Motahari Criticizes 'Unconstitutional' Actions in Government

Ali Motahari, in response to the stance of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic and his close associates regarding the 'National Reconciliation' plan, stated that the people have 'grievances' against the government following the events of 2009, and actions 'against the Constitution' such as house arrest, media bans, and the imprisonment of Ahmad Montazeri are 'narrow-mindedness' and 'should be set aside.' According to ISNA, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament said on Saturday, March 6, at the Congress of the Democracy Party, 'We also agree that the people are not at odds with each other, but after the events of 2009, the people have grievances against the government, and during this time, unconstitutional actions are being taken that should be abandoned.' He described issues such as the house arrest of Green Movement leaders, the media ban on Mohammad Khatami, strict measures against critics, and the imprisonment of Ahmad Montazeri as a result of 'narrow-mindedness.' Former President Mohammad Khatami recently expressed hope for the 'realization of national reconciliation and internal solidarity' in Iran, stating that 'now is the best time to create solidarity among all forces in the path of national interests and to repel and eliminate threats and conspiracies.' The Supreme Leader and his close associates reacted strongly to the proposal, calling it 'meaningless' and stating that 'the people are not at odds with each other.' Ayatollah Ali Khamenei indirectly referred to this plan as 'meaningless' on Wednesday, February 15, and said they would not reconcile with the 'seditionists' of Ashura 2009. Prior to him, Sadegh Larijani, the head of the Iranian judiciary, deemed the topic of 'national reconciliation' as 'incorrect' and emphasized that those who, according to him, 'erred' in 2009 should return from their 'wrong path.' In a recent reaction, Abbasali Kadkhodai, the spokesman for the Guardian Council, accused Mohammad Khatami of proposing the 'national reconciliation' plan with the aim of 'polarizing' the country ahead of the elections. Mr. Motahari continued his remarks by referring to the arrest of Ahmad Montazeri due to the publication of an audio file of Ayatollah Montazeri, stating that no one should be imprisoned for publishing a document and 'it cannot be said that the document of the revolution should be destroyed.' He emphasized that 'the dominance of oppression over justice, moral corruption, neglect of enjoining good and forbidding wrong, and division and disunity are factors leading to the extinction of human societies, the most important example of which is the extinction of the Ottoman Empire.' Ahmad Montazeri was sentenced to 21 years in prison following the publication of an audio file of Ayatollah Montazeri regarding the executions of 1988, and the Special Court for Clergy announced that six years of this sentence would be enforced. Mr. Montazeri was summoned to the Special Court for Clergy on Wednesday without receiving a formal summons and reported his arrest shortly after. The Telegram channel of Ayatollah Montazeri's office announced on Thursday night, March 5, that he had been in 'solitary confinement' since his arrest 'until it seems that suddenly the procedure changed, and he was granted eight days of leave at 10 PM on Thursday.' Ali Motahari has previously protested several times against the house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, leaders of the Green Movement, and the media ban on Mohammad Khatami, the former president of Iran, calling these actions unconstitutional.