"I’M WELL, WORKIGN AND STUDYING": AYATOLLAH MONTAZERI
By Safa Haeri
LONDON 28 Jan. (IPS) Grand Ayatollah Hoseynali Montazeri, In an unprecedented interview with a foreign media, Tuesday criticised President Hojjatoleslam Mohammad Khatami’s political stand and advised him to "revise" his position if he wanted to enjoy the continued support of the people.
In the rather lengthy interview with Mr. Darioosh Homa’i of the Persian
service of the BBC, broadcast on the very day he was expected to be freed
from five years of house arrest, the dissident cleric spoke lively and seemed to
be in an all together good health and combative mood, contrary to news that he
was in very poor health conditions.
"Except that I over sleep, I don’t have any major health problems", he told the BBC, adding that he was still under house arrest conditions.
The Grand Ayatollah, Iran and the world’s Shi’a Muslims highest religious authority, was ordered confined to his residence five years ago after criticising openly the autocratic leadership of Ayatollah Khameneh'i, the lamed leader of the Islamic Republic.
Iran’s official news agency IRNA quoted yesterday a statement by the Supreme Council for National Security (SCNS) announcing the end of Mr. Montazeri’s house arrest for Tuesday.
Iranian newspapers had reported that the SCNS agreed to end the senior cleric’s confinement, on conditions that he refrains from making political statements and after his son, Hojjatoleslam Ahmad Montazeri, had called on the Clergymen’s Special Tribunal to free his father, reported to be suffering from hearth and other physical problems.
But in the BBC interview, Mr. Montazeri stated forcefully that not only he had made no demand, "to anyone" for recovering his freedom, but also no one is his family made such request.
"These gentlemen (of the authorities) want to end the house arrest, theyr are welcome, but I would not ask them any thing and certainly not accept any conditions", Mr. Montazeri said for that matter.
Also the younger Montazeri denied the reports, telling the Persian service of Radio France International that he had presented no conditions to the CST or the SCNS on behalf of his father.
Ayatollah Montazeri blasted as "illegal", "unconstitutional" and "self-made" the controversial Special Rights the 12-members, leader-controlled Council of the Guardians (CG) have bestowed to themselves as an instrument to reject any candidate for any election they do not consider as fit, but without giving any explanation.
"I was one of the experts when formulating the Constitution of the Islamic Republic and the reason we adopted the clause 99 in regard to the creation of the Council of Guardians, was to have and independent body that could prevent the officials, the government, the leaders to impose their candidates on the people, as it was customary under the Shah. Now, these gentlemen (of the CG) have overturned the law by imposing their men, instead of guaranteeing the right of the people to chose their candidates freely", he pointed out.
"Anyhow, I’m against these Special Rights. People must be free in choosing their representatives. If they are free, they would certainly vote for the right candidates. Therefore, it is always wrong to imposing them who should go to the Majles", he observed.
Urging the officials to respect people’s aspirations for freedom and allow them to speak out freely, Mr. Montazeri said in case Mr. Khatami continue the path he is following, he would lose people’s confidence.
"When elected for the first time, people were very confident, but if he continue on the path he is following now, he would lose people’s confidence", the Grand Ayatollah said, advising the President to "reconsider his behaviour and respect the promises he made to the Iranian nation".
Concerning two bills presented last year to the reformist-dominated Majles aiming at curtailing some of the CG’s most controversial and disputed prerogatives while increasing the powers of the president, Mr. Montazeri described them as "useful", but at the same time he expressed doubt whether the Guardians would approve of them.
He said the five years he passed in confinement did not alter his mental conditions. "I spent my time studying, working and reading. I’m not depressed, far from it, but however, as one body’s works in harmony with the physic, not enjoying freedom leaves its impact on the moral", he noted, adding: "I want nothing but the satisfaction of the Almighty". ENDS MONTAZERI INTERVIEW 28103