News media reports in the U.S. are calling the riots in Iran “political turmoil.” Guess we’re not ready to call it a revolution and maybe that is a good thing to help those who are demonstrating in the streets from being shot on sight.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday opposition leaders were “enemies of God” who should be executed under the country’s Sharia law.
Iranian state media said his statement coincided with rallies of tens of thousands of government supporters (many bused in for the demonstration) calling for opposition leaders to be punished for fomenting unrest after June’s disputed presidential election.
“Political turmoil” continues in Iran marked by bloody street marches and arrests.
The ruling establishment intensified a crackdown on the reform movement by rounding up leading moderates to try to end street protests after the deadly recent weekend clashes erupted during the Shi’ite Muslim religious ritual of Ashura. Over 20 opposition leaders have been arrested since Sunday.
Do not think we are seeing a revolution in Iran because the state security forces are totally in control. The regular Armed Forces are checked by the Revolutionary Guards and the Islamic Basij.
The Islamic Basij are a paramilitary militia under the Revolutionary Guards. Basically the Basij are thugs who get special privileges for their loyalty to the Supreme Leader Khamenei.
Some may have missed the coup d’état staged by the Revolutionary Guards leadership last month when they removed all moderates in the Iranian government and are now in total control of all government ministries.
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It seems there is a lot of unrest in iran and people are not satisfied we the ruling government. This is going on for over 6 months. We( our president) should publicly support this uprising in Iran. Negotiating with Iran about Nuclear proliferation is going nowhere. Supporting the uprising of the people might. Sending Kerry there to meet with the current government is a terrible mistake and will do nothing.