Witnesses say security forces are clamping down in Iran’s holy city of Qom (KOHM), where massive crowds have turned out for the funeral of the country’s most senior dissident cleric.
Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri died yesterday at age 87. He had denounced as “despotic” the government crackdown on protests following the disputed June presidential election. Today, many of the mourners have been chanting protest slogans and “death to the dictator.”
[media id=65 width=610 height=340]Tens of thousands took part in a procession for Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Ali Montazeri in the holy city of Qom.
Ayatollah Montazeri, who was 87, had denounced President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s re-election as a fraud.
The reformist Jaras website said mourners chanted slogans in support of the grand ayatollah and also of opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi.
[media id=64 width=610 height=340]Opposition website Kaleme.org said that following the funeral, some mourners threw stones at police surrounding the grand ayatollah’s house and clashes with security forces followed.
