IRAN’S OPPOSITION mounted a show of strength yesterday against hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as he repeated his claim that the Nazi Holocaust was a “lie” designed to justify the existence of Israel.
Thousands of demonstrators, many wearing green, gathered in central Tehran to shout “death to the dictator”, despite a heavy security presence and official warnings not to hijack the Quds (Jerusalem) Day rally, the regime’s annual display of solidarity with the Palestinians, always held on the last Friday in Ramadan.
It was the first big opposition rally in nearly a month, though protesters were still outnumbered by government supporters. In one city square security forces wielding batons and firing teargas tried to break up a march and were met with a hail of stones and bricks.
Mirhossein Mousavi, the former prime minister who claimed victory in June’s election, had his car attacked. Former president Mohammed Khatami was said to have been assaulted and Mehdi Karoubi, another defeated presidential candidate, also had to leave a rally. Counter-demonstrations by Mr Ahmadinejad supporters lead to scuffles. Arrests were also reported from Tabriz and Isfahan.
Analysts say the Mousavi camp is anxious to maintain the momentum of mass protests in the face of a crackdown by a regime whose legitimacy has been damaged by the “theft” of the presidential election, endorsed by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader.
Mr Ahmadinejad, who is due to address the UN in New York next week as focus on Iran’s nuclear ambitions intensifies, told a crowd at Tehran university: “They [western powers] launched the myth of the Holocaust. They lied, they put on a show and then they support the Jews. The pretext for establishing the Zionist regime is a lie . . . and the occupation of Palestine has nothing to do with the Holocaust.” – (Guardian service)