For the second day in a row, an Iranian opposition leader has publicly questioned a pillar of the Islamic Republic, a sign of increasing boldness on the part of Iran’s so-called Green movement.
Mehdi Karroubi called for an abolition of the Guardian Council’s power to oversee elections, a direct swipe at the conservative body’s leader Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, who recently likened the opposition to defiant “Jews” who ought to be executed.
“The Guardian Council’s ugly arbitrary vetting process has to be abolished,” Karroubi said Wednesday in a fresh statement posted to his website Sahamnews.org (in Persian).
He reiterated his and fellow opposition figure Mir-Hossein Mousavi’s call for opposition supporters to rally on Feb. 11, or the 22nd day of the Persian calendar month of Bahman, which is the 31st anniversary of the Iran’s Islamic Revolution.
Karroubi predicted the opposition’s attempt to hijack the event will become a “turning point” in Iran’s history.
“We will participate across Iran in Feb. 11 rallies, which reflect our religious convictions and national determination of our people and a turning point in the history of our country,” he said. “This day does not belong to any specific group and is the day of honor and dignity for the entire Iranian nation.”
But he also warned some opposition radical activists to quit calling for the overthrow of the Islamic Republic.
“I make it clear to the supporters of the opposition m… >>>
