Iran's senior ayatollah slams election, confirming split

Iran's senior ayatollah slams election, confirming split

www.mcclatchydc.com

TEHRAN, Iran — Supporters of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his main rival in the disputed presidential election, Mir Hossein Mousavi, massed in competing rallies Tuesday as the country's most senior Islamic cleric threw his weight behind opposition charges that Ahmadinejad's re-election was rigged.

"No one in their right mind can believe" the official results from Friday's contest, Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri said of the landslide victory claimed by Ahmadinejad. Montazeri accused the regime of handling Mousavi's charges of fraud and the massive protests of his

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TEHRAN, Iran — Supporters of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his main rival in the disputed presidential election, Mir Hossein Mousavi, massed in competing rallies Tuesday as the country's most senior Islamic cleric threw his weight behind opposition charges that Ahmadinejad's re-election was rigged.

"No one in their right mind can believe" the official results from Friday's contest, Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri said of the landslide victory claimed by Ahmadinejad. Montazeri accused the regime of handling Mousavi's charges of fraud and the massive protests of his backers "in the worst way possible."

"A government not respecting people's vote has no religious or political legitimacy," he declared in comments on his official Web site. "I ask the police and army personals (personnel) not to 'sell their religion,' and beware that receiving orders will not excuse them before God."

I really thought this would all blow over in a few weeks, but now it seems Iran really is headed for another Revolutionary War.

As a final comment I would like to add that if Iran does end up in some sort of Civil War, I sure as heck hope that the U.S.A. stays out of it!! It is none of our business and we should let them fight amongst themselves.

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Originally posted by lpowell0627

As a final comment I would like to add that if Iran does end up in some sort of Civil War, I sure as heck hope that the U.S.A. stays out of it!! It is none of our business and we should let them fight amongst themselves.

... Fat chance!

This does kind of surprise me though.

[edit on 16/6/2009 by Iamonlyhuman]

reply to post by Iamonlyhuman


I would normally agree with that, but we are a little busy with Iraq, Afganistan, North Korea, South Korea, Japan....

Unless they go back to a draft, by my numbers we are running a little short, no?

Wow. Excellent. So the Ayatollahs even smell the BS.

And yeah, I agree, stay out of it and let them duke it out themselves. We have a bad track record for backing complete a**holes. Let them sort it out, then deal with whoever comes out ahead.

reply to post by Skadi_the_Evil_Elf


You know, I don't normally believe in this stuff, but I will mention this - I read in one of the prophecies regarding 2012 that "peace will arise in the Middle East out of nowhere. "

Interesting that this would start. I mean, theorectically if there was a Revolution and the pro-reform party won -- which is likely -- it will most certainly help to create peace in the Middle East.

Perhaps we are watching the possibility of peace in the Middle East being born,

Originally posted by Skadi_the_Evil_Elf
Wow. Excellent. So the Ayatollahs even smell the BS.

Umm....NO! The Ayatollahs are behind and instigated the BS.
They are only saying this now because they want to stop all the protesting because they realize a civil war might happen.

Let's be real. Nothing happens in Iran without the Ayatollahs approval.

Originally posted by lpowell0627
reply to post by Skadi_the_Evil_Elf

 

You know, I don't normally believe in this stuff, but I will mention this - I read in one of the prophecies regarding 2012 that "peace will arise in the Middle East out of nowhere. "

Interesting that this would start. I mean, theorectically if there was a Revolution and the pro-reform party won -- which is likely -- it will most certainly help to create peace in the Middle East.

Perhaps we are watching the possibility of peace in the Middle East being born,

maybe, even though I am not one as well to believe the 2012 stuff.

If Iran actually mellows out and decides to join the rest of the world, then only one major block to mid east peace will remain: Israel.

That in itself would be the biggest block to overcome, but if Israel threw out the hard liners and right-wingers and ended up electing a more balanced government willing to play nice, then there really would be a chance.

Of course, we can't forget Saudi Arabia, the major monetary and religious power in the middle east, and the biggest funders of terrorism. It might even force them to get with the program.


Whattheory: well, you are probably right there, but the fact that the Ayahtollahs are actually worried about the possibility of a counter revolution and chaos enough that they publically dispute the election as well is a good sign in my book.

The Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri is the most important ayatollah living in Iran.
His statement carry's a lot of weight.
Even more than the ones listed below.

Ayatollah's Protest Election Fraud

The Association of Combatant Clerics, which consists of moderate and leftist clerics and includes such important figures as former president Mohammad Khatami, Ayatollah Mohammad Mousavi Khoiniha, and Grand Ayatollah Abdolkarim Mousavi Ardabili, issued a strongly-worded statement, calling the results of the election invalid.

Grand Ayatollah Saafi Golpaygaani, an important cleric with a large number of followers, warned about the election results and the importance that elections in Iran retain their integrity.

Grand Ayatollah Yousef Saanei, a progressive cleric and a confidante of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, has declared that Mr. Ahmadinejad is not the legitimate president and cooperation with him, as well as working for him, are haraam (against Islam and a great sin).

reports also indicate that security forces have surrounded the offices and homes of several other important ayatollahs who are believed to want to protest election fraud. Their websites cannot be accessed, and all communications with them have been cut off.

[edit on 6/16/09 by makeitso]

reply to post by Skadi_the_Evil_Elf


Well - Israel is already making concessions here and there to show Obama "good faith".

If a reform party gets into office, one that notoriously wants to cooperate with the West, and Obama's policy of not forcing democracy on any country -- we may just have a recipe for success. Obama would back their Islamic Law way of life in exchange for monitoring nuclear advancements and allowing them to use nuclear energy.

I for one am keeping my fingers crossed.

reply to post by makeitso


Islam is the law there -- which is more important than the President. If the clerics say that accepting this election would be going against Islam -- you can bet people will listen!

This is a big deal:

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has told Mousavi to pursue his demands through the electoral system and called for Iranians to unite behind their Islamic government, an extraordinary appeal in response to tensions over the presidential vote.

Link: www.huffingtonpost.com...

I can't see how this is all going to end and be swept under the rug. There are an awful lot of powerful figures chiming in on this situation -- and unfortunately their demands vary.

This is a true power struggle between more than just the presidential candidates.

I can't see how this is all going to end and be swept under the rug. There are an awful lot of powerful figures chiming in on this situation -- and unfortunately their demands vary.

This is a true power struggle between more than just the presidential candidates.

I remember this very situation happening a few years back when Bush took presidency, look how quickly that was quashed, what better way to distract the people from recognising the truth than to have a massive incident.

If this was in europe it would have been quashed by now by TPTB however, because this election effects their plans it just so happens to get european coverage?