Iran's Khamenei warns opposition leaders

[demoleft]

Source: afp

TEHRAN — Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned opposition leaders on Sunday to distance themselves from protesters whom he accused of acting "against Islam."

"Those who shout slogans in the name of these people (opposition leaders), hoist their pictures and speak of them with respect are in a point which is the exact opposite of Imam (founder of the revolution Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini), revolution and Islam," Khamenei said on state television.
...
Khamenei has accused Western powers of instigating the post-vote unrest, and on Sunday warned the opposition leaders that "they should realise something is wrong with them when US, French and British leaders, who are the embodiment of tyranny, support them.

"They should be warned when they see all corrupt people, monarchists, communists, exiled dancers and musicians support them," said the all-powerful leader.


Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jvmWxI_BHLr6N4EeepgNA06wy--w

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"They should be warned when they see all corrupt people, monarchists, communists, exiled dancers and musicians support them" -
haha :), damn. give him a camomile.

[east texas lib]

1. Those damned dissidents...

Just when you think you have complete control, someone rocks the boat!:D

[Wizard777]

2. The problem is that the People see little or no difference between Ayatollah Khamenei and the Shah.

Both are oppressive leaders with absolute power that will not allow the people to govern themselves. They have only traded a Prince for a Pontiff. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIiUqfxFttM">But that's life.

[acsmith]

9. ?????????

what? apart from the shah was an american puppet. they at least know that difference.

idiot.

[Wizard777]

14. ??????? Is an appropriate response for someone that does not know the dynamics of Iranian History.

[yava]

15. other similarities with the fall of the Shah

The following comments do not predict a fall of the theocracy in Iran.
Rather, they tend to explain why the opposition leaders and "Mousavi" in particular are still free and expressing themselves in public and on the web.

Rumor has it that the "revolutionary guards" (the Pasdaran) are deeply divided in their sympathies/loyalty between Mousavi (the then prime minister of Khomeini) under whom they fought the war against Iraq (500,000 died) and Khamenei (the then president and now supreme leader).
There are also rumors about the Iranian army (Artesh) being allied with the opposition wing of the guards (Pasdaran).

Some unconfirmed reports indicate the the army is confined to their barracks so the soldiers would not intervene in the streets on the people's side in case there is an uprising.

Something may happen this or next week but the battle is mostly behind closed doors and within the regime.

[pampango]

3. "Iran opposition accused of insulting founder Khomeini"-BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8410558.stm

"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged opposition leaders to "identify "those behind the insult to Imam Khomeini". The remarks centre on an alleged incident last Monday during which a poster of Imam Khomeini was torn up. Opposition leaders say the alleged incident - shown on state television - has been doctored.

The disputed election led to the largest street protests since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, with thousands arrested and dozens killed. Opposition supporters have been banned from demonstrating - but last Monday, when the alleged incident occurred, they used an officially sanctioned event to protest.

In his remarks, broadcast on state TV on Sunday, Iran's Supreme Leader said: "Some people created riots and encouraged people to stand against the system... paving the way for our hopeless enemies to undermine the Islamic revolution."

His warning on the alleged insult to the republic's founder, were echoed by a statement issued by the Revolutionary Guards. "We, as followers of Imam Khomeini, will not tolerate any shortcoming in identifying, trying and punishing those behind the insult and those who carried it out," their statement said.

[AverageJoe5]

4. Sore losers

The students are behaving like sore losers; they should accept the fact that their preferred candidate lost the election.

[DavidDvorkin]

5. That sounds familiar

Takes me back, it does. About nine years.

[iandhr]

6. you seriously think the election was fair?

[acsmith]

10. what about gore-bush?

should the UN have invaded the US because of that?

[zerox]

13. Who is calling for the UN to invade?

I don't seem to see that posted anywhere here.

[Marthian]

7. The students are behaving

like people who have a political grievance against their government, "Average"Joe.

[iandhr]

8. There grievance is legitimate

All that happened as a result of the revolution is they traded one from of dictatorship for another

[acsmith]

11. you mean their.

there is a difference between their, there and they're.

[zerox]

12. This doesn't have a lot to do with the election anymore.

Things have moved beyond that in Iran.