DEEPENING DIVISIONS ( CRACKDOWN IN IRAN MAY START TODAY )

NEW YORK POST ^ | June 20, 2009 | AMIR TAHERI

[kellynla]

BILLED as "unity prayers," yesterday's congregation at Tehran University's campus instead highlighted the deep divisions that are tearing apart the Khomeinist ruling elite.

The gathering was supposed to reassert the authority of "Supreme Guide" Ali Khamenei and defuse the crisis triggered by the "re-election" of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. And Khamenei did deploy his oratorical talents in a desperate appeal for calm -- yet his total support for Ahmadinejad indicated the regime's determination to rely on force rather than oratory to regain control.

Khamenei went further, asserting that Ahmadinejad's views on "both domestic and foreign policies" are closer to his than those of the three defeated candidates. In other words, the election results stand -- and the decision to recount votes in 646 polling stations, just over 1 percent of the total, is nothing but a tactical maneuver by the regime.

In a bid to persuade some key figures of the establishment to return to the fold, Khamenei assured former President Hashemi Rafsanjani and former Parliament Speaker Nateq Nuri that they won't face prosecution on charges of corruption. (In last month's presidential debates, Ahmadinejad had accused the two men of embezzlement and misuse of public funds. According to Tehran sources, both had written Khamenei asking him to "clear their name in public.")

[tips up]

And Barry is swatting flies...

[cbkaty]

Freedom is nonnegotiable.....billyclubs & bullets will not stop the masses longing to be free.....in any country... Listening Mr. O....

[Man50D]

It started about two hours ago.

[Man50D]

Twitter report

155px-guerrilleroheroic_normal IranDemokratia: RT: Houses in alleys open doors to injured protesters, one source reporting hallway is full of beaten ppl, many crying.

[Man50D]

Twitter report

Green_9000_bonnie_cu_normal bsonder: baha54 URGENT: Bomb Blast in Khomeini's shrine

[Man50D]

Twitter report

14junejpg2_normal parisar: RT from Iran: Heavy clashes on azadi street, chants of death to khameni! The street is full of rocks and fire

[Man50D]

Twitter report

_cid_9ff0f54a-58fd-4405-9971-8fbcd87c1b57_normal tscorp: Confirmed: Police have closed off Tehran University

[Man50D]

Twitter report

Marj: RT : Police use tear gas and water cannon at Enghelab sq, raging battles being reported Press TV

[Man50D]

Twitter report

sssiiaa: Khamenei under housearrest http://bit.ly/eaOGU (expand) Tehran Ahmadinejad

[Man50D]

Twitter report

Tyskamusic: RT from Iran: They've started arresting people in Enghelab sq. #iranElection #gr88

[Man50D]

Twitter report

makethechange: The entrance to Tehran's Revolution Square, is blocked by fire engines, according to AP

[Man50D]

Twitter report

Bird_hands_normal jackitemple: RT from Iram: Confirmed: Safaei Farahani is also arrested. He is a big fish

[Man50D]

Twitter report

korkie: RT from Iran: Confirmed: Mohammad Quchani, a prominent journalist, was arrested last night.

[johniegrad]

Khamenei under housearrest

Huh??!!

[Man50D]

Huh??!!

That was my reaction but I'm only passing on reports. Time will tell if this is accurate.

[AU72]

Khamenei under housearrest

From several twitters. There are going to be a lot of these rumors all day.

[Man50D]

Twitter report

Iranianvotes: Regime bombed to take Iran to state of violence, radicals suppress peaceful people easily in violence

[Stentor]

The “security forces” have homes, don’t they?

[Man50D]

Twitter report

lesliemac59: RT @BarbRad RT @shahrzadmo: There's heavy clash in Khosh street in Azadi,Police trying 2 scatter people by nightstick & spray.