Alamolhoda: Mousavi and Karroubi Were Not Spies

Ahmad Alamolhoda, a candidate for the fifth term of the Assembly of Experts, stated on the fifth anniversary of the house arrest of the leaders of the protests against the results of the June 2009 presidential election that they were not "spies for America and England" and had "faith" in the system. Mr. Alamolhoda made these remarks on Sunday, February 14, in a gathering of cultural organizations in Mashhad, and a report of his speech was published on his official website. In this session, he spoke about the "necessities" of unity among supporters of the system in the upcoming elections on March 7, likening the elections to a "gate" that is currently "open and the enemy" intends to enter through this gate. Alamolhoda added that this election is not a time for "fighting" or "consolidating power," as "the rise to power of certain individuals created the grounds for the 2009 sedition." The Friday prayer leader of Mashhad explicitly stated that "none of the seditionists were spies for America and England, nor did they have a contract to take to the streets, chant for a Republic of Iran, and burn the mourning house of Seyyed al-Shuhada." Alamolhoda characterized the protesters of the 2009 presidential election results as individuals who "believed in the system, but some of them fell into the trap of power-seeking, causing the 2009 election to become a gateway for the enemy." These statements coincided with February 14, the fifth anniversary of the house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi, and Zahra Rahnavard. They have been under house arrest for five years without trial, and according to two individuals close to Mousavi and Karroubi, there has been "no significant or noticeable change" in their situation. The removal of the house arrest of Mousavi, Rahnavard, and Karroubi was one of Hassan Rouhani's electoral promises before being elected president, but he has not succeeded in fulfilling this promise so far. In the lead-up to the two elections for the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the Assembly of Experts, the issue of the house arrest of these individuals and the events of 2009 has once again become more prominent in the discourse of some candidates and political activists. Alamolhoda is among the conservative clerics who have made harsh speeches and positions against the leaders of the 2009 election protests over the past five years and has even mentioned the possibility of their execution. In his latest remarks, he referred to the events of 2009 as "sedition," but introduced its leaders as individuals "committed" to the system. This candidate for the Assembly of Experts also warned that "the discussion is no longer about suppression and overthrowing the system through a coup; today, the discussion is about dismantling the system from within and pulling down the tent poles of this system." In another part of his speech, he criticized the approval of some candidates who were disqualified by the Guardian Council, stating that "questioning the qualifications or disqualifications of the Guardian Council is the work of the enemy." Alamolhoda also warned that "the parliament is a place for planning, and some have come to seize the parliament from the system and create a base for the enemy." According to him, "the priority today is for loyal and devoted individuals to enter the parliament so that they can stand against any movement that seeks to confront the leadership."