TEHRAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday warned the authorities against making arrests of members in his government whom he vowed to defend, IRNA state news agency reported.
"I consider defending the cabinet as my duty… the cabinet is a red line and if they want to touch the cabinet, then defending it is my duty," Ahmadinejad was quoted as telling reporters after a cabinet meeting.
Ahmadinejad’s remarks came almost a week after the reported arrest of people close to his under-fire chief of staff, Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie.
"From our point of view these moves and pressures are political… to put pressure on the government," said the president, whose government includes parliament-confirmed ministers and directly appointed vice-presidents.
"Our position is one of silence but in any case if they want to continue it and under different pretexts want to accuse our colleagues in the cabinet, then I have a legal, national and ethical duty to defend my colleagues," he said.
Mohammad Sharif Malekzadeh, a former member of Ahmadinejad’s entourage who worked under Mashaie, was reportedly arrested on "financial charges" on Thursday last week after being forced out of a diplomatic post by conservative lawmakers.
Two more officials close to Mashaie, who were in charge of two free trade zones across the country, were arrested in the following days, media reported.
Hamid Baghaie, a vice-president, has recently been accused by the judiciary and conservatives of abusing power in several obscure cases.
The reported arrests came as ultra-conservatives, who accuse Mashaie of exerting too much influence over Ahmadinejad, have stepped up pressure on the president to dismiss his controversial confidant.
The regime’s conservatives, the Shia clergy and the elite Revolutionary Guards also accuse Mashaie of leading "a current of deviation" aimed at undermining the Islamic regime.
In his statement on Wednesday, Ahmadinejad called for government members to be respected.
"The supreme leader has repeatedly emphasized the issue of respecting people’s right in judicial proceedings," he said.
"The status and reputation of individuals should be respected, especially government members who are working 24 hours and have no time to spare for defending themselves."
The Iranian president urged officials to work "hand in hand" to assist in preserving the "privacy of individuals," and maintaining "calm" in the country.
A day earlier supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged Iranian media, politicians and judiciary to refrain from naming those arrested by the judiciary.
"If a person’s crime has not yet been proven, the name of that person (and the accusations) should not be publicized… I address not only the judiciary, but also officials outside the branch as well as the media," said Khamenei, adding public opinion is "unable to differentiate between the accused and the person who is actually found guilty."
