Clashes broke out between the Basiji—the plainclothes militia working under the Iranian regime’s military arm—the Revolutionary Guard, and pro-reform Iranians mourning the death of Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, age 87, in the Shiite Islamic holy city of Qom on Monday.
Hundreds of thousands gathered in the streets of Qom for the second day to mourn Montazeri, the father of the reformist movement in Iran who once held the successive position to the former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khomenei, before falling out of favor. Words were exchanged between the mourning pro-reformers and the plainclothes militia, the Basiji.
Pro-reformers began yelling “Death to the dictator,” when shortly thereafter an opposing pro-Islamic regime group erupted from within the crowd, and began a countering chant, “Death to the hypocrites,” as reported through unofficial footage of the protest on Iranian Web sites.
The pro-regime crowd continued as the Basiji soon surrounded Montazeri’s complex, clashing with the Montazeri pro-reformers, who threw stones back at them as the exchange erupted into more violent scuffles.
Opposition Leaders Attacked
Opposition leaders Mir Hussein Moussavi and Mehdi Karroubi, who had attended the funeral and rally, were attacked soon after their arrival by plainclothes pro-regime supporters hiding within crowds of Montezari mourners, as reported by various independent sources.
Both left soon after their arrival as the violence erupted.
Mousavi’s vehicle was also attacked by the Basiji, who smashed the rear and side windows, injuring one of his entourage, as reported by various independent sources.
Complexity of Montazeri Persona
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the current Supreme Leader, had issued a message of condolence to Montazeri’s passing on Monday, however, special attention was given to his “mistaken” opposition to Khomeini, and all Iranian newspapers refrained from publishing a front page photo of Montazeri.
Montazeri was a complex figure, due to his image as a symbolic reference to the Islamic Revolution in 1979 with Khomenei, the former Supreme Leader, yet also being the most vocal of the opposition group, openly criticizing President Mahmound Ahmadinejad in June during the post election protests.
Montazeri went as far as to issue a fatwa—an Islamic opinion on Islamic law—against Ahmadinejad during the post-presidential election protests, stating the violent reaction “could lead to the fall of the regime.” This was seen as only something Montezari himself could issue, due to his former close ties with Khomenei and the Islamic Revolution.
Montazeri’s death has had a powerful effect for the pro-reform movement, as has a recent case where military prosecutors officially charged twelve prison officials for the death of three Iranians held at the Kahrizak prison in Tehran.
The charge on the part of the military prosecutors has legitimized the original claims of torture on the part of pro-reform protesters. This, culminating with the death of Montazeri, has led to a significant resurgence of the pro-reform movement in Iran.
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