Rafsanjani Speaks On Iranian Election "Crisis"

By Steve Hynd

News that former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was to lead the prestigeous weekly prayers at Tehran University had led some observers to wonder whether he would condemn Ahmadinejad's disputed "victory" in the recent election or would fold under pressure and call for an end to protests. Tens of thousands of Iranians, along with opposition candidate Mir Hossain Mousavi and former President Mohammad Khatami, turned up to find out.

As it was, the speech was low key except in spots, with Rafsanjani being critical without outright calling fraud or coup, yet also calling for national unity. The 75 year old survivor of Iran's convoluted politics successfully sat on the fence, leaving both opposition protesters and the hardline Ahmadinejad government some crumbs of comfort. Still, as the UK's Independent points out, criticism was certainly there, although carefully couched to preserve Rafsanjani's own position.

"Doubt has been created (about the election results)," Rafsanjani said. "There is a large portion of the wise people who say they have doubts. We need to take action to remove this doubt."

Rafsanjani couched his sermon in calls for unity in support of Iran's Islamic Republic. But his sermon was an unmistakable � if implicit � challenge to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has declared Ahmadinejad's victory valid and demanded an end to questioning of the results.

Rafsanjani said the people's voice must be considered. "We believe in the Islamic Republic ... they have to stand together," he said. "If 'Islamic' doesn't exist, we will go astray. And if 'republic' is not there, (our goals) won't be achieved. Where people are not present or their vote is not considered, that government is not Islamic."

He criticized the postelection crackdown and urged the release of those arrested and said the government reaction had split the nation's clerics. "I hope this Friday prayer sermon will be the beginning of a development and will help us pass safely through this problem, which can be unfortunately called a crisis," he said.

The Guardian's news blog reports, in excellent developing coverage, that opposition supporters seized on Rafsanjani's clear but understated criticism of the Ahmadinejad government, the Guardian Council and Ayatollha Khamenei himself, while state-controlled Press TV described it as a call for national unity. Still, state TV had not broadcast Rafsanjani's speech, although the Weekly Prayer is usually the subject of pervasive all-channel live coverage.

Before the sermon, police fired tear gas at some trying to enter the prayer. Following it, Basjii militia clashed with thousands of opposition supporters in the largest protest seen in weeks, with over 20 including a prominent women's rights activist, Shadi Sadr, arrested.