• Published 13:26 20.12.09
  • Latest update 19:59 20.12.09

Iran cleric detained en route to funeral of dissident ayatollah

Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri was an architect of the 1979 Islamic revolution.

By News Agencies Tags: Israel news

A pro-reform Iranian cleric was detained on Sunday on his way to the funeral ceremony of the Islamic Republic's top dissident ayatollah, a reformist website reported.

The Jaras site said Ahmad Qabel was detained after leaving the northeastern city of Mashhad with friends and family for the Shi'ite Muslim holy city of Qom, where Grand Ayatollah Hossein

Ali Montazeri is due to be buried on Monday.

It said Qabel, an oustspoken pro-reform cleric who was a student of Montazeri, was taken back to Mashhad.

Also on Sunday, Iran's opposition leaders urged their supporters to attend Montazeri's funeral and announced a day of national mourning, a reformist website reported.

"We ]Mirhossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi[ announce Monday a day of national mourning ... and call on people to attend the Grand Ayatollah's funeral ceremony on Monday," the Jaras website quoted a statement issued by the opposition leaders as saying.

Earlier Sunday, another reformist website reported that thousands of supporters of leading Iranian dissident cleric Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri were reportedly traveling to attend his funeral in Qom.

"Thousands of people from Isfahan, Najafabad and other cities are going to Qom to attend Montazeri's funeral on Monday," Parlemannews said.

Iran's senior dissident cleric, Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, has died, official media reported on Sunday. He was 87.

Montazeri was an architect of the 1979 Islamic revolution who fell out with the present leadership and was under house arrest for some years.

"Hossein Ali Montazeri passed away in his home last night," the official IRNA news agency said in a report that did not mention his title. He lived in the holy Shi'ite Muslim city of Qom, south of Tehran.

In August, he described the clerical establishment as a "dictatorship", saying the authorities' handling of street unrest following a disputed presidential election in June "could lead to the fall of the regime."

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  • 12. 0 0
    # 1 He maybe free but Persian Iranians aren't.
    • Petra
    • 26.12.09
    • 12:28

    something about religion or politics or who has the arms...

  • 11. 0 0
    Are Montazeri's Words About the Fall of the Regime Prophetic?
    • Lavi
    • 21.12.09
    • 05:17

    Even modern Persian prophets are susceptible to the poisoning wrath of their leadership, especially when they direct words like "Lanat be Shaytoon!" towards the Regime, and their followers chant publicly, "Maghr Baghr Dictator!", and the Regime's brutal repression of the truth is broadcast worldwide for all to condemn. Maybe the Revolution of Shaytoon guards will try and careen their APCs into the throng bearing Montazeri's coffin to bring them all down because they can't stand the sight of a Noah-like wooden vessel floating on a burgeoning sea of green that's rising in the midst of Iran to purge the unbelieving, remaining sinners on land who insist on continuing to rule unjustly.

  • 10. 0 0
    Persian kitty... I'd like to add my sentiments [3]
    • allang
    • 21.12.09
    • 03:09

    Hello little Persian kitty... I would like to add my sentiments... to yours, on the Ayatollah Montazeri passing. He was a brave soul and an exquisite shining voice of dissent in Iran. As you probably know, Montazeri was the heir to Khomenei, but because of his virtue to morality, he was shunned aside. Believe me little kitty... I wish he could've lived longer, because over time he would've made a difference. But now I'd like to change the subject completely. There's a movie I saw this past week... and I'd like you to see. It's called.... 'Nine', by far it's an example of what American cinema can achieve. This film is absolutely remarkable [in my opinion], loosely based on Fellini's 8 ½, the production value, editing virtuosity and the performance sequences exemplify... what we Americans can produce these days. Purely for world culture and the value of sheer entertainment. Best holiday wishes to you.... little kitty.

