TEHRAN: Iran’s main opposition leaders called Tuesday for protests to mark the first anniversary of the June 12 disputed presidential vote, setting the scene for a fresh showdown with Islamic hardliners.
Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi took a decision when they met on Monday to call on their supporters to stage demonstrations on June 12, Karroubi’s website reported.
Mousavi and Karroubi "insisted on staging a demonstration on June 12… and called on all reformist groups, organizations and parties to send their requests for this to the interior ministry," Sahamnews website reported.
The two leaders lost out to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in last year’s elections and quickly dismissed the result as massively rigged, sparking street protests which rocked the Islamic republic throughout the summer.
Security forces cracked down heavily, with dozens of protesters killed, hundreds arrested and scores of prominent reformist leaders, journalists and rights campaigners put on trial — many receiving stiff jail sentences.
Hard-line authorities have vowed to show no mercy towards protesters and branded the opposition Green Movement a "sedition" masterminded by Iran’s foreign "enemies."
Demonstrations continued sporadically in the winter but following violent clashes in which eight people were killed on December 27, when Shia Muslims marked the solemn Ashura ceremonies, fewer people have turned out and their protests have been more muted.
The opposition, which has exploited several state-sponsored events to stage protest marches, has not been able to hold any fresh rallies since the anniversary of the Islamic revolution on February 11.
That protest fizzled when government supporters overwhelmed the streets in central Tehran and security forces, who resorted to firing tear gas, prevented opposition supporters from gathering.
The hardliners backing Ahmadinejad have repeatedly called for the arrest of Mousavi and Karroubi, especially after Karroubi charged that some post-vote detainees had been raped in jail.
The authorities denied this but admitted that widespread prisoner abuse had taken place in the notorious Kahrizak jail south of Tehran, where at least three protesters died of injuries sustained in custody.
Mousavi and Karroubi, who were both very close to Iran’s revolutionary father late ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, have since the election turned into bitter critics of the regime they helped create.
On Tuesday, the two leaders lashed out at the government over its economic policies and charged it with "damaging Islam."
"I do not see a clear prospect for resolving the country’s economic problems because the foundations have been destroyed," Mousavi said.
"Because of sanctions they have gone and signed contracts with China, Malaysia and Venezuela and in the end they have handed the project to military forces," Karroubi said.
He appeared to refer to the elite Revolutionary Guards, who have gained increasing control over Iran’s economy and were instrumental in suppressing protests.
"They want us to repent, right, doesn’t all that killing, lying, torture, violating people’s rights and wasting national funds need repentance?" asked the outspoken cleric.
The authorities have kept up pressure on the opposition and earlier this month banned all activities by two leading reformist parties backing Mousavi.
According to Iranian media reports, 10 protesters charged with taking part in the post-election unrest have been sentenced to death.
On January 28, Iran executed Mohammad Reza Ali Zamani and Arash Rahmani Pour, two members of a monarchist group. The timing of their arrests remains unclear, but they went on trial along with several post-election protesters.
