Ayatollah Khamenei Emphasizes Sensitivity to the 2009 Protests

In a meeting on Sunday, July 12, with a group of students, Ayatollah Khamenei reacted to questions from Mohammad Ali Kamfirouzi, a doctoral law student at Tehran University, who criticized the treatment of students and student publications, mentioning "limitations on the free choice of the nation, and the disrespect and dignity of individuals," as well as "the attribution of falsehoods and insults to some political and social figures." Kamfirouzi pointed out that some former officials of the regime, due to illegal restrictions (citing Articles 20, 36, 37, and 39 of the Constitution), are unable to respond to these insults and false accusations. This may refer to the restrictions placed on Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi, and Zahra Rahnavard, leaders of the 2009 protests, as well as former President Mohammad Khatami, who is currently facing severe media restrictions. However, Khamenei emphasized his ongoing sensitivity regarding the widespread protests of 2009, which he refers to as "fitna." He stated that the criterion is the lack of support for those who were leaders of the fitna or exploited it and have not distanced themselves from it. According to Khamenei's office, he criticized "individuals who, while claiming to support the regime, Imam, and revolution, have not clarified their stance on the fitna." Khamenei did not name any specific individuals. He and a group of senior government officials and political and military figures close to him refer to the protests following the presidential election in 2009 as "fitna." The "leaders of the fitna" specifically refer to those who led these protests, including Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi, and occasionally Mohammad Khatami. Mousavi, Karroubi, and Zahra Rahnavard, the wife of the former Prime Minister, have been under house arrest since 2010. Iranian government officials categorize those who did not explicitly attack the 2009 protests or those referred to as "leaders of the fitna" as "silent on the fitna." Khamenei, who is said to have ordered the house arrest of the dissenting figures, has repeatedly launched severe attacks on the 2009 protests and the protesters in public speeches. During the protests against the presidential election results, dozens were killed, and many protesters and some prominent political figures were imprisoned. The house arrest of Rahnavard, Karroubi, and Mousavi continues despite ongoing reports of their deteriorating health. Previously, in 2014, a conservative member of parliament stated that one of Khamenei's conditions for the release of the protest leaders was "repentance" and retracting the "accusations" made against the Islamic Republic. Recently, Mehdi Karroubi, in a letter to Hassan Rouhani, requested that the "tyrannical regime" hold a court for him to explain the events that occurred to detainees during the 2009 protests "in legal and illegal detention centers," clarify his reasons regarding "fraud" in the elections, and determine who is "dishonorable." In another part of his speech, Khamenei criticized the United States again, stating, "Perhaps today, U.S. policies require them to distinguish between the officials of the Islamic regime and divide them into good and bad officials, but if the Americans gain the ability, those so-called good officials will also be considered bad in their eyes." Khamenei has repeatedly emphasized that government officials should not trust Washington. He has also banned discussions with American officials on issues other than Tehran's nuclear program. Nevertheless, reports have emerged regarding some negotiations between the parties over issues such as the Iraq crisis and the Syrian civil war. Khamenei stated that those who seek to focus on Western advancements for progress in Iran have "lost their minds." He did not name any specific individuals. Khamenei also criticized France regarding the JCPOA, noting that France, one of Tehran's most important economic partners in Europe, was one of the first destinations of Hassan Rouhani's European trip.