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Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a stern warning to opponents today to stay off the streets as he denied claims that last week's elections had been rigged. In an uncompromising address at Friday prayers, Khamenei claimed that the high turnout at the elections showed how much the Iranian people supported the regime, and blamed western powers for interfering in Iranian politics
In an uncompromising address at Friday prayers, Khamenei claimed that the high turnout at the elections showed how much the Iranian people supported the regime, and blamed western powers for interfering in Iranian politics
The speech now creates a clear dilemma for Mousavi and his supporters: do they return to the streets in open defiance of Khamenei or drop their demands? Prior to today's speech, Mousavi had called on the opposition movement to gather in Tehran tomorrow afternoon for a rally, but many may now feel too fearful of a crackdown by the authorities.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, has spoken publicly for the first time about with his country's disputed presidential election results. His comments followed massive street protests against the poll outcome, which showed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the incument president, winning with 66 per cent of the vote. Analysts gave their opinions to Al Jazeera on the speech made during Friday prayers at Tehran University.
His comments followed massive street protests against the poll outcome, which showed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the incument president, winning with 66 per cent of the vote.
Analysts gave their opinions to Al Jazeera on the speech made during Friday prayers at Tehran University.
There is also great danger for Khamenei here in that any attempt to seriously crack-down will create a large number of martyrs. In Islam and particularly in Iran this presents a great challenge to the ruling power and undermines the legitimacy of the "Islamic Republic."
I think the legitimacy of the Republic has already been largely undermined. If the Ayatollah goes further he will lose the support of the masses entirely. There are two foundations of the Islamic Republic of Iran that are critical for its legitimacy with the people: Respect for Islamic principles and respect for the will of the people. A violent suppression of protest at this juncture would constitute a violation of Islamic principle and the second has already occurred.
Even after a week of protests disputing incumbent President Ahmadinejad's landslide victory in the Iranian election, the EU still keeps a low diplomatic profile. Several newspapers across the continent are suggesting that this might have something to do with European economic interests in the Islamic republic.
But it basically spells the end of the Iranian theocracy. Civilised democratic change working within thoecratic limits has been rejected and so sooner or later, and definitely within the time period of the next election, there will be another uprising. Only that one will be as bloody and dangerous as the toppling of the shah. keep to the Fen Causeway
The 1953 Iranian coup d'état was the Western-led covert operation that deposed the democratically-elected government of Iranian Prime Minister Mohammed Mosaddeq.[1][2][3] The coup was organized by the United States' CIA and the United Kingdom's MI6, who aided and abetted anti-Mosaddeq royalists and mutinous Iranian army officers in overthrowing the Prime Minister.[4] CIA officer Kermit Roosevelt, Jr. organized Operation Ajax[5] to aid retired General Fazlollah Zahedi and Imperial Guard Colonel Nematollah Nassiri to establish a pro-US and pro-UK government, by bribing Iranian government officials, reporters, and businessmen.[6]
I will say that if the govt. succeeds in crushing this rebellion it will be very violent and only temporariliy successful. I expect there are many within the clerical, military and parlimantary establishment there who see this the same way.
There is definitely a way to move forward here and the whole thing seems balanced on a pivot at this moment. On which side will weight come down?
The supreme leader described those alleging flaws in the June 12 election as "enemies."
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