Rahnavard warns against extremists in Islamic Republic regime

Zahra Rahnavard and MirHosein Mousavi on campaign 2009

Iranian opposition leader, Zahra Rahnavard maintained that one faction of the Islamic Republic establishment that is in control of “arms, oil revenues and the media” is destroying the Islamic Republic regime.

In an interview with Kaleme website, Rahnavard said: “After the 1979 Revolution, those extremist and oppressive factions who had never been in power, assumed control with the ninth presidential election and now they are even willing to stage a coup d’etat in order to keep the power in their own hands.”

She maintained that the “oppression of dissidents” has resulted in a “vast chasm” between the people and the current government.

She stressed that state violence only leads to greater resistance in the Green Movement (anti-government movement) and added that the Green Movement is inclusive rather than “seditious or separatist.”

The Islamic Republic government has consistently accused the opposition of trying to topple the regime, a contention that the opposition leaders have denied at every turn maintaining that their demands are within the framework of the current constitution.

Rahanvard stated that she is willing to sacrifice her life “for the ideals of freedom, democracy and the rule of law,” and added that over three decades of Islamic Republic, she has always stood against oppressive treatment of people through her writings and speeches.

The opposition leader went on to say that she and her husband, MirHosein Mousavi, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s opponent in the last election, follow the same ideals as they started on the path of political activity together and have continued on together.

Rahanvard accompanied her husband in the presidential campaign in 2009 and was one of his most vocal advocates. Her presence in the campaign was unprecedented since Iranian women, not allowed to run for president, are excluded from campaigns as well.