Iran opposition leader puts supporters on red alert

MirHosein Mousavi

Opposition leader, MirHosein Mousavi expressed concern over the suspect circumstances surrounding the tearing of Ayatollah Khomeini’s picture and cautioned his supporters to be aware of possible government retaliation against them.

Following the reaffirmation of election protests on December 7 during National Students Day events, Iran national television network, Seda va Sima broadcast images of people tearing the picture of the deceased leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

Pro-government forces insist that Mousavi’s supporters are responsible for this action while the opposition leader told Jomhuri Eslami daily that he is certain that students would never engage in such an action.

Seda va Sima’s decision to broadcast the images has been condemned by scores of reformist leaders and groups, and the foundation in charge of Ayatollah Khomeini’s writings also criticized Seda va Sima’s actions.

Since this broadcast, conservative forces have staged demonstrations against reformists all across Iran.

Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi, Tehran’s prosecutor has announced that the judiciary will deal decisively with those who have committed this offence.

The reformist website Kalameh warned election protesters that this seems like a premeditated scenario to “offend Imam Khomeini” and blame it on student activists at the universities. Kalameh warns that the whole episode appears to be a set up for further suppression of the Green Movement.

Rouydad website also reports that according to “reliable sources” conditions are being set up for the arrest of MirHosein Mousavi and “senior government officials” are pursuing the matter.

Rouydad writes: “A while ago in a meeting with Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader criticized the continuation of the protests. Some security officials proposed that only the arrest of MirHosein Mousavi would put an end to the protests.”

Norooz website, news outlet for the Participation Front, has also forecast the imminent arrest of the opposition leader, MirHosein Mousavi.