Thousands of Basij members affiliated with hardline conservatives demonstrated today in Tehran, condemning the United States and Israel while protesting against the actions of reform-seeking student demonstrators. The Basij, numbering over 10,000, chanted slogans of 'Death to America' and 'Death to Israel' in front of the former U.S. embassy building in Tehran. They warned students protesting the death sentence of a reformist university professor. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, has called for a review of the death sentence of Hashem Aghajari. Dr. Aghajari was sentenced to death in Hamedan for questioning the absolute rule of the clerics in Iran. According to reports from student sources cited by Agence France-Presse, students seeking reforms at two universities in Tehran intended to demonstrate today, but the government did not allow them to protest, leading to the cancellation of both marches. Political tensions are rising as reformist President Mohammad Khatami attempts to curb the influence of hardliners who control key government institutions.
Thousands of Basij Demonstrate in Tehran - 2002-11-24
Thousands of Basij members protested in Tehran against the U.S. and Israel while opposing student reformists. The demonstration coincided with rising political tensions as President Khatami seeks to limit hardliner influence amid a controversial death sentence for a reformist professor. This event highlights the ongoing struggle between reformists and conservatives in Iran.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
Thousands of Basij members protested in Tehran against reform-seeking students and the U.S. and Israel.
- Basij members protest reform-seeking student demonstrators
- Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announce Hashem Aghajari's death sentence
- students protest Iranian government
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The protest underscores the deepening divide in Iranian society and governance.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%