Iran - demonstrations

Government supporters turn out in thousands

Article published on the 2009-12-30 Latest update 2009-12-30 15:43 TU

A government supporter holds a poster with images of Iran's leaders during a protest in Tehran
(Photo: Reuters)

Hundreds of thousands of supporters of Iran's government demonstrated in major cities today, in response to days of stormy protest by the opposition.

"Oh free-willed leader, we are ready, we are ready," the crowds chanted, declaring their loyalty to the Islamic republic's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Clerics, seminary schools and the armed forces had called for the protests, which were a show of force by supporters of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Opposition websites claim that some state-owned factories organised transport for employees to be taken to the rallies and bazars were closed for the day in some cities.

The government stepped up the war of words with a statement which condemned opposition protests as "a desecration" of the Shia Muslim Ashura days of mourning and accused them of aiding hositle foreign powers.

"The offensive slogans have made the pious Iranian nation sad and the Zionist world happy and in practice they, as pawns of the enemies, have furnished a red carpet for the foreigners who are aiming at the nation's security," it declared.

"The knowledgeable people of Islamic Iran will once again put the lackeys of global oppression in their place and will blind the eyes of sedition."

Public prosecutor Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie told a closed session of parliament that opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi "are on the wanted list", Ilna news agency reported, citing MP Hassan Norouzi.

National Police Chief Esmaeel Ahmadi Moghaddam threatened a zero tolerance policy towards any future opposition protests.

"The police had tolerated the rioters before Ashura, but now that the rioters have shown their allegiance to movements trying to topple the regime, there will be no more tolerance and they will be dealt with severely," he said.

Ahmadi Moghaddam says that 300 of the 500 "rioters" arrested by police at the weekend are still in jail, ading that more were detained by other agencies.

International criticism of the government's actions continues.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay accused security forces and pro-geovernment militia of "excesses" in their reaction to the weekend's protests.

"I am shocked by the upsurge in deaths, injuries and arrests," she said.