TEHRAN – Iran’s top dissident cleric, Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, who emerged as the spiritual leader of the Islamic Republic’s reform movement, has died.
"My grandfather died in his sleep last night,” Naser Montazeri told Reuters by phone Sunday, December 20, from Qom, some 125km south of Tehran.
The 87-year-old cleric died from natural illness in his house in Qom late Saturday.
"He was diabetic and had been using insulin for years ... He had also some lung problems and asthma. In fact he was suffering from several diseases," his doctor told state television.
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei offered condolences to Montazeri’s family.
"He was an accomplished theologian and a prominent teacher who spent a large part of his life for Imam's (Khomeini's) cause," he said in a statement carried by state television's website.
Hundreds of Montazeri supporters flocked to the holy city of Qom to attend his funeral on Monday.
"People and friends are coming to express their condolences but there are no special security measures around our house," said Naser.
Videos posted on the Internet showed hundreds of Iranians taking to the streets of Montazeri’s home town of Najafabad to mourn his loss.
"Montazeri, congratulations on your freedom," the crowd chanted, and "oppressed Montazeri, we will follow your path."
Shops in the traditionally moderate town were closed and cloaked in black cloth pinned with pictures of the late cleric.
Montazeri supporters were also reportedly gathering in Tehran to mourn the late cleric.
"The social network of the reform movement has called on its supporters to gather in Mohseni square to mourn ... based on reports people have already gathered in some other squares in Tehran," said the reformist Tagheer website.
Outspoken
One of Iran's most senior clerics, Montazeri was an architect of the 1979 Islamic revolution.
He was a student of Iran’s revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and was designed as his successor.
But his criticism of the post-revolution political and cultural restrictions, most notable Iran’s treatment of political prisoners, caused Montazeri to fall out with Khomeini.
He resigned months before Khomeini's death in 1989, and was told by the supreme leader to stay out of politics and focus instead on teaching in the city of Qom.
Montazeri had long been a vocal critic of the concentration of power in the hands of the supreme leader and called for changes to the Constitution which he helped draw up after the 1979 revolution to limit the leader's authority.
The grand ayatollah also questioned the theological credentials of Khamenei, a move considered a treason in Iran, causing him to be put under house arrest in 1997.
Freed after five years on health grounds during the reformist presidency of Mohammad Khatami, Montazeri vowed that he would continue to speak out in defence of freedom and justice.
The top cleric emerged as the spiritual leader of Iran’s reform movement over his criticism of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s government.
He had also been critical of the government’s handling of the post-election protests over the disputed June presidential elections, which the opposition says they were massively rigged in Ahmadinejad’s favor.
"He will be remembered as a man who sacrificed his political position for the sake of his principles," London-based Iran analyst Baqer Moin said.
"My grandfather died in his sleep last night,” Naser Montazeri told Reuters by phone Sunday, December 20, from Qom, some 125km south of Tehran.
The 87-year-old cleric died from natural illness in his house in Qom late Saturday.
"He was diabetic and had been using insulin for years ... He had also some lung problems and asthma. In fact he was suffering from several diseases," his doctor told state television.
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei offered condolences to Montazeri’s family.
"He was an accomplished theologian and a prominent teacher who spent a large part of his life for Imam's (Khomeini's) cause," he said in a statement carried by state television's website.
Hundreds of Montazeri supporters flocked to the holy city of Qom to attend his funeral on Monday.
"People and friends are coming to express their condolences but there are no special security measures around our house," said Naser.
Videos posted on the Internet showed hundreds of Iranians taking to the streets of Montazeri’s home town of Najafabad to mourn his loss.
"Montazeri, congratulations on your freedom," the crowd chanted, and "oppressed Montazeri, we will follow your path."
Shops in the traditionally moderate town were closed and cloaked in black cloth pinned with pictures of the late cleric.
Montazeri supporters were also reportedly gathering in Tehran to mourn the late cleric.
"The social network of the reform movement has called on its supporters to gather in Mohseni square to mourn ... based on reports people have already gathered in some other squares in Tehran," said the reformist Tagheer website.
Outspoken
One of Iran's most senior clerics, Montazeri was an architect of the 1979 Islamic revolution.
He was a student of Iran’s revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and was designed as his successor.
But his criticism of the post-revolution political and cultural restrictions, most notable Iran’s treatment of political prisoners, caused Montazeri to fall out with Khomeini.
He resigned months before Khomeini's death in 1989, and was told by the supreme leader to stay out of politics and focus instead on teaching in the city of Qom.
Montazeri had long been a vocal critic of the concentration of power in the hands of the supreme leader and called for changes to the Constitution which he helped draw up after the 1979 revolution to limit the leader's authority.
The grand ayatollah also questioned the theological credentials of Khamenei, a move considered a treason in Iran, causing him to be put under house arrest in 1997.
Freed after five years on health grounds during the reformist presidency of Mohammad Khatami, Montazeri vowed that he would continue to speak out in defence of freedom and justice.
The top cleric emerged as the spiritual leader of Iran’s reform movement over his criticism of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s government.
He had also been critical of the government’s handling of the post-election protests over the disputed June presidential elections, which the opposition says they were massively rigged in Ahmadinejad’s favor.
"He will be remembered as a man who sacrificed his political position for the sake of his principles," London-based Iran analyst Baqer Moin said.
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