Mahmoud Sadqi: Efforts by Representatives to Meet with Karroubi Have So Far Been Unsuccessful

Mahmoud Sadqi, a member of parliament, announced in a Twitter message on Thursday, July 27, that the efforts of representatives to meet with Mehdi Karroubi have so far been "unsuccessful." Previously, following Mr. Karroubi's hospitalization due to a heart condition, several reformist representatives of parliament had requested to meet with him. Mehdi Karroubi, one of the leaders of the protests against the results of the 2009 presidential election, has been under house arrest for several years and was hospitalized on Tuesday, July 23, due to what has been reported as "heart rhythm issues" in one of Tehran's hospitals. The website Kalemeh, close to Mir Hossein Mousavi, reported on Wednesday, July 24, quoting Ahmad Mazani, a member of the Central Council of the Hope faction and a member of the National Trust Party, about this news. Mr. Mazani stated that given our concern about Mr. Karroubi's "illness," "we requested that if it is possible for parliament representatives to meet, it could be beneficial for the country." He did not specify to which institution or individual the representatives' request was submitted but added, "One or two colleagues in parliament have had discussions with officials who can take necessary actions in this regard." This representative added, "As parliament representatives, we are trusted by the people and... during the recent elections and in these years, the people's request has been to resolve these issues and free the atmosphere from the grip of extremist elements on both sides who profit from turmoil and house arrest." According to ILNA news agency, among the representatives who made this request are Mohammad Reza Tabesh, Mahmoud Sadqi, Elias Hazrati, and Ahmad Mazani. In the meantime, Hossein Karroubi, Mehdi Karroubi's son, reported on Wednesday that his father underwent an "EPS" heart procedure and stated that his general condition is "good" and he will be discharged from the hospital in a few days. Hassan Qazizadeh Hashemi, the Minister of Health, Treatment and Medical Education, also declared Mr. Karroubi's condition as "good." The Kalemeh website also reported another news quoting Ahmad Montazeri, the son of Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, regarding the house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi, stating that "if everyone had done their job well, the situation would not be like this." He added without mentioning any specific names, "If brave and justice-seeking clerics had declared the house arrest unacceptable, we would not have witnessed such a situation." The daughters of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Zahra Rahnavard also reported after their last visit with their parents about their father's "poor general condition." According to them, Mr. Mousavi "suffers from severe blood pressure fluctuations and severe dizziness." Kalemeh reported that "responsible doctors have been aware of Mir Hossein Mousavi's physical ailments for months but have not provided specific follow-ups or responses regarding his issues." In this context, Mahmoud Sadqi, in his Twitter message, also quoted one of Mir Hossein Mousavi's daughters, stating that "medical care" for him is not adequate. Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi have been under house arrest since March 2011, and news of their physical ailments is reported from time to time. Although Hassan Rouhani has always promised to lift their house arrest during his election campaigns, he has not succeeded in this regard so far. Nevertheless, some of his critics say he has not made enough efforts in this area. Earlier, Ali Motahari, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, stated that the opinion of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, is "to continue the house arrest." In this context, the physical condition of Mir Hossein Mousavi has "deteriorated." Motahari: Karroubi's heart condition is an opportunity to end his house arrest. Mehdi Karroubi was hospitalized due to a heart condition.