IRAN’S MOST powerful cleric intensified the pressure on the country’s political opposition leaders yesterday by blaming them for the “desecration” of a portrait of the late Ayatollah Khomeini, the Islamic revolution’s spiritual leader.
The remarks from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader, followed days of protests, claims and counter-claims over footage on state television of an alleged anti-government protester setting fire to a picture of Khomeini. The incident allegedly happened last Monday during protests against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s disputed re-election in June.
The two leading opposition figures, Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, vehemently denounced the act and accused state broadcaster IRIB of fabricating it to discredit their supporters.
Amid a rising clamour from hardliners, Ayatollah Khamenei said Mr Mousavi and Mr Karroubi had created the conditions for such a “grand sin” through their “illegal actions”.
“This grand desecration is the consequence of breaking the law and drawing encouragement from the foreign media,” the ayatollah told a gathering of clerics.
“These people chant pro-Imam [Khomeini] slogans but do something which leads to a grand sin against him.”
Opposition websites have voiced fears the regime is preparing to use the incident as a pretext for a redoubled crackdown.
– ( Guardianservice)