Dissent at home: Many within our family disagree with Khamenei, says his nephew

Mahin Gorji of Radio Farda spoke to Mahmoud Tehrani, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's nephew, who resides in Paris. Tehrani is the son of Khamenei's sister. Radio Farda is the Persian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, based in Prague and financed by the US Congress.

Mahmoud Tehrani: 
Unfortunately, many Iranians believed until recently that this regime could be reformed... and that this could be done through words and policies. But this election and Ahmadinejad's rise to power made it clear that these people cannot be reformed through civil and lawful words, or through politics. Positions have thus been somewhat radicalized and opposition has become more forceful. These gentlemen (NB aghayoun or gentlemen is widely used in Iran to refer to regime insiders) would not confront the conservative wing [in this manner] several years ago. But after the elections, when it became apparent that they're not even prepared to give the post of president to anyone else and that they're willing to employ force to hold on to the presidency, positions were somewhat radicalized.

I even have news from within our family... many within the family disagreed with Ali Khamenei -- his words or the policies of the Islamic Republic -- but out of consideration [for him] they kept silent until the elections.

Radio Farda: 
After the election, many people like Mehdi Karroubi strived to restore the rights of the citizens, whom they believed had been wronged. Why, in the face of such peaceful actions, are they treating people like Mr. [Alireza] Beheshti (NB head of the committee investigating the deaths and abuse of protesters, arrested yesterday) or Mr. [Morteza] Alviri (NB head of the committee looking into election fraud, arrested yesterday), or even Mr. Karroubi [whose office was shut down yesterday], in this manner?

Mahmoud Tehrani: 
The Islamic Republic has always employed violent words and deeds against the people and any opposition. They started killing from the day they came to power. They see anyone who does not repeat what they say or disagrees with them -- be they clerics or western-suited -- as mohareb or against God. They consider themselves to be God and that's how it's been from the start. Violence, for this portion of the Islamic Republic, has become... not a habit, but a religious duty.

Radio Farda: 
Who's paying the price for this? Political parties, the people, or ultimately the regime itself?

Mahmoud Tehrani: 
Any change has a price. It seems that everyone is paying a price now.

Radio Farda: 
In the past, Ayatollah Khamenei had the last word in resolving political disputes. Has Ayatollah Khamenei been able to handle things successfully until now?

Mahmoud Tehrani: 
I think that my uncle, Ali Khamenei, is a tool for Ahmadinejad, Mesbah Yazdi, and the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC). If he's not an accomplice in their crimes, he's at least their tool. He can't do anything. If he takes one step back, his leadership will be destroyed and his side will fall apart. I don't even think that he has had much power for years. It is not impossible that all these operations are being led by the IRGC and Ali Khamenei has to go along to hold on to his position. He won't do or say anything. We haven't heard anything in particular from Ali Khamenei since June 14. He's just repeated Ahmadinejad's words.