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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Bits about Iran
2009-07-02
Three of Iran's most prominent opposition leaders flagrantly courted arrest yesterday by denouncing President Ahmadinejad's Government as illegitimate, one day after the regime said that it would tolerate no more challenges to the election result.

Mir Hossein Mousavi, the former Prime Minister who lost the election said that he was forming a political group to defend citizens' rights and votes, which suggested that he is preparing a campaign of resistance against Mr Ahmadinejad and his patron, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader. He still has powerful supporters including two former presidents, Mr Khatami and Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Ali Larijani, the parliamentary speaker. Ayatollah Mohammed Khatami, 65, a popular former President, accused the regime of mounting a "velvet revolution against the people and democracy" and called the security crackdown "poisonous". Mehdi Karroubi, 72, another defeated presidential candidate, said that "visible and invisible forces blocked any change in the executive power". He added: "I will continue the fight under any circumstances and using every means." The regime responded by shutting down his newspaper.

One Iranian analyst expressed astonishment at their audacity. "It looks like they're trying to become living martyrs," he said. "At the very least they will be put under house arrest. At worst they will be taken to jail and charged with threatening national security."

Forced from the streets by the security forces, Mr Mousavi's supporters are also preparing a campaign of civil disobedience. They are talking of strikes, boycotting goods advertised in the state-controlled media, moving money out of government-controlled banks and giving money directly to the needy instead of government-controlled charities.
That last would actually be felt by President Ahmadinejad and his supporters among the mullahs.
Analysts say that anger will grow and could erupt at football matches, prayer meetings or anywhere that large numbers gather. They say that opposition supporters will go underground and stage lightning demonstrations. They also expect some elements to start launching violent attacks on government targets.

In a possible sign of the regime's anxiety Mr Ahmadinejad abruptly cancelled a visit to Libya for an African Union summit yesterday.
That last bit may actually be meaningful information. After all, didn't Mr. Ahmadinejad run off to some meeting in Russia when things started getting interesting back home?
Posted by:trailing wife

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