TEHRAN, 19 May 2004 — In protest demonstrations yesterday nationwide, Iranian clerics warned the United States of a holy war if attacks on holy cities in Iraq continued, state-television network IRIB reported.
Thousands of clerics and seminary students rallied in the religious city of Qom, shouting they would start a holy war if supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gave them the necessary order.
As successor to the late spiritual leader Ayatollah Khomeini, Khamenei has the authority to declare holy war but the Ayatollah has so far only condemned the allied forces’ attacks in cities such as Najaf and Karbala.
Iranian Islamists had also warned on Monday they would take action against the allied forces in Iraq and “sacrifice” their lives if Khamenei issued a decree in this regard. State-organized rallies against the allied forces are scheduled for today in the capital Tehran and other cities in Iran.
President Mohammad Khatami has harshly condemned the attacks as unacceptable and warned the US that its policies in Iraq have led to more extremism and violence.
Iranian-based Grand Ayatollah Kazem Hossein Haeri yesterday blamed the US-led coalition for the killing of Governing Council president Ezzeddine Salim and slammed the US role in a prison abuse scandal.
“We blame the occupation forces for the insecurity for which the Iraqi people have paid for dearly,” Haeri said in a statement issued by his office in the holy city of Najaf. He poured scorn the attack that killed Salim as “suspicious”, saying it coincided with a “savage attack on Shiite cities” — referring to Najaf and Karbala where coalition troops are battling radical militiamen.
