Mousavi: Revolution Did Not Achieve Its Goals

Opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi said in Tehran today the 1979 Islamic revolution had failed to end tyranny and dictatorship in the country. Mousavi, one of the founding figures of the Islamic Republic, served as the country’s prime minister during the eight-year war with Iraq.

"Dictatorship in the name of religion is the worst kind. The most evident manifestation of a continued tyrannical attitude is the abuse of parliament and judiciary. We have completely lost hope in the judiciary," Mousavi said. [Kalam.com, 2 February]

Mousavi added he no longer believed, as he once did, that the revolution had removed all the structures that could lead to totalitarianism and dictatorship.

"Stifling the media, filling the prisons and brutally killing people who peacefully demand their rights in the streets indicate the roots of tyranny and dictatorship remain from the monarchist era... I don't believe that the revolution achieved its goals," he said.

Mousavi harshly criticized the recent execution of two young protesters. He said the government was unaware of the effective power of innocent blood and did not know that the blood of martyrs destroyed the shah’s regime.

Mousavi made the comments marking the 31^st anniversary of the Iranian revolution.