Former president Hashemi Rafsanjani issued yet another warning during last week’s ‎congregational prayers calling on government officials to stop making comments that ‎may endanger the nation. Unlike previous times when administration officials dismissed ‎any such warnings and responded with harsh attacks, no official reaction has been voiced ‎yet. ‎

Last week, former president Mohammad Khatami said that the public’s awareness of the ‎country and world’s general affairs must increase, and that it is the people’s right to know ‎what is taking place in their country and abroad. ‎

Hashemi Rafsanjani, who also serves in the Expediency Council and is the president of ‎the powerful Assembly of Experts, made his remarks on the anniversary of 13 Aban, ‎when Iranian revolutionaries took over the U.S. embassy and kept dozens of American ‎diplomats hostage for more than a year. Rafsanjani also referred to the Greater Middle ‎East Initiative as one of the enemy’s many conspiracies: “The enemy has dangerous ‎thoughts in mind and it is necessary that people and officials are alert.” ‎

Noting that Iran is facing threats, sanctions and negative attacks, Rafsanjani said, “During ‎the [Iran-Iraq] war, we were victims of chemical weapons but we did not even embark on ‎making or using chemical weapons, not even to retaliate. Our people and officials must ‎be alert in order to courageously protect the people’s interests in these times, and not ‎allow thoughtless and careless remarks to cause trouble for people and set our interest on ‎fire.” ‎

Meanwhile, inaugurating a petrochemical plant in the Southern Pars area, Ahmadinejad ‎warned Europeans not to support the U.S. and its plans for Iran. ‎

Emrooz website noted that though Rafsanjani has made such warnings several times ‎before, his warning this time was much more serious and carried a different tone. ‎

In its main editorial, E’temad Melli daily wrote that Rafsanjani’s warning cannot be ‎regarded just as another development in Iran’s domestic struggle for power. According ‎to this paper, a quick glance on the material published in reputable sources and White ‎House briefs shows that significant events will take place in the future. ‎

E’temad Melli also wrote we should not forget that people like Rafsanani, Karoubi, ‎Khatami, Sanei, Nateq-Nouri, and Mahdavi Kani have a more important role in ‎protecting and defending the Islamic revolution and Republic than the newcomers. ‎

Diplomat and long-time ally of Rafsanjani, Morteza Banak, summed up Rafsanjani’s ‎warning: “More than half a century of experience in politics has trained Mr. Rafsanjani ‎well in the area of politics, and by examining the issues, information and the news that he ‎receives Rafsanjani has realized that Iran is in a special situation.” ‎