Iran’s leader: End protests or risk ‘bloodshed’
Iran’s supreme leader said Friday that the country’s disputed presidential vote had not been rigged, sternly warning protesters of a crackdown if they continue massive demonstrations demanding a new election.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sided with hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and offered no concessions to the opposition. He effectively closed any chance for a new vote by calling the June 12 election an “absolute victory.”
The speech created a stark choice for candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi and his supporters: Drop their demands for a new vote or take to the streets again in blatant defiance of the man endowed with virtually limitless powers under Iran’s constitution.
Khamenei accused foreign media and Western countries of trying to create a political rift and stir up chaos in Iran.
The ayatollah reached beyond Iran to criticize “media belonging to Zionists, evil media” for seeking to portray Iran as divided and accused what he called arrogant Western powers, particularly Britain and the United States, of hostile comments, saying they failed to understand Iranian society
“Some of our enemies in different parts of the world intended to depict this absolute victory, this definitive victory, as a doubtful victory,” he said. “It is your victory. They cannot manipulate it.”
Khamenei said the 11 million votes that separated Ahmadinejad from his top opponent, Mousavi, were proof that fraud did not occur. Ahmadinejad watched the sermon from the front row. State television did not show Mousavi in attendance.
Khamenei was blunt about what a wider fight would bring — warning those who “want to ignore the law or break the law” will face the consequences.
“They will be held accountable for all the violence, bloodshed and rioting,” he told tens of thousands of people gathered for Friday prayers at Tehran University for a speech that was broadcast around Iran and the world.
Wild Thing’s comment……
Maybe he can threaten to hold his breathe till they stop protesting. It would be great if they could get rid of this guy. His hate for Jews, Israel, and America is so horrible.
They are all alike. They, the head of Iran and obama look to blame everybody else, its never their fault.
Religion of Peace, like hell.
Mark, some lessons are learned the hard way, you alluded to it in another comment concerning discipline. Now I’ve been cold cocked more than a couple of times, most of them at my own doing. Once after breaking a bedroom window I was out side, the brothers and the old man were inside, he was replacing the glass as I was out there mouthing off, that it was their fault.
When I came to flat on my back, all he had to say was ‘do you want some more’? I didn’t suspect him of being that fast nor that his arms were that long, reckon that was some 50 years ago. My old man seldom spoke and when he did you listened, orders were to be obeyed without question. I still remember that lesson. Speak softly and carry a big stick, better yet don’t say a word, just lay ’em out. If they come around they’ll know, if not, it’s all for the better. It’s a universal language and it works.