Legal Case Formed Regarding Anti-Government Gathering in Qom and Remarks by a Mourner in Tehran

As reactions continue to one of the threatening slogans from an anti-government gathering about 10 days ago in Qom, and following the repetition of this threat by a famous mourner in Tehran, the spokesperson for the judiciary announced the opening of a case regarding this matter in the "Special Court for Clergy." According to the news agency Mizan, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, spokesperson and first deputy of the judiciary, stated in a press conference on Sunday, September 4, that the judiciary has prioritized this issue as a public prosecutor and a case has been formed in the Special Court for Clergy. According to the news agency Mehr, Mohseni Ejei mentioned that "there is no need for a private complainant in threats against officials," stating that the public prosecutor has intervened both in Tehran and Qom. According to the same report, the spokesperson of the judiciary said that summonses for individuals would be issued after "field investigations are conducted," but "I do not know if anyone has been officially summoned yet." In a gathering held on Thursday, August 25, on the topic of "Demanding Economic Justice" at the Fayzieh School in Qom, an image of a slogan that implicitly threatened Hassan Rouhani with the fate of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani became newsworthy. However, this threat was reiterated a few days ago by Mansour Arzi, a famous mourner in Tehran who is often seen at events attended by Ayatollah Khamenei. According to a video that has recently circulated on social media, Mansour Arzi, during a ceremony apparently held last Tuesday in central Tehran, referred to Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Hassan Rouhani as "traitors" and stated: "That guy died in the pool in the end, this guy will also die in the pool in the end." Following the release of this video, Ali Motahari, the deputy speaker of parliament, wrote in a note published by the news agency ISNA that the remarks of Mansour Arzi and the gathering at the Fayzieh School indicate that "it seems some individuals are suffering from guilt and want to recount the story of the late head of the Expediency Council's demise." Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani suffered a heart attack while swimming in a pool on January 8, 2017, and passed away. Since then, several family members and close associates have deemed this death as "suspicious." However, Ali Motahari stated that although Mansour Arzi's remarks "indicate a deep hatred" towards Hashemi Rafsanjani and Hassan Rouhani, they do not "imply murder" of Hashemi or "threaten the president with death." On the other hand, the legal advisor to Hassan Rouhani stated that a complaint will be filed against the "abusers of the president." According to ISNA, Laya Joneidi said in a press conference on Sunday that the groundwork for the complaint has been prepared, and inquiries have been made from security and intelligence agencies regarding this matter, stating: "I need to consult with the president to decide whether to file a complaint with the existing information or to wait for inquiries from the security intelligence agencies or to take another decision." Since last December, several cities in Iran have witnessed gatherings that initially arose in protest against economic issues but quickly raised political demands and chanted slogans against the Islamic Republic and its leader. Following Ali Khamenei's speech about the "grievances of the people," several conservatives in Iran also held separate gatherings against the policies of Hassan Rouhani's government.