Iran's dissident Grand Ayatollah Montazeri dies

[Babur]

Montazeri was an enemy of Khamenei and seemed to be quite respected in Iran

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

One of Iran's most prominent dissident clerics, Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Ali Montazeri, has died aged 87.

Hoseyn Ali Montazeri was a moving spirit in the 1979 revolution which created Iran's Islamic state, and was at one stage set to become its leader.
One of Shia Islam's most respected figures, he was also a leading critic of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The BBC's Jon Leyne says the death comes at a crucial time in a standoff between the government and opposition.
Iran's rulers will now fear the opposition may attempt a big turnout for his funeral and other ceremonies marking his death, especially in the run-up to the Shia Muslim festival of Ashura on 27 December, our correspondent says.

Thorn

The cleric's son told the BBC that his father had died of natural causes.
DEFIANT CLERIC
Born into provincial family in 1922 and educated at a seminary
Arrested and tortured for leading protests against Iran monarchy
Designated successor to Islamic Republic's founder, Khomeini
Fell out with Khomeini in 1989 over Iran's human rights record
House arrest in 1997 for criticising current Supreme Leader
Issues a fatwa against President Ahmadinejad after 2009's election



Obituary: Ayatollah Montazeri

The state-owned Irna news agency said: "Hoseyn Ali Montazeri passed away in his home last [Saturday] night."
A thorn in the establishment's side, Grand Ayatollah Montazeri issued a fatwa condemning President Ahmadinejad's government after June's disputed election.
But that was not his first clash with authority - he repeatedly accused the country's rulers of imposing dictatorship in the name of Islam and said the liberation that was supposed to have followed the 1979 revolution never happened.
During his lifetime, the cleric was transformed from a pillar of the Islamic revolution to one of the most vocal critics of its leadership.
He had been designated to succeed the Islamic Republic's founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, but the pair fell out over Iran's human rights record a few months before Khomeini died of cancer in 1989.
In 1997 he famously clashed with Khomeini's successor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whom he outranked in the religious hierarchy, after questioning the powers of the Supreme Leader.
This led to the closure of Grand Ayatollah Montazeri's religious school and an attack on his office in Qom. He was placed under house arrest for six years.

'Sense of duty'

After his detention, state-run media began referring to him as a "simple-minded" cleric, references to him in schoolbooks were erased and streets named after him were renamed, but he remained defiant.
Grand Ayatollah Montazeri became an inspiration for reformists

Born into a provincial family and educated at a seminary, Hoseyn Ali Montazeri came to prominence as one of the early supporters of Imam Khomeini.
Prior to the overthrow of the Iranian monarchy, he organised public protests in support of Imam Khomeini, following the latter's arrest.
As a result he was repeatedly detained himself and tortured in jail.
While Imam Khomeini was in exile in Iraq, Grand Ayatollah Montazeri was nominated as his representative in Iran, and after the revolution, he was designated as successor.
But he was marginalised after questioning decisions taken by the Supreme Leader and calling for a transparent assessment of the revolution's failures.
In his opposition to President Ahmadinejad, he became an unlikely inspiration for Iranian reformists.
Despite his old age and failing health, Hoseyn Ali Montazeri backed the opposition's claims that the 2009 election result, which gave President Ahmadinejad a landslide victory, had been widely rigged.
The cleric had often said his opinions were guided by his "sense of religious duty".


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/mid...st/8423046.stm

[Prince of Yunderup]

May Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Ali Montazeri rests in peace. He sounds like he was really great person a loss for Iran.

[cyrus_empire]

Thank Babur Prince of Yunderup
Ayatollah Montazeri, Iran's spiritual leader the green movement. The cleric, Shi'a intellectuals. He the last moment of life to defend freedom and rights of the people.
Although 5 years was a prisoner in her home, but still believed in freedom. Today the Iranian people in his funeral showed him with interest.
God bless his soul.

[The Dude]

I never get this. Why do these people always have to go ape whenever some big persona dies? RIP Montazeri but seriously people, give the man a break and stop looking like total utter monkeys climbing his coffin.

[Justinian]

I never get this. Why do these people always have to go ape whenever some big persona dies? RIP Montazeri but seriously people, give the man a break and stop looking like total utter monkeys climbing his coffin.

Your hatred of Muslims strikes again!

[The Dude]

Your hatred of Muslims strikes again!

Perhaps. But you tell me the difference between this:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

And the picture above. XD

I'm sorry but those practices are just feral and barbaric. Culture? Lack thereof, morelike.

[Gromovnik]

I never get this. Why do these people always have to go ape whenever some big persona dies? RIP Montazeri but seriously people, give the man a break and stop looking like total utter monkeys climbing his coffin.

They just do it for the lulz.

[cegorach]

I never get this. Why do these people always have to go ape whenever some big persona dies? RIP Montazeri but seriously people, give the man a break and stop looking like total utter monkeys climbing his coffin.

I think your comment might be a bit more... productive.

[Babur]

I never get this. Why do these people always have to go ape whenever some big persona dies? RIP Montazeri but seriously people, give the man a break and stop looking like total utter monkeys climbing his coffin.

please show some respect just because you don't understand another culture doesn't mean that there is any need for this.

