Valayateh Faqih in Disarray

Abstract

Khomeini’s theories about a future polity, as described in Valayateh Faqih, proved untenable in practice. But his political ingenuity, flexible loyalty and ability to play various supporters against one another, helped to sustain him in power. Khomeini was well-versed in the skills of political manipulation, which had traditionally facilitated the accommodation of differing shades of opinions, under the guise of collegiality, within the religious institution. He maintained uneasy alliances by ruthless purges of the army, the removal of all the top echelons of the civil service and a relentless killing of all dissidents.¹From the very first years, all opposition groups were driven underground. By August 1979, Khomeini had decided that the wrath of Allah should fall on all conspirators, and immediately closed down all independent publications for ‘contravening the people’s will’.² Within a year of his return, the regime issued a press code which made it a crime to criticise Khomeini. At the same time the Ministry of Information was renamed as Ministry of National Guidance. Its remit was to ensure that the media supported the Islamic Republic, acted as an efficient propaganda tool and did not report the rapidly growing factionalism within the government.³ Though not often reported, the differences remained unresolved.