Tehran, July 21: With the aftershocks of the disputed presidential elections showing no signs of abating, reformers are calling for a referendum on the legitimacy of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his government.
“The only way out of the current situation is to hold a referendum,” former president Mohamed Khatami has proposed.
“People should be asked whether they are happy with the current situation.
“If the vast majority of people are happy with the current situation, we will accept it as well.”
Iran has been boiling since last month’s presidential vote which saw incumbent Ahmadinejad re-elected in landslide.
Defeated rival Mir Hossein Mousavi refused to acknowledge the results, sparking massive protests across the country in which at least 20 people were killed and hundreds arrested.
Khatami, whose 1997-2005 presidency saw a thaw in relations with the West, denounced “violent, murder and arrests” against protestors.
Last week, former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani called for releasing all those arrested in the post-election unrest.
“As Rafsanjani said, public trust should be returned to the society,” Khatami stressed.
“We announced from the start that there are legal ways to bring back that trust, but our calls were ignored.
“I say again that the only solution is to consider people’s votes and hold a legal referendum.”
Under the Iranian constitution, only the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei can organize a referendum.
Defiant Khamenei
However, Iran’s supreme leader remained defiant, accusing foreign parties of being behind the post-election unrest in the Islamic republic.
“The enemies of the Iranian people, via their media, are giving instructions to the troublemakers to cause disorder, destruction and violence, while at the same time insisting they are not interfering in Iranian internal affairs,” Khamenei said in a speech on state television.
“Anyone, no matter their rank or title, will be detested by the people if they lead our society towards insecurity.”
Iranian leaders have repeatedly lashed out at Western nations, accusing them of stoking the post-election unrest.
Iran has taken aim at Britain in particular, arresting local staff at the British embassy in Tehran.
Tehran has also accused the CIA of orchestrating the post-election violence in the Islamic republic.
“While the meddling of foreign nations and their media in particular is clear, their pretence that they are not interfering in Iran’s internal affairs is a sign of their dishonor,” Khamenei said.
“Our leaders must be vigilant. Any word or action which helps (the enemies) will be contrary to the interests of our people.”
–Agencies