Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi will continue his protest against the presidential election in a social movement named the “Green Path of Hope,” newspapers reported yesterday.
Mousavi, who was the closest rival to incumbent Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a June 12 poll, has charged that the election, which kept the hardliner in power, was massively rigged and branded his government illegitimate.
“The Green Path of Hope is formed for the sake of people’s rightful demands and for claiming their rights,” Etemad Melli newspaper quoted Mousavi as saying in a meeting with members of doctors’ Islamic associations.
He said: “[The] color green is the symbol of this path and its demand is the complete implementation of the Constitution. Countless self-initiated and independent social networks form the body of this movement.”
Mousavi had previously said he would launch a political front to follow up on his protest against the election that has bitterly divided Iran’s political and ruling elite.
Meanwhile, Iran’s official news agency says 25 more activists and opposition supporters have gone on trial over their alleged involvement in the post-election turmoil.
The IRNA report said the prosecutor read a general indictment for the 25, saying they had been plotting the post-election unrest for years.
As the hearing opened yesterday, authorities played a film showing attacks on public property, cars and a mosque by protesters. Earlier this month, Iran held two court sessions for more than 100 politicians and activists accused of attempting to overthrow the Islamic system.
Protests erupted after many accused Ahmadinejad of winning the June 12 elections through fraud.
Meanwhile, Ahmadinejad said yesterday that he planned to appoint at least two women ministers to his new Cabinet, a first in the Islamic republic.
He said in a live TV interview he would propose Fatemeh Ajorlou for the welfare and social security ministry and Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi for the health ministry.
“There will be some more young people and other women in the cabinet,” Ahmadinejad said he would submit his lineup to parliament on Wednesday.
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