The Iranian security forces unleashed a crushing sweep against opposition protesters as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad used the 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution to defy the West and boast his country was now a “nuclear state.”
The massive show of force on Thursday appeared to give authorities the upper hand on the most important day of the Iranian political calendar. The state-backed rally dwarfed anti-government gatherings, which were far smaller than other outpourings of dissent in recent months.
Police clashed with anti-government protesters in several sites around Tehran, firing tear gas to disperse them and paintballs to mark them for arrest. Gangs of hard-liners also attacked senior opposition figures — including the wife of the head of the reform movement.
PHOTO: AFP
Still, the day’s events showed that authorities must rely on full-scale pressure to keep a lid on demonstrations and any breathing room may be limited. Opposition supporters are certain to regroup and look for weak spots in the ruling system.
In his address to a crowd of hundreds of thousands — many bused into Tehran’s Freedom Square — Ahmadinejad sought to shift attention from the nation’s political troubles, boasting instead about Iran’s advancements in nuclear technology.
He also dismissed new US sanctions and denigrated USPresident Barack Obama’s efforts to repair relations.
Iran has the capacity to make weapons-grade nuclear fuel if it chooses, the Iranian leader declared, adding that Iran had succeeded in enriching uranium to 20 percent and was now a “nuclear state.”
“We have the capability to enrich uranium more than 20 percent or 80 percent but we don’t enrich [to this level] because we don’t need it,” he said. “When we say we do not manufacture the bomb, we mean it, and we do not believe in manufacturing a bomb. If we wanted to manufacture a bomb, we would announce it.”
The Obama administration dismissed Iran’s contention it is enriching uranium at a higher level, adding that such claims were disturbing.
Even if untrue, Ahmadinejad’s claim “further solidifies our impression and that of the international community that Iran’s nuclear intentions are anything but peaceful,” State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said.
Ahmadinejad has been staunchly backed by Iran’s ruling clerics since his disputed re-election in June touched off the worst internal turmoil in Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Now many opposition groups are denouncing the entire Islamic system.
This is what deeply worried authorities preparing for Thursday’s 31st anniversary of the Islamic state. Any significant protests or clashes would be seen as major embarrassment on a day intended to showcase national achievements and unity.
Security forces were seen in nearly every neighborhood. They had one primary goal: to keep protesters from gaining momentum following weeks of arrests and warnings from authorities.
Opposition Web sites spoke of groups of protesters in the hundreds — compared with much larger crowds in past demonstrations.
One protester said she tried to join the opposition demonstrators but soon left in disappointment because they were overwhelmed by pro-government marchers.
“There were 300 of us, maximum 500. Against 10,000 people,” she told a reporter outside Iran.
“It means they won and we lost. They defeated us. They were able to gather so many people,” she said. “But this doesn’t mean we have been defeated for good. It’s a defeat for now, today. We need time to regroup.”
Another protester said the opposition had come out in significant numbers, but added: “The problem was that we were not able to gather in one place because they [security forces] were very violent.”
“Maybe people got scared,” he said. “The idea wasn’t to lose or win today ... But what is certain, today was not a good day.”
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