(Kaleme [Persian]) | March 11, 2010
Mir Hossein Mousavi’s official website published an interview with Zahra Rahnavard, the popular wife of Iranian opposition leader, Mir Hossein Mousavi, in which she said that the current Iranian government (under the administration of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad) is illegitimate, but because they occupy the executive branch of the Iranian government, they are still answerable to the people.
She also said that the opposition would be present during the Iranian New Year celebrations of Nowruz. Since the rigged June 12, 2009 presidential election in Iran last year in which Ahmadinejad was declared the “official winner” despite numerous irregularities and evidence of widespread fraud, supporters of Mousavi have engaged in non-violent anti-government protests that have been met with extreme government violence and a harsh crackdown by police and paramilitary groups in Iran.
Reuters picked up on the story:
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the most powerful figure in the Islamic establishment, has criticized Iran’s opposition leaders for disputing the legitimacy of Ahmadinejad’s government and for refusing to “bow before the law.”
“I have said many times that this government is illegitimate … but because the government claims to be legitimate, it has to carry out its duties,” Zahra Rahnavard was quoted as saying on Kaleme, the website of her husband.
She also said the opposition movement would be present on March 17 when Iranians hold celebrations a few days before the country’s New Year (on March 21).
“We will be present that day… but will not take any extreme or violent action,” Rahnavard said.
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