Iran: Conservative MP Says Mousavi, Karroubi Should Be Allowed To Speak On State TV
By GVF
Ali Motahari, a conservative member of the Iranian parliament has said that opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mahdi Karroubi must be allowed to speak their mind on national television.
Motahari told the Salam website, “the voice of the opposition and [regime] critics must be heard and they must have the right to peacefully protest.”
“I believe that this way, the issue is better resolved, but we tend to create idols and portray the problems as being enormous.”
Motahari is also the son of assassinated Islamic scholar Morteza Motahari, a disciple of Ayatollah Khomeini who later formed the Council of Revolution of Iran following the Islamic Revolution in 1979. He was assassinated while he was the chairman of the mentioned council in May 1979.
Ahmadinejad’s Interior Ministry has until now refused to grant any permit for the Green Movement to hold demonstrations. Nevertheless, article 27 of the Iranian constitution stipulates that public gatherings and marches may be held freely, provided arms are not carried and that they are not detrimental to the Islamic values. The opposition took to the street on the 14th and 20th February, but protests were turned violent after security forces opened fire on protesters killing at least three. According to eyewitnesses, Tehran was effectively turned into a military camp on 20 February due the massive security presence in preperation for the pro-opposition marches.
“There’s no doubt that the events on 14 February were illegal and deplorable, but we must take a look at our own actions, much of our media, such as the IRIB and certain newspapers began to provoke and belittle the protesters between 30 December [2009] and 11 February [2011] while continuously challenging them to a fight by using such phrases as ‘you are all finished, you’re nothing, you were executed, you have no supporters’.”
“When they address a certain group of people telling them they have no support base and that they’re out of the political scene and that they’re dead, they are effectively provoking them into making their presence felt.”
Following the 14 February protests, the Iranian authorities have increased the pressures on Mousavi and Karroubi, blocking all channels of communications between the men and the outside world. Since 15 February, there’s been no news about the two reformists’ state of well-being, raising concerns about their condition under house arrest. Mousavi’s top advisor Ardeshir Amir-Arjomand who is currently based outside the country has expressed concerns about the fact that at the moment, it is the Iranian regime that is responsible for providing food for the men under house arrest.
In response to the Green Movement leaders’ house arrest, the Coordination Council of the Green Path of Hope has already called for nationwide protests across the country on 1 March, a day before Mousavi’s birthday.
