Police surrounded the campus of Teheran University on Sunday, trapping hundreds of students protesting what they said were fabricated government images of the burning of a photo of the Islamic Republic's revered founder.
In this photo taken by an...
In this photo taken by an individual not employed by the Associated Press and obtained by the AP outside Iran, anti-government and pro-reform Iranianstudents hold pictures of the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini during a demonstration at the Teheran University campus.
Photo: AP
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State television has repeatedly shown images, ostensibly taken during student-led protests on December 7, of unidentified hands burning and tearing up pictures of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. It was a grave and illegal insult against the former leader still widely respected in the country and the elite Revolutionary Guard, the country's most powerful military force, called for the trial and punishment of those responsible.
Video circulated widely on the Internet on the day of last week's protests also showed photos of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad being burned as well as one photo of Khamenei and Khomeini side by side going up in flames. The faces of those burning the pictures could not be seen and loud chants against the government were heard in the background.
Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters, appealed for calm but suggested the opposition was creating a hostile environment.
"Some have converted the election campaign into a campaign against the entire system," he said without naming any opposition leaders. "We call on those who are angry to remain calm."
Students, who led Sunday's protests, contended the images of burning photos were fabricated by government agents as a pretext for further crackdowns on the opposition.
Tens of thousands of students protested last Tuesday on campuses in the capital Tehran and other parts of the country, the largest anti-government rallies in months. There were also a number of demonstrations outside of campuses.
Many protesters shouted slogans against Khamenei and Ahmadinejad and chanted "Death to the Dictator."
Tens of thousands of hard-line clerics rallied in cities across the country on Saturday to denounce those who burned photos of Khamenei, the second straight day of protests by angry government supporters.
Khomeini, who led the 1979 Islamic Revolution, is revered by both the opposition and the ruling system. But Khamenei is a much more divisive figure, seen by the opposition as an dictator who rules with an iron fist.
During last week's rallies, protesters shouted "Death to the oppressor, whether it's the shah or the leader!" - making a daring comparison between Khamenei and the pro-US shah, despised in Iran since his overthrow.
Opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, Iran's powerful prime minister in the 80s, was strongly supported by Khomeini against Khamenei, Iran's then-president. When massive street demonstrations erupted over June's disputed presidential election, the opposition led by Mousavi borrowed tactics from Khomenei's Islamic Revolution, such as shouting "Allahu Akbar" from the rooftops of Tehran in a nightly protest.
Mousavi has said his supporters love Khomeini and would not take actions that insulted him. The opposition contends the fabricatedimages are being used by the regime to discredit the pro-reform movement.
Khamenei warned opposition leaders to stay away from protesters.
"Why don't they learn when leaders of oppression and arrogance, the US, France and Britain, support them," state TV quoted Khamenei as saying. "Open your eyes and stay away,"he said.
Hundreds of pro-reform students protested against the government on the campus of Teheran University Sunday, denying the accusations they had any connection with the images. Dozens of police surrounded the campus.
The Revolutionary Guard called for the legal action against those who burned the photos of Khomenei.
"The Revolutionary Guard ... won't tolerate any silence or hesitation in the immediate identification, trial and punishment of those carrying out this ugly insult and the agents behind them," it said in a statement posted on its Web site.
Under the law, insults to the late or current supreme leader can lead to two years of prison.
The Guard, which is tasked with defending the clerical regime that came to power in Iran in 1979 under Khomeini's leadership after the pro-US shah was overthrown, was at the forefront of crushing the post-election unrest.
Reformists contend that Ahmadinejad was re-elected in June by massive vote fraud that set off huge street protests. The protests evolved into a broader confrontation against the country's ruling theocracy, but eventually died down in the face of a harsh crackdown by security forces stifled the street demonstrations.
Tehran, Dec 13, IRNA -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said on Sunday that certain individuals, through law-breaking attitudes, tried to encourage people to act against the Islamic Republic system.
Talking to a group of preachers, the Supreme Leader reiterated that such a law-breaking approach resulted in insult to the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini by the "disappointed enemy".
Ayatollah Khamenei called on the angry people to be calm towards those who have insulted the late Imam Khomeini, adding they are people with no roots.
”Enemies try to make sedition in the society and we should exercise vigilance and farsightedness in dealing with such phenomenon.”
Some law-breakers try to incite people to fight with the Islamic system which led to insult to the image of the late Imam Khomeini, pointed out Ayatollah Khamenei.
The Supreme Leader thanked the wise presence of people from all walks of life in condemning the move.
"There is no doubt that the path which was founded by a man of God can not be destroyed by such groups," Ayatollah Khamenei said.
The Supreme Leader said that after the county’s presidential elections some law breakers created unrest and in front of the eyes of university students who love Imam Khomeini, they insulted him and his path.
"After such grave mistake they try to bring various excuses to justify their wrongdoings."
The true lovers of Islam, late Imam and the Islamic Revolution feel ashamed of such heinous practice but certain guys remained indifferent, said Ayatollah Khamenei.
"When the heads of global arrogance such as the US, France and Britain who back such moves and in the meantime the corrupt people as monarchists and communists back such move, these guys should understand the reality and change their wrong path."
My former brothers who owe their reputation to the Islamic Revolution should distinguish good from bad and to find out why the enemies of the Islamic Revolution and late Imam welcome their measures and hoist their pictures and make happy gesture for them, said the Supreme Leader.
"The presidential elections in Iran was completely legal and the case is now regarded as finished."
Those who have found courage to stand against the Islamic Revolution are regarded as “zero” and should know that the Islamic system is a divine phenomenon and those who seek to confront it will be punished severely, underlined the Supreme Leader.
He advised the people to remain calm and know that those who wish to stand against the Iranian nation are rootless and have no faith.
The Supreme Leader said that officials and countrymen should act based on their duties but the university students should identify those corrupt elements to deal with.
"Enemies of the Iranian nation and the Islamic Revolution are like “bulb on waters” which will be destroyed but the Islamic Revolution will last for ever."
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