Iran says Ahmad Montazeri is "acting against national security"

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24)- Islamic Republic judiciary summons the son of the Ayatollah who published his late father's audiotape objecting to 1988 mass executions for "acting against national security," Zaitoon reports.

Ahmad Montazeri, an Ayatollah (Shia religious leader) himself, published an audio file last month in which Ayatollah Hussein Ali Montazeri is heard addressing officials and warning that history will condemn Iran for the mass killing.

In his memoir, Montazeri had already voiced his objection to the execution of 2,800 to 3,800 people, mostly but not all, members of an Iranian opposition Mujahedin-E-Khalq (MEK).

Twenty-eight years after those events, Montazeri’s memoir and his recent audio file remain the most comprehensive evidence for the 1980s executions.

Amnesty International estimated that Iran killed about 4,500 people in 1988; others speak of larger numbers. Underage prisoners arrested for delivering leaflets for their political parties were among those put to death.

The killings mainly came as a punishment for MEK after they launched an attack on western Iran near the end of Iran-Iraq war in 1988. 

In addition to the rush decision to take away life from people already serving time, the executions also undermined Iranian judiciary system but were not announced in national or foreign media.

Montazeri himself who was expected to replace the then supreme leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, was quickly removed from power for his remarks.

In the 40-minute audio, Montazeri is addressing Iranian authorities who are currently in power: Mostafa Pourmohammadi was the Intelligence Ministry’s representative to Evin prison at the time and is now the justice minister.

"We are proud to have obeyed God's order," said the justice minister Mostafa Pourmohammadi about killing the opposition, despite former denials of involvement.

Ebrahim Raeisi warned by Montazeri was a public prosecutor in the 80s, and he is currently the head of the Astan Quds Razavi, which is arguably the richest institution in Iran.

Hussein Ali Nayeri was also a judge at the time and a current deputy at the Supreme Court of Iran.