Jun 14 2009
Iranian Ayatollahs Versus The Mad Mullahs
This is an interesting turn of events in Iran:
Mir Hossein Mousavi’s, the main reformist rival to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, letter to the important ayatollahs in the holy city of Qom, asking them to protest the fraud and declare it against Islam, has sparked protests by the ayatollahs and clerics as well.
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).
Emphasis mine. If Tehran loses the support of the Ayatollahs of Qom, Iran IS already in a civil war.
Update: Some confirmation that here Ayatollahs may not be lining up behind the coup d’etat
Update:Â It does seem there was a coup d’etat as Ahmedinejad certain faced defeat:
It’s becoming increasingly clear that this was a palace coup, a palace coup in the style of Peru’s Fujimori. The Guardian Council has to accept the election results. All eyes are now on Hashemi Rafsanjani, who has apparently just resigned as chairman of the Expediency Council. He was the sole member of the original “yaran” of Khomeini, or Khomeini’s original team, with power and influence. Hossein Mousavi is under house arrest.
If the military forces decide not to defend the coup, then this could break wide open.
THE AUDACITY OF THE GUY. This will stir up anger!
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wears green at his victory acceptance speech after stealing the election on Friday.
Green was the color of opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousav
Time to really watch out.
Regimes in domestic trouble frequently indulge in wars abroad as a diversion. And Iran has no end of potential targets…all of which involve the potential for engaging the United States.
Given Obama’s weakness, the Iranians might chance it.
Hot Air has some videos from people on the scene. It is a real mess over there.
I think I screwed that link up. Hot Air
[…] AJStrata […]
It seems that Iranian forces will not fire on the protesters so Iran has brought in Arabs, possibly from Lebanon’s Hezbollah to act as security forces. On-scene reports indicate security personnel who speak Arabic rather than Farsi.
Sadr could also be importing some of his henchmen in from Iraq to support a regime which he is indebted to for protection.
Latest news drifting though the grapevine is that Iranian residents are leaving their doors unlocked so protesters can seek shelter if needed.
More news. Apparently the government has ordered Western media to stop reporting or risk imprisonment. No source. All permits to report have been revoked. Journalists in Iran now have no more status than tourists.
Michael Totten is blogging this event and there is a statement from Reporters Without Borders.