  • 9. 0 0
    Arnold
    • Persian Kitty
    • 21.12.09
    • 03:07

    I want to tell you about a 12 year old girl who upon entering her school on Nov 4th (which was Qods day, an anti Israel and ant American regime day)was asked to walk on Israeli and American flags at the entrance to which she responded she wasn't going to do so as "some people in this world love these flags, why should I disrespect them". The Iranian people are in an unbelievably dark time in their modern history trying to peacefully take back their coutry from the tyrannts who hijacked it 30 yrs ago. It would be nice if you showed sympathy for a massive loss for them instead of making light of a devastating loss with some cheap joke that doesn't even evoke a smile. A 12-year old in some muslim country that you constantly look down on gets it much more than the civilized and western citizens such as yourself in your free worlds. Don't you find that ironic?

  • 8. 0 0
    rofl, ahnold can you say hebron?
    • boxley
    • 21.12.09
    • 02:39

  • 7. 0 0
    THIS IRANIAN
    • regime
    • 21.12.09
    • 01:03

    Is exposing its evil side to the whole world. The citizens of Iran, no doubt have just about had enough of these unfair restrictions. AND this is what extremism is all about. Its about some military leader voting himself into power and the Presidency. Its NOT about the people voting him in.

  • 6. 0 0
    Persian kitty... I'd like to add my sentiments
    • allang
    • 21.12.09
    • 00:26

    Hello little Persian kitty... I would like to add my sentiments... to yours, on the Ayatollah Montazeri passing. He was a brave soul and an exquisite shining voice of dissent in Iran. As you probably know, Montazeri was the heir to Khomenei, but because of his virtuousness to morality, he was shunned aside. Believe me little kitty... I wish he could've lived longer, because over time he would've made a difference. But now I'd like to change the subject completely. There's a movie I saw this past week... and I'd like you to see. It's called.... 'Nine', by far it's an example of what American cinema can achieve. This film is absolutely remarkable [in my opinion], loosely based on Fellini's 8 ½, the production value, editing virtuosity and the performances sequences exemplify... what we Americans can achieve these days. Purely for world culture and the value of sheer entertainment. Best holiday wishes to you.... little kitty.

  • 5. 0 0
    the idealist among them
    • eric
    • 20.12.09
    • 22:50

    banished to obscurity, even in death, for the integrity of his belief in a system that never materialized from the revolution he helped propagate... may he rest in peace, and may the reformists remember him when his ideals are realized some day.

  • 4. 0 0
    Roughneck regime's media
    • Neil
    • 20.12.09
    • 21:43

    The regime of roughnecks in Iran seem to be trying to put a lid on this. Press TV has nothing on its main front page about this news. You have to dig to find a few paragraphs about Montazeri's death. Old, tired, soviet tactics: don't report on it and it doesn't exist.

  • 3. 0 0
    Qom ?? Another Muslim holy city ??
    • arnold
    • 20.12.09
    • 19:48

    OK , OK , so it's a Shite holy city and not an all encompassing Islamic holy city. Can't the Jews have their own single holy city of Jerusalem for themselves. You people have holy cities all over the place. Do not be so greedy.

  • 2. 0 0
    Are Montazeri's Words About the Fall of the Regime Prophetic?
    • Lavi
    • 20.12.09
    • 18:38

    Even modern Persian prophets are susceptible to the poisoning wrath of their leadership, especially when they direct words like "Lanat be Shaytoon!" towards the Regime, and their followers chant publicly, "Maghr Baghr Dictator!", and the Regime's brutal repression of the truth is broadcast worldwide for all to condemn. Maybe the Revolution of Shaytoon guards will try and careen their APCs into the throng bearing Montazeri's coffin to bring them all down because they can't stand the sight of a Noah-like wooden vessel floating on a burgeoning sea of green that's rising in the midst of Iran to purge the unbelieving, remaining sinners on land who insist on continuing to rule unjustly.

  • 1. 0 0
    R.I.P. Montazeri - You Are Free Now
    • Persian Kitty
    • 20.12.09
    • 13:52