Motalefeh

Motalefeh is the short name for an Iranian political organization, Jamiat’haye Motalefeh Islami, or Unified Islamic Associations. It was formed in 1963, as a conservative group made up of Islamic clubs, conservative clerics and merchants. Specifically, it is an alliance between the clerics of the ulama and the powerful bazaari merchant class. Members control much of the economy not dependent on oil. They oppose political reforms, but divided regarding economic reforms; factions oppose foreign investment and integration of Iran in the global economy.

During the Pahlavi regime, its members assassinated the Shah’s Prime Minister Ali Mansour and several other political figures. In 2005, a cleric associated with the party, Hamid-Reza Taraghi, told the state news agency, “The circumstances for women to be ministers in the cabinet do not exist, but probably they can become deputies”.

Its current leader, Habibollah Asgar Owladi is part of a panel, proposed by Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khameini and Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanhani, to calm protests resulting from the 2009 Iranian Presidential election.