Iran's Opposition Extends Olive Branch, Unrequited

To read the full article "Iran's Opposition Extends Olive Branch, Unrequited", click here. In a New York Times article published on January 28, 2010, we are informed that an Iranian opposition leader has tried to help end the national crisis by "extending the olive branch" to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. So far, Ayatollah Khamenei has not shown the same willingness to compromise in order to find an end to the nation's crisis. Recently the government made even more clear just how seriously they would be cracking down on resistance, two prisoners were hung for defying God and belonging to armed organizations. These executions are seen as politically motivated and are being condemned inside and outside of Iran. The main reform tactic being used by the Iranian government seems to be reaffirming allegiance to the leader, or in other words, re-establishing the legitimacy of the government. It is still not entirely clear if this strategy is working, but this article relates to what we have been learning about in class because it not only discusses the loss of legitimacy but also the potential violation of Civil Rights for the two executed men.

*Thank you to jojournals of Flickr for the picture

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