Iranians Bracing for February Protests……………….
“A senior Iranian cleric and official on Friday warned that inaction about the rioters who gave raise to the unrest that followed the June presidential election would have severe consequences for the country. Tehran's Interim Friday Prayers Leader Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, who heads the Guardian Council, urged Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani to firmly deal with “rioters of the recent unrest and in particular the Ashura desecrators.” …………..”
“Iran put 16 opposition supporters detained during anti-government protests last month on trial Saturday on charges of rioting and conspiring against the ruling system, Iran's state media reported. The defendants face charges ranging from plotting against the establishment to violating security regulations, said the official IRNA news agency. Five of those on trial, including two women, were accused of "moharebeh," or defying God, a charge that could carry the death penalty, the semiofficial ISNA news agency reported………”
There will be huge protests during the anniversary of the Revolution in February. The older opposition leaders were among the makers of the Revolution. The young protesters want a return of the original ideals of the Revolution, before it focused on theocratic rule. Iran, in effect, has a strong and vibrant opposition that will not be cowed. Something has snapped and the idea of “defy authority” is there to stay. Too bad it can’t spread to the Arab world. Expect more trouble on the streets of Tehran.
Cheers
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