Mousavi supporters in Iran
Photo: Hamed Saber
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Photo: AP
Reformist Mir-Hossein Mousavi
Photo: AP
Iran plans protests on 'Jerusalem Day'
Reformists to use last Friday of Ramadan, which marks annual Palestinian support rallies in Tehran, to protest against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's regime, including transfer of financial aid to Palestinians in 'disregard for the Iranian people's money'
Supporters of the Iranian reformist camp plan to turn the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which Tehran uses to mark "Jerusalem Day" in support of the Palestinians, into a day of protest against the regime of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, London-based al-Hayat newspaper reported on Thursday.
Islamic Republic
Dudi Cohen
Members of reformist camp in Iran hold ceremony to express their gratitude to activists who took part in anti-election protest. Videos posted on Web show participants lashing out at President Ahmadinejad
According to the report, supporters of reformist Mir-Hossein Mousavi used the social network Facebook and other online forums to urged people to attend the annual Palestinian support rallies, but this time, instead of calling out, "Death to America and Israel" to shout out, "Death to the dictator", in reference to Ahmadinejad.
The report said the mass rallies reformists planned to attend will be dedicated to the struggle against "the falsified presidential elections", and supporters will chant: "The Revolution has been hijacked and there has been a coup against Khomeini's way in Iran."
Protestors also plan to express their objection to the financial aid Iran grants to the Palestinians, which they view as "disregard for the Iranian people's money."
Al-Hayat also reported that one of the heads of the reformist camp, Mehdi Karroubi said, "You will see, once more, the power of the Iranian people on Jerusalem Day."
Despite the threats, it seems the Iranian government is unlikely to call off the mass rallies on Jerusalem Day, as it is the one that urges people to take part in them each year.
This means Mousavi's green camp will not need special permission to protest.
The paper reported that on the same day, Chairman of the Assembly of Experts, former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who is also a supporter of the green camp, will serve as head imam in one of the central mosques in Iran.
Mousavi and Karroubi are will also make appearances in the rallies.
