Leading Shi'ite Religious Authority Ayatollah Montazeri Expresses Sharp Criticism of Ahmadinejad

In an April 16, 2007 e-mail interview with the reformist website Rooz, Iranian Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, who was once the successor to Ayatollah Khomeini, aimed harsh criticism at the Iranian regime under Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and at the policies of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. In the interview, Ayatollah Montazeri complained about the regime's censorship of his publications and about ongoing judicial measures being taken against him and his disciples.

Montazeri, who is 85, spent five years under house arrest, and was released from it five years ago following heavy public criticism. He is considered one of the most senior religious authorities in the Shi'ite world and in Iran. Montazeri was removed from his position as successor to Khomeini as a result of his criticism of the principle of the rule of the jurisprudent (velayat-e faqih) on which the Iranian regime is founded.

In Montazeri's view, the ruling jurisprudent's role should be solely spiritual and advisory, with the rulers in practice being elected by the people. Likewise, he thinks that the ruling jurisprudent should supervise the political system to ensure that it is in keeping with Islamic principles.

In the interview, Ayatollah Montazeri complained about the regime's censorship of his publications and about ongoing judicial measures being taken against him and his disciples.

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The following is a summary of Montazeri's interview with Rooz:[1]

In the interview, Ayatollah Montazeri discussed Khamenei's declaration on the Persian New Year (March 21, 2007) that the regime was calling this "the year of national unity and Islamic cohesion." Montazeri said that "the slogans concerning unity and cohesion, on the national and Islamic levels, are just rhetoric and media propaganda." In his words, it is not possible to "order unity and speak in the name of unity at a time when [the regime] is denying part [of the public] their civil rights and is implementing narrow and monopolistic [policy] in administration [of the country] and in decision-making." As an example, Ayatollah Montazeri noted that "when the current government's promises of economic growth were not fulfilled, the teachers' and workers' sectors expressed their opposition and protest, and faced in response arrest and violent conduct [on the part of the regime] in several cities."

Ayatollah Montazeri criticized the government's reaction to its critics, and said that "the protesters cannot be accused of conspiring with foreigners and be described as causing… damage to national unity without any evidence, proof, or documents being presented that would testify to this."

Montazeri also criticized the regime's conduct vis-à-vis Iranian women's struggle against discrimination, and he condemned the arrests, punishments, and harm done to women who are taking part in the "One Million Signatures for Change in Laws that Discriminate against Women" campaign.[2]

Montazeri criticized Iranian President Ahmadinejad's nuclear strategy, saying that "it is impossible to get through the current crisis by means of his provocative and unhelpful slogans, at a time when the world powers are showing that they are disquieted [by the Iranian nuclear issue]. [Ahmadinejad's] pronouncements only heighten the powers' disquiet, and lead them to consensus [among themselves] and to conflict with Iran."