In Iran, a Cabinet Member's Ouster Reveals a Divide in Government

Conservative political forces within the Majlis, Iran's parliament, successfully impeached and removed Minister of Science Reza Faraji-Dana on Aug. 20, citing alleged ties to the 2009 seditionist and student-led Green movement. Faraji-Dana's impeachment and removal from office is part of a larger debate within Iran's political and leadership circles regarding the evolving nature and future of the Islamic republic. Specifically, hard-liners within conservative circles of politicians, clerics and members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps are seeking to maintain power in order to counter the rise of more moderate and reformist trends within Iran's ruling establishment. Ultimately, this has led to the current focus on limiting Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's authority, especially over the ongoing nuclear negotiations with the United States.