Opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karrubi, who both ran against Ahamdinejad in the June 12 vote, scrapped plans on June 10 to organize demonstrations today, “to protect the lives and property of people,” according to a joint statement on their websites. Videos posted on the opposition website, Iran-Free.org, showed security forces out in strength today in downtown Tehran, the capital. Opposition websites also reported intimidation tactics from the government to dissuade supporters of the so- called “Green Movement”, in reference to Mousavi’s campaign color, from taking to the streets.
Backers of Ahmadinejad’s main election rival, Mousavi, an ex-prime minister and Karrubi, a former parliament speaker, have struggled to reignite resistance after security forces’ violent response to protests last year. The opposition says some followers were beaten and raped and that others died in custody during a post-election crackdown.
CNN reported some minor clashes today in Tehran on its website. The disturbances started at about 6 p.m. local time near the Vali-yr-Asr Square, CNN said, citing witnesses.
Intimidation
The Intelligence Ministry is sending random text-messages to instigate fear among people, opposition website Rahesabz reported yesterday. “Dear citizen, you have been deceived by the foreign media and are cooperating with them. If repeated, you will be dealt with according to the Islamic punishment law,” the messages read, according to the website.
Demonstrations sparked by the announced victory of Ahmadinejad, which the opposition says was fraudulent, turned into the biggest challenge to the Islamic establishment since the country’s 1979 revolution. The government says 44 people died in the unrest, while Amnesty International says the number is at least double.
At about 10 p.m. yesterday chants of “Allah o Akbar” (God is great) and “death to the dictator” were heard from rooftops in some Tehran neighborhoods. The slogans, which opposition supporters chanted nightly in June last year, are a show of defiance against the government.
By Ladane Nasseri and Ali Sheikholeslami –Editors: Philip Sanders, Carey Sargent