In Washington Rally, Iranian Cleric Calls July 9 a “National Uprising”

[democratic]

http://www.radiofarda.com/en_article/2004/7/086ec42a-70d9-477f-aa55-d0602a49c62c.html

July 8, 2004 - Several US Senators and Congressmen are scheduled to speak at a rally being held on the steps of the US Congress by Washington area Iranian activists, correspondent Parichehr Farzam says in a live report from the event.

“The July 9 event is a national uprising and it is a duty for all Iranians to honor this day, says dissident cleric Ayatollah Mehdi Haeri, who took part in the July 9, 1999 uprising in Tehran.

“Since I am fighting against this regime and consider the Islamic regime corrupt, I am appearing here in my clerical robe in order to show the people that all Iranian Shiite clerics do not support this regime,” Haeri tells Radio Farda.

“This is the only regime in the world that has a special court for the clergy, which arrests and jails anti-regime clerics. So far, this court has executed 1,600 clerics and has 3,000 clerics in custody. Clerics are also victims of this regime,” he says.

“This regime has no legitimacy, legal or religious, and is a corrupt regime based on deception, lies, tricks and innuendo,” Haeri adds. “This regime has ruined our culture, our national identity, and only Palestinian extremists and the Lebanese benefit from this regime, not Iranians.”