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Iran leader issues stern warning to opposition
[Asharq al-Aswat] Iran's supreme leader told the opposition on Friday they would face a harsh response if they drew their "swords" against the ruling establishment. The warning from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivered at Friday prayers three months after a disputed poll that led to widespread unrest, was a clear message he would not tolerate any threat to Iran's clerical system of government."Resisting the system and taking out the sword against the system will be followed by a harsh response," he told worshippers in a sermon broadcast live on state television. "If somebody stands against the basis of the (Islamic) system and violates people's security, the system is forced to stand against it," he said. But in his lengthy sermon Khamenei did not address proposals that Tehran on Wednesday delivered to world powers involved in efforts to resolve the issue diplomatically, but reiterated that the Islamic state should not back down on its "nuclear rights." "It is a sign of deviation to give up one's rights, nuclear rights or non-nuclear rights, instead of insisting on them," he said. But Khamenei, who has final say on all matters of state, added criticism and differences among officials were acceptable. It was Khamenei's first Friday prayers sermon since the June poll, when he endorsed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election, blamed the opposition for bloodshed and accused Western powers of interfering in Iran's affairs. Posted by: Fred 2009-09-12 |
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