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Mehrzad Farhoudi

A decade ago, dissident grand ayatollah Montazeri delivered a speech harshly criticizing the ‎Islamic Republic's leadership. Islamic Republic's officials immediately reacted to Montazeri's ‎speech and an army of vigilante hardliners attacked his residence. Days later, the Supreme ‎National Security Council issued a house arrest warrant on Montazeri, which lasted a few years. ‎Toward the end of former president Khatami's term, under the pressure from intellectuals, ‎reformist Majlis deputies and public opinion, Montazeri was released from house arrest. We ‎have spoken to Mr. Montazeri on the tenth anniversary of that event. ‎

Rooz (R): Ten years ago the National Security Council placed you under house arrest. In your ‎opinion, what was the reason behind the regime's anger toward you? ‎

Montazeri (M): The main reason for the regime's anger at my speech was nothing other than ‎advice and reasonable criticism – but you have to ask them. I had no intention other than to give ‎advice and defend the sanctity of religion. Now, if the regime has a different interpretation, and ‎behaves in a manner insulting to Islam and the law, that is not my problem. The regime has to ‎answer for its own behavior. ‎

R: Now that you are not under house arrest anymore, are you free to propagate your views as a ‎grand ayatollah?‎

M: I sometimes give advice to the country's officials in interviews and meetings, but the press is ‎forbidden from reporting it. If a publication breaks the arrangement that they have and writes ‎about me it will be intimated and harassed. ‎

R: When you were under house arrest, Mr. Khatami's reformist cabinet was in power, but today, ‎hardliners control the government. In your opinion, did the reformists have any tangible success ‎in instituting free speech and other liberties?‎

M: Unfortunately, the opportunity that you refer to was not properly used. It was possible to use ‎it more effectively. In any case, the meaning of real reforms - and not just slogans about it - is to ‎revive the ideals and promises of the [1979] Revolution that may have been forgotten or diverted ‎over time. It is natural for a state to get entangled in other problems and be diverted from its ‎path, which makes reforms necessary. In such circumstances, it is the responsibility of honest ‎and competent people, who are supported by the public, to use reasonable and constructive ‎criticism and provide effective plans to reform the system. My own suggestions and ‎recommendations in the past were given on these basis. ‎

R: Some analysts believe that the world public opinion is ready for war with Iran and supports ‎such a war. What advice do you have for our statesmen?‎

M: I have declared in several interviews that officials must not provide the enemy with any ‎excuses by making provocative remarks and start a new war against our nation and people. ‎These slogans have no effect other than creating tension, increasing the distance between us and ‎them, and intensifying economic sanctions against our country. This is exactly what Israel is ‎after. ‎