Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, endorsed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Sunday, May 29, in what seemed an attempt to resolve a months-long rift among the country's conservative power elite.

“Undermining Iran’s economy, creating discord among the officials, and weakening Islamic beliefs and sentiments are part of the scenario of the enemies of Islam,” Tehran Times quoted Khamenei as saying during a meeting with parliamentarians. “The enemy has openly directed its efforts toward economic issues in order to cripple Iran’s economy and dash the people’s hopes.”

He said the main goal “of the arrogant powers’ propaganda machine is to “pollute the atmosphere and obstruct the process of enhancing nations’ awareness.”