Iran MPs rage against opposition leaders after deadly demonstrations

Furious Iranian lawmakers yesterday demanded the hanging of opposition leaders who called anti-government protests which left two people dead, saying they had been “misled” by Iran’s arch-foes.

But in one of his most direct reactions to events in Iran, US President Barack Obama offered encouragement to protesters, saying he hoped they would have the “courage” to keep expressing their “yearning for greater freedoms.”

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 also hurt, including nine security force members.

Mohammad Khatami, former reformist president, also came under fire from conservatives for openly backing the opposition movement since disputed presidential elections in June 2009.

“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 Mr 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?” Mr Larijani added, referring to the outlawed People’s Mujahedeen of Iran (PMOI).

He also urged that a committee be formed to probe and “confront” the opposition movement.

But Mr Obama defended the protesters and criticised the Iranian authorities, saying that unlike Egypt, Iran’s response to protests has been “to shoot people and beat people and arrest people.”

“And, you know, my hope and expectation is that we’re going to continue to see the people of Iran have the courage to be able to express their yearning for greater freedoms and a more representative government,” Mr Obama said.

However, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei criticised the West during a meeting with visiting Turkish President Abdullah Gul, IRNA reported.

“The West has always humiliated the world of Islam, and any government that wants to go against this humilation and show its power will face their (Western) opposition,” he told Gul.

Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, a hardline cleric who often leads Friday prayers in Tehran, applauded the MPs and accused Mousavi and Karroubi of being “mohareb,” or enemies of God, adding that they deserved the harshest of punishment.