Tehran, June 27: A senior Iranian cleric yesterday called for protesters to be executed as “enemies of Allah”, as authorities came one step closer to formally declaring Mahmoud Ahmadinejad winner of the disputed election.
The demand that demonstrators “must be shown no mercy” came as the main opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi took a more conciliatory attitude towards authorities by saying he will seek official approval for future demonstrations – a significantly more emollient stance than 24 hours earlier, when he vowed to “neutralise this evil conspiracy” against the public. In addition his website was attacked by hackers, and is now blank.
The latest moves may signal the beginning of the end for the protests, which have swept Iran since the incumbent President Ahmadinejad claimed a landslide victory. The number of people attending marches has dwindled after demonstrators repeatedly came under attack from police and the Islamist Basiji militia, and almost 1,000 people were arrested.
–Agenices