Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, gave his long awaited sermon today, and it wasn’t pretty:
Addressing huge crowds at Tehran University, the ayatollah voiced support for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, saying the president’s views on foreign affairs and social issues were close to his.
….Responding to allegations of electoral fraud, the ayatollah insisted the Islamic Republic would not cheat. “There is 11 million votes difference,” the ayatollah said. “How can one rig 11 million votes?”
….He said the election was a “political earthquake” for Iran’s enemies — singling out Britain as “the most evil of them” — whom he accused of trying to foment unrest in the country.
“Some of our enemies in different parts of the world intended to depict this absolute victory, this definitive victory, as a doubtful victory,” the Supreme Leader said.
Until now, there was some thought that Khamenei might back down and look for a compromise solution of some kind. Doesn’t look that way now. On the bright side, though, Obama’s careful reaction seems to have shifted the mantle of Great Satan to a different country for at least a few days.