These events have been reported to World Threats. Dec. 20 - In Qom after the death of Ayatollah Montazeri a large crowd went towards his home. An unannounced curfew was being implemented and SSF, RGC and Bassiji were deployed in the entire city.
Dec. 20 - Residents of Tehran were informed of the death of Montazeri at 1230. People were paying condolences to each other in the streets, buses and public places. After 1500 Tehran became uneasy especially in the south. Helicopters were seen patrolling the city. People told each other they should rush to Qom before the regime closes the highway. An eyewitness said that the traffic was very heavy. SSF and plainclothes officers were stationed on the highway due to an accident between two trucks. The highway was closed and people were told they should go back to Tehran or take another route.
Dec. 20 - A large crowd gathered in Mohsine Square at 22:30 and chanted “death to the dictator”. They were dispersed by security forces.
Dec. 21 - In Isfehan people are moving in groups towards Bagh Meli to commemorate Montazeri. The agents stood by afraid to start a rebellion by arresting anyone.
Dec. 21 - In Qom a huge crowd has gathered at Montazeri’s funeral. They chant: Montazeri is a true cleric, death to Supreme Leadership, death to dictator. The funeral ended at 1030. Some pro-state slogans were chanted using loudspeakers but the crowd silenced them. Among the slogans the people are chanting are: Montazeri is not death. It is the state that is death. Iranian will die but will not surrender to oppression. This month is the month of blood. Sayeed Ali (Khamenei) is overthrown. Death to the principle of Supreme Leadership.
Dec. 21- In Isfehan people are moving in groups of 500 or 1000 on different streets towards the National Park. The mosques are filled with mourners. Almost all the people in Najaf Abad are mourning the death of Ayatollah Montazeri. All shops and schools are closed.
Qom - Clashes
Dec. 21 - At 0930 the body of ayatollah Montazeri was taken from his home and slowly moved through thousands of people to reach Massoumeh’s Shrine. People chanted “There is no God except Allah”, “it’s mourning day today. The enchanted Montazeri is mourned at”, “death to the dictator”, and “Montazeri your path will be followed if bullets take all of us” as they marched to the shrine.
Clashes took place between the regime’s forces and the people. After the burial the shrine’s doors were blocked due to the huge crowd.
At 1230 the crowd participating in Montazeri’s funeral was larger than the crowd gathered to protest the June 15th election. When Khamenei’s statement was read the people booed and chanted death to the dictator. The regime’s forces attacked the crowd with stones. There may be a mourning ceremony in Azam Mosque after dark.
The Seventh day of Montazeri’s death coincides with Ashura.
Dec. 21 - At noon students of Abaspour University held a ceremony in the university’s amphitheater. They are sharply criticizing the regime. Students of Sharif University staged a gathering at 11:30 to mourn the death of Montazeri. Security forces are currently stationed at the entrances to the university to keep the students from protesting in the streets. Eyewitnesses have said that the Qom-Tehran Highway is very crowded. Security forces have stopped hundreds of buses on the highway to prevent the people from attending Montazeri’s funeral in Qom.
Three films of Montazeri’s funeral in Qom are available here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SyBkdRjRVE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbbKRZSITBA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnZeds0kxsw
Analysis. I highlighted the reference to the seventh day celebrations of Montazeri’s death and the celebrations of the death of Hussein as I expect that the two occurring together will be no end of trouble for the regime.
I suspect that if pressured enough on Ashura, the people of Iran will engage in serious revolutionary actions. Could be interesting.
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