Spaghetti Western Info

Western Action Figure

Iran threatens tougher action against election result critics

IN strongest warning yet to opposition leaders, Iran's supreme leader has said that questioning the results of Iran's June presidential election would be considered a criminal act.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters in Iran, did not go so far as to order the arrest of those leaders, as called for by hard-liners, but his words signaled the government could take stronger action if the criticism continues.

"The day after the election, some people, without logic or reason, called the glorious election a lie," state television quoted Khamenei as saying.

He said questioning the election was "the biggest crime."

Opposition leader, Mir Hossein Mousavi, has said President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stole the June 12 election from him through massive vote fraud. Hundreds of thousands of protesters poured into the streets in the days after the vote, prompting the government to stage a violent crackdown.

Although the street protests died down months ago, Mousavi and other leading opposition figures, including fellow presidential candidate, Mahdi Karroubi, and former President Mohammad Khatami, have refused to silence their protests.

Khamenei said he sent private messages to those who continue to question the election telling them they may not be able to control the future direction of events - an implied threat of additional government action if they fail to cease their activities. He did not name specific individuals.

The supreme leader has supported Ahmadinejad throughout the election crisis, including during the subsequent crackdown that resulted in hundreds of arrests and multiple deaths. The government has confirmed 30 people were killed, while the opposition says the 72 died.

The simmering post-election unrest has received less international attention in recent weeks, overshadowed by speculation about whether Iran will accept a UN-drafted plan to ship most of its low-enriched uranium to Russia for further enrichment.

Iran's state al Alam television yesterday reported the Tehran had formally presented its response to the fuel deal to the head of the International Atomic Energy Organisation (IAEA), giving no details. Iran had missed an October 23 UN deadline for a reply.

World powers have complained of Iranian stalling and obfuscation on proposals meant to defuse a long standoff over its disputed nuclear aspirations.

Iran will risk rekindling demands for harsher sanctions without movement on the fuel plan and other nuclear transparency measures before the end of the year, Western diplomats said.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, according to Reuters yesterday reiterated that Iran would not retreat "one iota" on its right to a sovereign nuclear programme. But, "fortunately, conditions have been prepared for international cooperation in the nuclear field," he said in a speech in the northeastern city of Mashhad.

"We welcome cooperation on nuclear fuel, power plants and technology and we are ready to cooperate." He did not say whether Iran would accept the deal or demand changes.

Iran's IAEA ambassador, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, declined to say what Iran's position was other than that it was "positive."

"We expect that our technical and economic concerns will be taken into consideration when dealing with the modalities of supply of nuclear fuel for the Tehran research reactor."

The draft fuel deal was hammered out by IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei in follow-up talks to an October 1 meeting between Iran and six world powers in Geneva, where Iran also agreed to open a previously secret enrichment site for UN inspections.

Four senior IAEA inspectors returned to Vienna yesterday after a first visit to the site and the team chief said "we had a good trip" but would not elaborate. Details are likely to come in the IAEA's next quarterly report on Iran in mid-November.

About the Author

www.fastonnews.blogspot.com

US Auctions Australian Auctions Austrian Auctions Belgian Auctions Canadian Auctions French Auctions German Auctions Irish Auctions Italian Auctions Dutch Auctions Spanish Auctions Swiss Auctions GB Auctions

Best Match Items Ending First Newly-Listed Items First Price + Shipping: Lowest First Price + Shipping: Highest First

No items matching your keywords were found.

WW2 Action Figure: Western Front 1944