Iran Focus: Tehran, Jun. 30 – In the days leading to the 11th anniversary of a major student-led uprising, authorities in Iran have grown increasingly alarmed at the activities of the main opposition group.
Iran Focus
Tehran, Jun. 30 – In the days leading to the 11th anniversary of a major student-led uprising, authorities in Iran have grown increasingly alarmed at the activities of the main opposition group.
In a startling admission, authorities voiced concern that supporters of the People’s Mojahedin (PMOI) call mobile phones and land lines in Tehran, playing back audio messages by opposition leader Massoud Rajavi in advance of the anniversary of the 9 July 1999 uprising.
The state-run Jahan website, run by allies of hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on Wednesday wrote: “The most recent activities of this defunct group include organising gatherings by offering food and money to participants, trumping up news and broadcasting foreign reports, creating many weblogs, sending voice messages to mobile phones and also calling people in their homes”.
“These activities have intensified in the run-up to the 9 July anniversary”, it said.
Jahan expressed concern at the impact of the PMOI’s satellite television channel on Iranians. “The terrorist Monafeqin (pejorative term used by the regime for the PMOI) grouplet, which is on its last legs, has began repetitive and desperate activities including unrealistic programs and satire which it broadcasts on its satellite television channel”.
In May, Raja News, another hard-line website close to Ahmadinejad, accused the PMOI of distributing audio files of Mr Rajavi in which he urged the population to participate in anti-government protests.
Mr Rajavi, the historical leader of the PMOI, is President of the main opposition coalition, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
On 9 July 1999 widespread protests erupted across Iran after members of the hard-line Bassij militia raided a dormitory in Tehran University. One student was killed when he was thrown out of the window.
