Iranian president’s associates accused of sorcery

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s 25 associates have been recently arrested for “witchcraft” and “summoning spirits”. This is a new, bizarre form of fight for political power in Tehran between revolution leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei and Ahmadinejad. Iranian president’s associates accused of sorcery According to the media, among the arrested men is Abbas Ghaffari who is allegedly the president’s personal exorcist. Ghaffari, was described by conservative Iranian newspaper Ayandeh as "a man with special skills in metaphysics and connections with unknown worlds." He has reportedly been accused of summoning a genie, who caused his interrogator to have a heart attack. Abbas Amirifar, head of the president's cultural office, was also arrested, Zurich-based daily Neue Zurcher Zeitung writes. He is accused of circulating a controversial film, "The Appearance Is Imminent", which praised Ahmadinejad, as well as Khamenei, for paving the way for the return of the 12th imam, the Hidden Imam Mahdi, one of Shi'a Islam's holiest figures, whose return to earth is supposed to herald a new era of peace. Conservative religious leaders, however, argue that the return of the 12th imam cannot be predicted. The Iranian president himself has made supernatural claims, telling followers in 2005 that he was surrounded by a halo of light during a speech to the UN General Assembly, in which the foreign leaders in the hall were transfixed, unable to blink for a half hour. Ahmadinejad and Khamanei used to be united, but the ayatollah refused to hug the president during his inauguration for the second term in office in 2009. The conflict intensified during the last several weeks. Ahmadinejad did not attend any meeting of his cabinet for ten days until last week. This was his way of protest against Khamanei’s decision to reinstate the intelligence minister he had fired. Conservative groups close to the ayatollah have accused the president of surrounding himself with dissidents. According to them, Chief of Staff Rahim Mashei is the most controversial person because he is too liberal and not religious enough. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Beta, file)

Iranian president’s associates accused of sorcery

According to the media, among the arrested men is Abbas Ghaffari who is allegedly the president’s personal exorcist.

Ghaffari, was described by conservative Iranian newspaper Ayandeh as "a man with special skills in metaphysics and connections with unknown worlds."

He has reportedly been accused of summoning a genie, who caused his interrogator to have a heart attack.

Abbas Amirifar, head of the president's cultural office, was also arrested, Zurich-based daily Neue Zurcher Zeitung writes.

He is accused of circulating a controversial film, "The Appearance Is Imminent", which praised Ahmadinejad, as well as Khamenei, for paving the way for the return of the 12th imam, the Hidden Imam Mahdi, one of Shi'a Islam's holiest figures, whose return to earth is supposed to herald a new era of peace.

Conservative religious leaders, however, argue that the return of the 12th imam cannot be predicted.

The Iranian president himself has made supernatural claims, telling followers in 2005 that he was surrounded by a halo of light during a speech to the UN General Assembly, in which the foreign leaders in the hall were transfixed, unable to blink for a half hour.

Ahmadinejad and Khamanei used to be united, but the ayatollah refused to hug the president during his inauguration for the second term in office in 2009.

The conflict intensified during the last several weeks. Ahmadinejad did not attend any meeting of his cabinet for ten days until last week.

This was his way of protest against Khamanei’s decision to reinstate the intelligence minister he had fired.

Conservative groups close to the ayatollah have accused the president of surrounding himself with dissidents.

According to them, Chief of Staff Rahim Mashei is the most controversial person because he is too liberal and not religious enough.