Is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei the Iranian Spiritual Leader Dead or Alive? Rasta Livewire Reports
Rasta Livewire is picking up Internet chatter from the Iranian opposition groups regarding the death of the Supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Ali Khamenei aged 70, reportedly lost consciousness on Monday October 11, 2009 in the afternoon. He was immediately hospitalized. Since then, only his son and personal Doctor have seen the Ayatollah. Later reports indicated that Khamenei lapsed into coma. Information from opposition groups inside Iran claim that he later died.
The Iranian administration has not commented the situation yet. But, the Iranian police have increased their activities in the streets of Teheran recently. Western Intelligence sources are closely monitoring the situation but have so far refused to confirm its veracity.
Ali Khamenei has been the Supreme Leader of Iran since 1989 and was president of Iran from 1981 to 1989. He has been described as one the three pillars of Islamic Iran the others being the founder of the republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and the president of Iran for much of the 1990s, Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.
Khamenei who has been a big supporter of the current Iranian president has been in poor health recently.
So far, the biggest challenge to his leadership was the mass protests fthat trailed the June 2009 presidential elections in which President Ahmadinejad was elected.
During the mass protests more than 100 citizens were killed and nearly four thousand people were arrested. Incidentally, during that protest, thousands of people wrote “Death to Khamenei” on Iranian Rials and upon the buildings and walls of cities. It appears their wishes may have come true.
Rasta Livewire will keep monitoring the situation and update the report.
Rasta Livewire
October 15, 2009
Source:
http://english.pravda.ru/world/asia/15-10-2009/109910-khamenei-0