I think your comment might be a bit more... productive.

too true

[danzig]

Really wonder how long current Iranian hierarchy can maintain control, so many of these opposition are young who are going to become more and more demanding...not less. I mean its good for Iran, that what Iran needs imo is coming from within rather then being thrusted upon them but Ill be really interested to see how Iran is 20 years from now.

[cegorach]

Really wonder how long current Iranian hierarchy can maintain control, so many of these opposition are young who are going to become more and more demanding...not less. I mean its good for Iran, that what Iran needs imo is coming from within rather then being thrusted upon them but Ill be really interested to see how Iran is 20 years from now.

So do I. The old regime will fall, the problem is how.

The opposition seems to be really smart, but the younger and more warlike part (Revolutionary Guard) of the ruling regime is thristing for more power, more money and less competition.

Perhaps a form of militarist rule before the final failure or a Putinesque style 'democracy' after the old regime breaths its last breath. neither has to be too (for Iran) brutal if proves short lived.

Of course personally I hope for something more civilised and quicker.

[Sevachenko]

Too bad it was him who pass and not Ali Khamenei.

Nonetheless RIP.

[RomanSoldier9001]

Really wonder how long current Iranian hierarchy can maintain control, so many of these opposition are young who are going to become more and more demanding...not less. I mean its good for Iran, that what Iran needs imo is coming from within rather then being thrusted upon them but Ill be really interested to see how Iran is 20 years from now.

Because more young folk also suports the regime and of course "old" folk are more suportive aswell.
But is interesiting to see what will happen in future.

[cyrus_empire]

I also, of his death was sorry. Him, was influential personality. And large opposed Khamenei. However, the death of him, more energy to the campaign of liberal people said.
Ayatollah Montazeri has way more. I'm in Iran, and as an Iranian I am proud of him.
Regime of this will can not resist. Of course there still remains a long way but we are sure victory.

[Babur]

I also, of his death was sorry. Him, was influential personality. And large opposed Khamenei. However, the death of him, more energy to the campaign of liberal people said.
Ayatollah Montazeri has way more. I'm in Iran, and as an Iranian I am proud of him.
Regime of this will can not resist. Of course there still remains a long way but we are sure victory.

indeed, Khamenei is a tyrant on the level of Yazid I

[Hax]

Ayatollah Montazeri has way more. I'm in Iran, and as an Iranian I am proud of him.
Regime of this will can not resist. Of course there still remains a long way but we are sure victory.

Keep up the non-violent protests!

The government cannot win forever. Long live Karroubi and Khatami!

[alhoon]

Persia needs an emperor it seems.
A more modern one, like Japan's emperor but an emperor.

They feel deep respect for religious people and I respect them for that.

[motiv-8]

I never get this. Why do these people always have to go ape whenever some big persona dies? RIP Montazeri but seriously people, give the man a break and stop looking like total utter monkeys climbing his coffin.

The Dude fails to understand other cultures -- film at 11!

[DashSia]

I'm not a muslim, but as an Iranian, and more importantly as a human, I'm really sad for Montazeri's death. He could have been sitting in the seat of Khamenei now if he had sold his soul 20 years ago. But he didn't, he didn't sell his soul and because of that he's now in all people's now. During Khomeini's rule, Montazeri was his definite heir, but when he saw that Khomeini was breaking the rules of his own, killing 5000 people because of different political views, he opposed it. Conservatives kicked him out of power and seated Khamenei instead of him, and since that day Montazeri went out of peoples' minds.

But after the elections, Montazeri supported people in different interviews and he regained his place in people's hearts. God bless him.

I never get this. Why do these people always have to go ape whenever some big persona dies? RIP Montazeri but seriously people, give the man a break and stop looking like total utter monkeys climbing his coffin.

While I do not approve these kinds of actions in funerals, but please try to think before you post something so you won't post something disrespectful. If you had thought before posting this, you would have known that it's just a difference of cultures nothing more. If this seems barbaric to you, then your culture may seem barbaric to us. But nor ours is barbaric nor yours, they are just different.

I took your post as an insult to my country and family.

I'll post some videos in the next post

[The Dude]

While I do not approve these kinds of actions in funerals, but please try to think before you post something so you won't post something disrespectful. If you had thought before posting this, you would have known that it's just a difference of cultures nothing more. If this seems barbaric to you, then your culture may seem barbaric to us. But nor ours is barbaric nor yours, they are just different

Rather than be offended, just look at that picture again and see it for what it is. People totally losing their over the death of some guy.

Oh I know, he's not just "some guy". He's a really important religious leader that a lot of people looked up to for inspiration and hope and all that. I know. But even then, there is no need for such a theatrical display of public desperation. It only cheapens your culture in the eyes of, oh I don't know... everyone else.

Besides, and this is something I for some reason haven't even pointed out yet, why is it that a proper funeral limo or somesuch couldn't even be arranged for a man of his stature. Seriously. He's being paraded through town in what looks to be a cardboard coffin clad in pictures printed from some home office printer on the back of a van that couldn't possibly have gone for more than 100 dollars from the local chopshop. What a disgrace.

If that man had died in the west we'd at least have given him the decency of a proper burial, instead of this zoo.

EDIT: Also yes I am aware that this post is probably really offensive but I'm just calling it as I see it. If the truth is offensive then that's just too bad I suppose.