Iran celebrates 31st anniversary

2010-02-17 16:09

Tehran – Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that the mass rallies which marked the 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution had "punched" those who oppose the Islamic republic.

"Those who acted according to the will of enemies think they will get somewhere if they provoke people," Khamenei told visitors from the north western city of Tabriz who had come to meet him.

"They predicted for some time that the 22nd of Bahman (February 11) will turn into a civil war, but the nation wisely punched in the mouth all these opponents," Khamenei said, referring to the opposition movement as well as Western powers.

On February 11, Iranians took part in mass rallies in Tehran and other cities to mark the 31st anniversary of the 1979 revolution which toppled the US-backed shah.

The event was expected to be a major confrontation between security forces and supporters of opposition leaders who continue to reject President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election on June 12.

But opposition supporters could manage to stage only stray demonstrations as a massive deployment of security personnel and hardline Basij Islamic militia crushed the anti-government protests.

Opposition leaders Mohammad Khatami and Mehdi Karroubi even came under attack from hardliners, opposition websites reported.

Iran continues to go through a major political crisis triggered by Ahmadinejad's disputed re-election with opposition supporters, prior to February 11, hijacking even regime-sponsored events to mount protests.

- SAPA