Hardliners chant 'Death to Mousavi' at Iran rallies

Published on Wednesday 30 December 2009 20:19

THOUSANDS of hardline government supporters turned out for state-backed rallies yesterday and called for the execution of opposition leaders as Iran's police chief threatened to show "no mercy" in crushing pro-reform protests.

• In a show of force, pro-government Iranians took to the streets of Tehran yesterday Picture: Getty Images

Iran's official IRNA news agency reported the top two opposition leaders had fled the capital, Tehran, but a relative of one of the leaders denied this.

Pro-government rallies were staged in Shiraz, Arak, Qom and Tehran, where demonstrators chanted "Death to Mousavi", in reference to opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi.

Some shouted "Rioter hypocrites must be executed" and held up a banner that read: "We sacrifice our blood for the supreme leader."

The government gave all public employees a day off to attend the rallies and organised buses to transport schoolchildren and supporters from rural areas.

Hardline cleric Ahmad Alamolhoda called opponents of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei "supporters of Satan".

"Enemies of the leader, according to the Koran, belong to the party of Satan," Alamolhoda told the Tehran rally, broadcast on state TV. "Our war in the world is war against the opponents of the rule of the supreme leader."

Khamenei yesterday acknowledge the impact of the opposition in taking support from his leadership but said the pro-reform movement had caused Iran's problems.

"The reality in the society is that as some (supporters] dropped out, twice that number joined (us]," he said.

Police chief General Ismail Ahmadi Moghaddam warned protesters to stay off the streets or face harsh consequences. At least eight people were killed in street violence on Sunday, the worst unrest since the aftermath of the 12 June election.

"There will be no mercy," Moghaddam said. "The era of tolerance is over. Anyone attending such rallies will be crushed."

One of those killed was a nephew of Mousavi. But Iran's deputy police chief said Ali Mousavi was assassinated by unidentified assailants, not security forces.

Ali Mousavi was buried yesterday in a hastily organised ceremony. Authorities had taken his body from hospital earlier in the week in what was seen as an attempt to prevent a funeral turning into a pro-opposition protest.

The opposition claimed Ali Mousavi was shot by security forces, a claim denied by deputy police chief Ahmad Reza Radan. The opposition leader and other family members attended the funeral.

Authorities also faced uncomfortable questioning after video posted online purported to show two white police pickups ploughing into groups of protesters at Sunday's demonstrations.

One truck is first seen driving into the crowd, then reversing away from a body lying face down on the asphalt. The second truck then speeds up and runs over the body as people nearby cry out. The authenticity of the video could not be independently verified.

When asked about the video and whether police trucks intentionally ran over people, Mr Moghaddam raged: "Don't ask lies. There are no pictures showing police cars running over people."

The police chief said more than 500 protesters who took part in Sunday's demos have been arrested but the number may be higher since hardline militia and intelligence agents may have apprehended more.

Hardliners were infuriated some protesters had insulted the supreme leader. The government insisted the protesters were a minority and accused the US and Britain of organising them.

The hardline reaction has become increasingly vocal, with some activists threatening to take the law into their own hands.

The arrests and criticism of the US and Britain added to tensions with the West, which is threatening tough new sanctions over Iran's suspect nuclear programme and the crackdown on protests.

Yesterday, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said she was "shocked by the upsurge in deaths, injuries and arrests" and said people have the right to peaceful protest.