Heydar Moslehi

Heydar Moslehi served as Iran's Minister of Intelligence during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's second term (2009–2013). His appointment became the epicentre of the Ahmadinejad–Khamenei power struggle: Ahmadinejad attempted to dismiss Moslehi in 2011, but Ali Khamenei publicly overruled the dismissal — prompting Ahmadinejad to boycott cabinet meetings for eleven days. This was the most visible public rupture in the Ahmadinejad–Khamenei relationship. A mid-ranking cleric, Moslehi had previously been head of the Organisation of Islamic Endowments and was an Ahmadinejad loyalist until the falling out.