Word: khamenei
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Many people I talked to at the protest said they were there because they wanted Supreme Leader Ayatullah Ali Khamenei to consider their large number before giving his June 19 sermon, which many believed would be decisive for the course of the country. But at Friday prayers the Ayatullah took a hard line, disappointing millions who had been hoping for leniency in the form of a recount or even a re-election. He said the election had been fair and that people should rest assured the "Islamic republic does not betray the votes of the people." Khamenei also warned that...
...Arash says that he does not think the protests will die down, even though Khamenei warned against further demonstrations Friday morning and said that the election was not rigged...
...What [Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah] Khamenei and Ahmadinejad are banking on is that we'll stop paying attention, and then they can sweep in," says Sahand, a Harvard junior whose parents immigrated to the United States from Iran. He asked his last name be withheld to protect his family members still in the country. "I’m hopeful, and I feel...as long as we pay attention and make this an issue, it’ll make it harder for them to go in and do what they want...
...protesters took to the streets despite threats of bloodshed from Supreme Leader Ayatullah Ali Khamenei, Mir-Hossein Mousavi - the candidate the government says lost the election to Ahmadinejad - released statements via his website, saying he was prepared for martyrdom but at the same time calling the groups tormenting his supporters "brothers." It seemed impossibly moderate, almost unreasonable amid all the reports of how his green-garbed backers were suffering via water hoses and acid-like liquid dropped from helicopters. Protesters indicated they were being bludgeoned by Basiji with everything from cudgels and sticks to cable wire. Gunfire broke out. Stones...
...Supreme Leader may in fact be under competing pressures. The Assembly of Experts, the body of clerics that appoints - and can remove him - is chaired by Mousavi supporter Hashemi Rafsanjani, who is reportedly lobbying the body to intervene. But Khamenei has also thrown in his lot with Ahmadinejad and his supporters in the security forces, who may be in a hurry to bring to an end to the challenge to his second term in office. So Khamenei must hope that he's found a way to lean on the opposition candidates to rein in their supporters, while not being seen...