Iran’s opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi has vowed to continue his struggle against the government.
In a statement on his Web site, he said that the arrest of hundreds of anti-government demonstrators was illegal and was reminiscent of the kind of dictatorship prior to the 1979 revolution.
“Stifling the media, filling the prisons, and brutally killing people who peacefully demand their rights in the streets indicate the roots of tyranny and dictatorship remain from the monarchist era,” he said.
“I don’t believe that the revolution achieved its goals.”
His comments are sensitive given that Iran will mark the 31st anniversary of the founding of the Islamic Republic on Feb. 11.
On Tuesday, Iran said that it will execute nine opposition members who were detained during the unrest following the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in June.
The announcement follows the execution of two others last Saturday for their alleged role in the protests.
Tensions reached a boiling point in December when thousands took to the streets in protest during the Shia ritual of Ashura. Eight were killed when security forces opened fire on the crowd and over 1,000 protesters were believed to have been arrested.
Mousavi’s nephew Seyed Ali Mousavi was among those killed.
In his most recent statement on his Kalemeh Web site, the opposition leader said that the protest movement would continue.
“The green movement will not abandon its peaceful fight until people’s rights are preserved,” he said. “Peaceful protests are Iranians’ right.”
The statement is likely to inflame regime hard-liners and marks a hardening of his position against the government.
In December, Mousavi said that he was prepared to die for the cause of reform.
In a statement on his Web site, he said that the arrest of hundreds of anti-government demonstrators was illegal and was reminiscent of the kind of dictatorship prior to the 1979 revolution.
“Stifling the media, filling the prisons, and brutally killing people who peacefully demand their rights in the streets indicate the roots of tyranny and dictatorship remain from the monarchist era,” he said.
“I don’t believe that the revolution achieved its goals.”
His comments are sensitive given that Iran will mark the 31st anniversary of the founding of the Islamic Republic on Feb. 11.
On Tuesday, Iran said that it will execute nine opposition members who were detained during the unrest following the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in June.
The announcement follows the execution of two others last Saturday for their alleged role in the protests.
Tensions reached a boiling point in December when thousands took to the streets in protest during the Shia ritual of Ashura. Eight were killed when security forces opened fire on the crowd and over 1,000 protesters were believed to have been arrested.
Mousavi’s nephew Seyed Ali Mousavi was among those killed.
In his most recent statement on his Kalemeh Web site, the opposition leader said that the protest movement would continue.
“The green movement will not abandon its peaceful fight until people’s rights are preserved,” he said. “Peaceful protests are Iranians’ right.”
The statement is likely to inflame regime hard-liners and marks a hardening of his position against the government.
In December, Mousavi said that he was prepared to die for the cause of reform.
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