In Iran, New Board Suggests Weakened Political System

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani have both welcomed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's move to create a new arbitration body to mediate disputes between the three branches of the state. The move to create this new institution, and the choice of its composition and leadership, underscores the extent to which Iran's political system has weakened. Institutional add-ons such as this new body are unlikely to have the intended effect; rather, they are more likely to contribute to the complexity of decision-making and exacerbate the power struggle.