The intelligence minister was at the center of one of Iran’s most public political feuds. Khamenei last year demanded Moslehi keep the post despite objections from Ahmadinejad, who was so angered that he boycotted government meetings for more than a week. In response, the ruling clerics arrested dozens of Ahmadinejad’s allies and left him politically weakened entering his final year in office.
A journalist at Tehran’s moderate Shargh newspaper, Soroush Farhadian, interprets the new website as an effort by intelligence agency to gain its own voice.
‘‘One of the objectives is to demonstrate its independent position rather than speaking through the semiofficial news agencies,’’ he said.
There is also a potential for touches of candor amid the high-voltage propaganda. One article appears to buck the official line that sanctions on Iran’s oil exports are meaningless. It notes Iran has ‘‘paid heavy costs’’ in its showdown with the West.
‘‘On the one hand, Iran has faced problems with a cut in its main source of revenue. On the other hand, the West has taken all measures to force Iran to give up its nuclear program,’’ the post said. ‘‘Despite all the costs suffered by the West to stop Iran’s nuclear program, the Islamic Republic has continued its path and the West has failed.’’
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Murphy reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
