Iran opposition leaders to attend anti-Israel rally

          
          Iran opposition leaders to attend anti-Israel rally Reutersoom lttp://www .reuters.con 'VarticlePrint?article ld—USTRE5SF3QY2009O916
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          Iran opposition leaders to attend
          anti-Israel rally
          Wed Sep 16, 2009 1:42pm EDT
          By Parisa Hafezi
          TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's opposition leaders will attend the nationwide
          “Qods Day' rally on Friday, a reformist website reported on Wednesday, a
          move that could lead to fresh anti-government protests.
          The June presidential election, which was followed by huge opposition
          protests, plunged Iran into political turmoil and exposed deepening divisions
          within its ruling elite.
          Opposition leaders say the poll was rigged to secure President Mahmoud
          Ahmadinejad's re-election. The authorities deny it.
          Iranian authorities, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah PJi Khamenei, have
          warned the opposition against turning the annual anti-Israel rally into street
          protests against the clerical establishment.
          Defeated presidential candidates Mirhossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi
          said they would attend the anti-Israel rally. “Mousavi, Karoubi and former
          president Mohammad Khatami will participate in Friday's rally,” said the
          reformist website, Mowjcamp.
          Defying the authorities, some moderate websites have called for new
          anti-government protests on “Qods Day.”
          Witnesses said security forces had tightened control in streets leading to
          the prayer venue in central Tehran.
          The late founder of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah
          Khomeini, declared the last Friday of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan
          as the “Qods (Jerusalem) Day” and called for nationwide rallies against
          Israel and in support of Palestinians.
          State television said moderate cleric Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who
          backed the opposition during the post-election unrest, had been replaced
          with a hardline cleric to lead the prayer sermon at Tehran University on
          Friday.
          For the past 25 years, Rafsanjani, also head of a powerful arbitrary body,
          has led the sermon.
          State media said Ahmadinejad would also address worshippers, a move
          which could provoke supporters of his election rivals to stage protests
          against the establishment.
          Moussavi's kaleme.com website said “Qods Day” was initiated by Khomeini
          and had nothing to do with the current government, calling on his supporters
          to join the rally.
          Rights groups say thousands of people, including senior pro-reform figures,
          were arrested after the election, though most have been freed. The
          opposition says more than 70 people died during street protests after the
          vote. It contradicts the official death toll of 36 people.
          Hardliners have portrayed the opposition protests as a foreign-backed bid
          to undermine the Islamic government system.
          (Writing by Parisa hafezi, Editing by Janet Lawrence)
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