TEHRAN – Furious Iranian lawmakers on Tuesday demanded the hanging of opposition leaders who had called anti-government protests which left one person dead, saying they had been “misled” by Iran’s arch-foes.
MPs singled out Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, who had called for protests in Tehran on Monday in support of Arab uprisings that quickly turned into anti-government demonstrations and ended in clashes with police in which several people were hurt, including nine security force members.
Mohammad Khatami, former reformist president, also came under fire from the nation’s conservatives following his open backing of the opposition movement since disputed June 2009 presidential elections. “Mousavi and Karroubi should be executed! Death to Mousavi, Karroubi and Khatami!” the lawmakers shouted in the house, state news agency IRNA reported. They said the United States, Britain and Israel had orchestrated Monday’s protests through the opposition leaders, who, according to parliament speaker Ali Larijani were being “misled” by Iran’s arch-foes.
“The parliament condemns the Zionists, American, anti-revolutionary and anti-national action of the misled seditionists,” a visibly angry Larijani told the parliament. “How did the gentlemen (Mousavi and Karroubi) … fall into the orchestrated trap of America?” he asked. “Should they not have been cautious given the support, pleasure and joy of America and Israel as well as monarchists and Monafeghin?”
Larijani added, referring to the outlawed People’s Mujahedeen of Iran (PMOI).
