Ayatollahs Come Out Against Iranian Election Fraud
By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Elections, IranI don’t know how powerful these folks are, but it’s encouraging to see some of them speak out.
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). He has also declared that any changes in the votes by unlawful means are also haraam. Several credible reports indicate that he has traveled to Tehran in order to participate in nationwide protests scheduled for Monday (June 18). It is said that he has planned a sit-in in some public place, in order to further protest election fraud. His website has been blocked.
More as it develops…
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June 14th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
The Islamic Republic of Iran is now beginning to crumple.
June 14th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Yeah it appears that way, it might be a total civil war soon.
June 14th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
It looks the Islamic Republic of Iran is crumpling because two reason, number one the economy is in the worst shape in that countries history and number two the demographics in Iran is much younger than they were 30 years during the revolution and tend to have more progressive views toward the west. Now that the world has seen the fradulent election results, this puts Iranian head leaders in a situation that instead of worrying a possible attack against Israel they will have to worry about the young Iran people that have grown distrust toward their own government the ligetimase of President Ahmadinejad. It looks Iran maybe heading toward anarchy.
June 14th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
This is an interesting assemblage of Iranian clerics, (most moderate or liberal and one quite conservative) a couple of which are marja and have many followers. There may be more in coming days who openly come out against what they perceive are election irregularities in this 2009 Iranian presidential election. If more protests and influential marja speak out, where will it end?
June 15th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Where will it end? Well, I think the other 2 comments are right on. I see Iran heading toward a civil war of some kind soon. Perhaps it’s the best thing for the country in the long run, but it would be very unfortunate for the present time. How certain are we that the election results are actually wrong?
June 15th, 2009 at 10:40 pm
How certain are we that the election results are actually wrong? Possible, but highly unlikely is my understanding.
http://www.star-telegram.com/279/story/1435162.html