Khomeini's grandson slams Tehran regime

• LazerLordz

  17 Jun 06, 13:30

  Khomeini's grandson slams Tehran regime
  
  TEHRAN, June 14 (UPI) -- The grandson of Iran's revolutionary Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini says the republic has devolved into a dictatorship that should be toppled by other countries.
  
  Speaking to the al-Arabiya network on the 17th anniversary of the republic's founding by his late grandfather, Ayatollah Hussein Khomeini denounced the "dictatorship of clerics" leading the fundamentalist Islamist state.
  
  "My grandfather's revolution has devoured its children and has strayed from its course," he said.
  
  He went on to suggest U.S. President George Bush should send troops to occupy Iran, al-Arabiya said.
  
  "Freedom must come to Iran in any possible way, whether through internal or external developments. If you were a prisoner, what would you do?" Khomeini told the network.
  
  He said while he personally favors women wearing a hijab, or veil, Iran needed to "pass a law which makes the wearing of the hijab an optional choice for Iranian women."
  
  For the last three years, Iran has kept Khomeini under surveillance and has banned him from giving interviews to the Iranian media, the Middle East Media Research Institute said.
  
  http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060614-101131-9272r
• LazerLordz

  17 Jun 06, 13:32

  This is a extended article from YNews.
  
  Khomeini's grandson calls for defeat of Iranian regime
  
  In rare interview for al-Arabiya, Ayatollah Hussein Khomeini says Islamic revolution deviated from course, abandoned its principles of democracy and freedom - current regime is religious dictatorship. ‘Freedom needs to come to Iran in any way possible, whether by internal development or external interference,’ he says
  Yitzhak Benhorin
  
  WASHINGTON - The grandson of Ayatollah Khomeini, who led the Islamic revolution in Iran which brought down the Shah’s rule, claims that the current Iranian regime is “a dictatorship by the religious who control every aspect of life,” and calls on foreign powers to interfere and defeat it.
  
  In an interview with the Arab television station al-Arabiya on the occasion of 17 years since the death of his grandfather, Ayatollah
  Hussein Khomeini claims that in its current form, the revolution “veered of its original path” and neglected its principles of freedom and democracy. Furthermore, he said that the current rule of law in Iran is not based on Shiite religious principles, but rather developed for historical reasons connected to the persecution of religious figures in pre-revolutionary Iran.
  
  “Iran will accumulate true strength only when it re-adopts the principles of freedom and democracy. Power is not achieved by bombs and weapons,” Khomeini said.
  
  The Middle East Media Research Institute (Memri), which tracks media in the Arab world, and translated the interview, claims that in the last four years Khomeini has been held under strict surveillance in the city of Qum, which has prevented him from giving interviews to Iranian media for fear he would criticize the regime. But KhomeiniÂ’s grandson, 48, managed to share his message to the world through the Arab communications network.
  
  “My grandfather’s revolution devoured its children and deviated from its path,” he said. “I lived through the revolution and its calls for freedom and democracy, but now it is chasing its leaders.” As an example of his claims, he cited the story of Ayatollah Mahmoud Taleghani.
  
  “He was frequently jailed during the days of the Shah, and after the revolution he was pursued by the regime because he criticized their violations of the law. As a result, he was forced to hide because he expressed his protests.”
  
  Meeting with the ShahÂ’s son
  
  In the interview, Khomeini tells of an unusual meeting he had with the son of the Persian Shah – actually a meeting between the leader of the revolution’s grandson and the son of the ousted ruler. He describes the meeting: “It was a normal meeting with a man who shares a common suffering with me. The reason we suffer is similar, and it is called tyranny.” He stressed that the same tyranny hurts both of them despite the differences in their political approach.
  
  Khomeini said that if he reaches the government, he intends to introduce many changes in the lives of his people. For example, he claims he would cancel enforced veiling for women and make it a personal choice.
  
  The Iranian regime chains women by forcing them to wear veils in the ugliest fashion – that’s to say, black. Khamanei suggested allowing women to choose more colorful headscarves. “Girls who come out of school and young women leaving university look depressingly gloomy. I personally support veiling, but not in this fashion. Veiling is a personal matter. Many women, relatives of my grandfather Khameni did not wear veils.”
  
  In the interview Khomeini explains the call of US President George W. Bush to conquer Iran. “Freedom needs to come to Iran in any way possible, whether by internal development or external interference. If you were a prisoner, what would you do? I want someone to break into this jail and open the doors.”
  
  (06.14.06, 21:44)
• Quincey

  18 Jun 06, 02:34

  Does he even know what is talking about?
  
  Khomeini overthrowed the Shah regime to institute precisely the state we see in Iran today. Anti-Western, Anti-Semetic, Puritanic Islamist State under the patronage of the clergy, in other words, the Ayatollahs. Dictatorship of the clergy or is it the failed dicatorship of the Kohmeini's that has left a bitter taste in Khomeini Juniors mouth?
• LazerLordz

  18 Jun 06, 10:51

  Originally posted by Quincey:

  Does he even know what is talking about?
  
  Khomeini overthrowed the Shah regime to institute precisely the state we see in Iran today. Anti-Western, Anti-Semetic, Puritanic Islamist State under the patronage of the clergy, in other words, the Ayatollahs. Dictatorship of the clergy or is it the failed dicatorship of the Kohmeini's that has left a bitter taste in Khomeini Juniors mouth?

  It's the clergy taking over. Most of the initial people, and their ideals are different.
  
  What's wrong with criticising the regime? Most Iranians view him as a potential force for reform, if he can bring substantial aid into the country.
• bismarck

  18 Jun 06, 11:11

  Originally posted by LazerLordz:

  It's the clergy taking over. Most of the initial people, and their ideals are different.
  
  What's wrong with criticising the regime? Most Iranians view him as a potential force for reform, if he can bring substantial aid into the country.

  i agree.