Jr. is president of the Center for Security Policy (CSP), a columnist for The Washington Times, and host of the nationally syndicated program, Secure Freedom Radio. Read more reports from Frank Gaffney, Jr. — Click Here Now.

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FrankGaffney
One of the most dangerous regimes on the planet, the Islamic Republic of Iran, will hold presidential elections soon. Make no mistake, Iran will be a great, growing threat, making it impossible to pretend we can do business with the mullahs in Tehran.
islamic, mullahs, republic, tehran
183
2017-35-19
Friday, 19 May 2017 09:35 AM
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