Third Night of Protests in Iran - 2003-06-13

In Iran, protesters against the government took to the streets for the third consecutive night, with some calling for the ousting of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country's supreme leader. The protests early today were smaller than those of the previous two nights, but hundreds gathered near Tehran University shouting that Ayatollah Khamenei should be executed. Criticism of the supreme leader carries a prison sentence, and a public call for his death had not been made until now. According to reports, the protests were disrupted after police attacked the demonstrators. The police fired tear gas to disperse other students who had started fires in the university area. The university grounds had also been the scene of violent unrest four years ago. Occupants of thousands of cars gathered near the university honked in support of the protesters. Riot units had blocked roads to prevent pro-Khamenei motorcycle riders and Basij forces from approaching the protesters near the university. The Basij shouted, 'We are at your command, Supreme Leader.' They roamed the streets, breaking the windows of several cars and disrespecting their occupants. With the sunrise, the city calmed down. American officials have expressed support for the protests that began on Tuesday night. Richard Boucher, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department, said the protests have drawn attention to the destructive policies of Iran's unelected clerical government. U.S. officials have accused Iran of attempting to produce nuclear weapons and harboring members of the terrorist network al-Qaeda. Iran has denied and rejected these accusations. Ayatollah Khamenei has blamed the U.S. for the protests. In a speech on Thursday, he stated that if officials decide to suppress those he called rioters, they will resort to severe measures similar to those used in 1999 to quell student protests.