[Debate] (Fwd) Iran protests

[Patrick Bond]

Iran: relentless protests
Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:05

In a rare move, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was due to 
lead weekly Muslim prayers on Friday after tens of thousands of 
supporters of defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi 
demonstrated for a sixth straight day.

Keeping up the pressure on the Islamic regime over the disputed vote, 
the rally came as the electoral watchdog, the Guardians Council, said it 
was investigating 646 complaints of poll violations from Mousavi and the 
other two losing candidates.

The council also invited the trio to set out their grievances on 
Saturday, with a decision on Sunday about any possible recount in the 12 
June election which returned hardline incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to 
power.

On Thursday Mousavi joined the crowds, most of whom were dressed in 
black as a mark of mourning for demonstrators killed in clashes during 
the protests, which have been banned by the authorities, witnesses said.

The crowds dispersed quietly about five hours later, witnesses said.

State radio has reported seven deaths since the protests started.

Foreign journalists have been barred from attending all rallies or other 
events without express authority.

'A doctored ballot box'

Protesters carried pictures of Mousavi — who is demanding a new election 
— and placards bearing slogans such as "We have not had people killed to 
compromise and accept a doctored ballot box," one witness said.

Mousavi appeared despite warnings from the hardline Basij militia — 
which has been at the forefront of action against protests — for 
defeated candidates to dissociate themselves from "rioters."

Facing their biggest crisis since the 1979 revolution against the shah, 
Iran's Islamic rulers have gone on the offensive.

They arrested protesters and prominent reformists, tightened their grip 
on the media and lashed out at "meddling" by foreign foes, including the 
United States.

Khamenei, who will lead Friday's prayers in the presence of the Basij 
militia, said he would consider a partial recount after Ahmadinejad's 
defeated challengers lodged formal complaints of vote-rigging.

Meanwhile state television reported that a plot with "extensive ties" to 
unnamed foreign interests had been uncovered to carry out bombings in 
Tehran on election day.

Strained international relations

World powers have raised concern about the violence and widespread 
arrests, with EU leaders set on Friday to condemn their use against 
protesters.

According to a draft statement Tehran will also be urged to investigate 
the claims of electoral fraud.

"The European Union is observing the response to the protests across 
Iran with serious concern," said the statement to be agreed by the 
European leaders at a two-day Brussels summit.

"It strongly condemns the use of violence against protesters resulting 
in the deaths of several people," continues the text, seen by AFP.

On Wednesday, Iran had summoned the Swiss ambassador, who represents US 
interests in Iran, to protest at what it called "interfering remarks" by 
American officials.

The White House on Thursday defended President Barack Obama's stance on 
Iran's crisis, amid fresh Republican demands for him to strongly back 
demonstrators.

"The president believes that he's struck the right tone as do others in 
the administration, as do others in the Republican Party, as do others 
in the Democratic Party," said White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs.

Obama has warned that universal rights of peaceful protest should be 
honored, but has refused to pick sides in the post-election showdown.

Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon has rejected Tehran's urging 
that Ottawa "stay out" of Iran's internal politics.

Cracks emerging within the elite

In a sign of cracks emerging within the Iranian elite, several 
influential clerics spoke out about the election results and the 
subsequent crackdowns.

Ayatollah Mehdi Hadavi Tehrani called on Thursday for Interior Minister 
Sadeq Mahouli to be impeached.

The combative Ahmadinejad — who set Iran on a collision course with the 
West during his first four-year term — remained defiant, saying his 
victory showed faith in his government of "honesty and service to the 
people".

In new measures against the media, the elite Revolutionary Guards told 
websites to delete material that "creates tensions" or face legal 
action, while the foreign ministry accused some media of becoming the 
"mouthpiece of the rioters' movement."

The media curbs prompted protests on Thursday in Paris, where several 
dozen journalists and the press watchdog Reporters Without Borders 
staged a rally outside the Iranian embassy.

Pictures, videos and updates from Iran's streets continue to pour in to 
social-networking and image-sharing websites such as Twitter, Facebook 
and YouTube despite Iranian efforts to cut off mobile phones and the 
Internet.

Some jumpy amateur video footage broadcast on the Internet has shown 
chaotic and sometimes brutal scenes of violence, with police beating 
protesters. One image purportedly showed a protester shot dead during 
Monday's massive demonstrations.

Human rights groups on Thursday urged US lawmakers to revive rules that 
would punish US firms which help authoritarian governments crack down on 
local computer users.

AFP