Mir Hossein Mousavi steps up pressure on Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Iran’s opposition leader stepped up the pressure on Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today as the President’s erratic behaviour sparked sharp criticism even from fellow hardliners.

In an unusually aggressive speech published on his website, Mir Hossein Mousavi accused the regime of a catalogue of crimes and abuses. He said a key test of its commitment to the constitution would be whether it permits a ceremony in Tehran’s huge Grand Mosalla prayer halls on Thursday to mourn protestors killed in Iran’s post-election violence.

“We don’t want to do anything. We will not have speeches. We just want to use this Mosalla for mourning… so allow us to gather only to recite the Koran,” he demanded.

The regime fears any large gathering will swiftly turn into another anti-government demonstration, but Mr Mousavi said that Iranians would not tolerate rulers that abandoned the constitutionRead more at www.timesonline.co.uk

Iran’s Mousavi says protests will continue

A child of Iranian protesters residing in Japan holds green balloons, the symbolic colour of opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi, during a candlelight vigil to join in the Global Day of Solidarity for Iran, in Tokyo July 25, 2009. REUTERS

TEHRAN, Monday (Reuters)

Iran’s opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi said Monday the pro-reform protests which erupted after the country’s disputed June presidential vote will continue, his website reported.

“The pro-reform path will continue,” Mousavi said in a statement. “The establishment should respect the constitution and let us to gather to commemorate our killed loved ones on Thursday.”

Moderate defeated candidates Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi on Sunday called on the authorities to permit a gathering on Thursday at Tehran’s “Grand Mosala,” a prayer location where tens of thousands can gather, to commemorate unrest victims. Read more at www.nation.co.ke

In Iran, Leader orders closure of post-vote prison

Amid reports of the mistreatment of detainees who protested against the result of the presidential vote, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution orders officials to shut down a “non-standard” prison.

The head of Iran’s National Security Council said Monday that Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei had demanded that the prison which did not measure up to the required standards to be shut down.

“In the course of recent events, the Leader has ordered officials (to take measures), so that no one, God forbid, suffers injustice,” Saeed Jalili said in a statement.

The presidential election in June, which lead to the re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president, was followed by massive protests by supporters of the defeated candidates.

Thousands were detained in the aftermath of the vote, many of whom have since been released. According to Judiciary spokesman Ali-Reza Jamshidi, at least 300 people remain behind bars. Read more at www.presstv.ir

Germany warns Iran of consequences over post-election crackdown

Washington, 27 July (WashingtonTV)—German Minister of State for Europe, Günter Gloser, on Monday warned Iran that it faced consequences if it continued its crackdown on protesters, in the aftermath of the disputed 12 June presidential election.

Gloser was speaking in Brussels, ahead of a meeting of European Union foreign ministers, reports the Der Standard newspaper.

“We will now be talking about options for action if the situation does not improve,” he told reporters, adding that the situation in Iran was a source of “great concern”.

Gloser pointed to the detention of peaceful protesters, journalists, human rights activists and opposition leaders, as well as the heavy restrictions on media.

The foreign ministers were scheduled to discuss Iran, Georgia and Somalia during their meeting today. Read more at televisionwashington.com

Iran’s Protesters: The Feisty, New Phase of Their Campaign

Phase 2 has begun. Six weeks after millions took to the streets to protest Iran’s presidential election, their uprising has morphed into a feistier, more imaginative and potentially enduring campaign.

The second phase plays out in a boycott of goods advertised on state-controlled television. Just try buying a certain brand of dairy product, an Iranian human-rights activist told me, and the person behind you in line is likely to whisper, “Don’t buy that. It’s from an advertiser.” It includes calls to switch on every electric appliance in the house just before the evening TV news to trip up Tehran’s grid. It features quickie “blitz” street demonstrations, lasting just long enough to chant “Death to the dictator!”

several times but short enough to evade security forces. It involves identifying paramilitary Basij vigilantes linked to the crackdown and putting marks in green —Read more at www.time.com

Iran judge urges arrests decision

The head of Iran’s judiciary has ordered a decision within a week on the fate of prisoners arrested after disputed elections, Iranian media say.

A spokesman for the judiciary chief, Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi, also said some prisoners should be freed, the Mehr news agency reported.

The spokesman, Ali Reza Jamshidi, said about 300 people remained behind bars.

Meanwhile, opposition leaders have applied to hold a commemoration for those killed in post-election violence.

Mir Hossein Mousavi, a defeated candidate who has challenged the results of last month’s elections, appealed on his website for people to gather on Thursday for the commemoration ceremony.

“The killings and arrests are a catastrophe, people will not forgive those behind such crimes,” he said in a statement quoted by Reuters news agency.

He also said he was sure the judiciary was not being informed about many arrests. Read more at news.bbc.co.uk