Source: Mohammad Khatami’s Web site: www.khatami.ir
Date: July 1, 2009

Subject: Visit with families of detainees.

Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Khatami, during a meeting with the Family members of the 10th Presidential elections’ detainees, said: The complaint of the people has been put done and those who are supposed to be defenders of their rights belittle them. This is an atmosphere of propaganda out of which they constantly inject this society with poison. People’s calm and informed movement becomes known as riots, colored revolution which is supported by outsiders and all the figures that have brilliant pasts are subjected to the process of baseless confessions in television spectacles. Then they [authorities] start speaking of national reconciliation and an atmosphere of peace?

As it was my responsibility, I should have visited the family members of the Martyrs who were killed mercilessly, during the course of quiet protests and personally offer them my condolences.

The system of the Islamic Republic must be sensitive towards spilling even a single drop of blood and with an eye towards the future and a feeling of responsibility; address all concerns and not label a peaceful and intelligent movement of the people, through poisonous propaganda, label them rioters who have been organized and are directed by entities from abroad. This is offensive towards the political understanding and maturity of the people.

The philosophy behind an election, with all of its expenses, is to place the true representative of the people at the head of their government’s affairs. When the mind set of the society is not at ease, [regarding their votes] the original philosophy behind the election will be questioned and the system will be defeated.

I am sorry to announce that the only crime you and your loved ones are guilty of is that you chose to remain in Iran and put forward your efforts to strengthen the system and provide the unalienable rights of the people and now you have become the target of this.

With utmost calm, without chants or slogans, you asked the government: what is the fate of our vote? What was the answer of the government to this great movement? The shedding of people’s blood, militarizing of the society and falsely accusing those who want nothing but the best for the system.

How many people does Iran have, like Engineer Moussavi and Mr. Karroubi?

They have severely restricted the communications, such as internet, and free press, in a closed up and militarized atmosphere, in which tens of people are arrested each day, without any information. The state owned media outlet shows the same scenes over and over again, in order to provoke people’s feelings. Where was this media outlet when tens of people were killed and hundreds of people beaten.

If this is how it is going to be then all of our fates are clear.

He went on to say: After normalcy returns, let’s analyze everything and see who exactly turned a win-win situation for the system, into a loose-loose situation.

Keeping in mind everything that occurred and its unilateral announcement, I have to say that a velvet coup de tat was carried out against the people and the very republic of Iran.

Protests that are put down will continue, even though it might morph.

The majority of those arrested are the political activists, journalists [reporters] and attorneys, who now, unbelievably are pressured, as foreign agents, to falsely confess in television spectacles.

Unilateralism can severely threaten Islam and the Revolution.

Translated by CNN