Iranian protesters who "disturb the peace and stand up to security forces" will be considered a threat to the regime and will be met with a strong response, the country’s Revolutionary Guard warned Monday.
“The guardians of the Islamic revolution and the courageous Basiji together with the security forces following the orders of the supreme leader and following him unquestioningly, are determined to act strongly to return peace and tranquility to society … and to clean the country of these plotters and hooligans,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement, according to Iran’s state-run news agency, IRNA. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard is directly under the control of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and enforces the government’s Islamic codes and morality. It was initially created to protect the leaders of the revolution, but over the years, it has broadened its scope. With more than 200,000 members, it is tasked with overseeing the country’s crucial interests, including guarding its oil fields and missile arsenals. The Basiji is a volunteer paramilitary force that takes orders from the Revolutionary Guard. It plays the role of de facto morality police and is often summoned to crack down on protests. It is unknown how large the force is, though estimates are in the millions. At least 19 people were killed in clashes in Tehran on Saturday as Iranians took to the streets to protest the results of the June 12 presidential election, according to hospital sources. Iranian-funded Press TV confirmed 13 fatalities, while unconfirmed reports put the number as high as 150. Tehran’s prosecutor general’s office said it has launched an investigation into the killings. The station also said police arrested 457 people Saturday who vandalized property. A statement purportedly from opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi on Sunday called on Iranians to “exercise self control” during protests in Tehran while still supporting their right to demonstrate against the government and the results of the election.
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“The country belongs to you. The revolution and the system is your heritage,” said the statement attributed to Moussavi posted on his Web site. “Protesting against lies and cheating is your right. Be hopeful about regaining your rights. Do not allow anyone who tries to make you lose hope and frighten you make you lose your temper.” The authenticity of the message could not be verified; it was posted in Farsi and translated by CNN. Thousands of riot police and militia lined Tehran’s streets Sunday. Amateur video showed large crowds marching down a major Tehran thoroughfare shouting, “Don’t be afraid, we’re together” and “Death to dictator.” The person who shot the video said it was taken Sunday, but CNN could not immediately verify that the protest had taken place. Witnesses reported a protest also took place at southern Tehran’s Azad University, where final exams were postponed after about 200 students refused to take them . Watch amateur video of a volunteer paramilitary forces headquarters burning in Tehran » Police have not been given permission to use firearms in confronting protesters, Tehran Police Chief Azizollah Rajabpour told Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency. Police have not used firearms on the public, he said. Allegations to the contrary are false and “spread by those who want to muddy the waters,” the agency reported. See images of the clashes Saturday » News coverage in Iran has been limited by government restrictions on international journalists. On Sunday, the BBC said Iran had expelled Jon Leyne, the British network’s permanent correspondent in Tehran. And Al-Arabiya, a Dubai-based Arab satellite network, said its Tehran bureau was ordered closed. iReport.com: Share images from Iran Videos posted on social networking Web sites depicted tense scenes and chaos Saturday, and one graphic video that captured the death of a young woman became the iconic symbol of a brutal day. But like most of the information coming out of Tehran, it is impossible to verify her name — Neda — or the circumstances of her apparent death. Watch a portion of the video » Press TV also reported Sunday that five relatives of former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani were arrested for allegedly “inciting and encouraging rioters” in Tehran’s Azadi (Freedom) Square on Saturday, the Web site reported. Faezeh Rafsanjani, the former president’s daughter, was released Sunday, and the four others were released earlier in the day, Press TV reported on its Web site. The woman’s brother said she was arrested while taking part in a protest. The elder Rafsanjani is chairman of the Assembly of Experts, which is responsible for appointing or removing the supreme leader. He is a supporter of Moussavi, while supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei remained staunch in his defense of incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
A spokesman for the Guardian Council told state television that Wednesday is the last day it can recount the votes disputed by candidates. The election and the subsequent clashes in Iran also were the subject of protests in some U.S. cities Sunday. See photos of some of the protests in the U.S. »
