Mousavi Interview

Here is an English summary:

Mir Hossein Mousavi in his second video-internet interview with Kaleme News Agency talked about the events that happened on November 4 as well as about the plans for eliminating subsidies (by the coup government) and the experts’ warnings against doing so. l

Mir Hossein in this interview in respond to a question about the November 4 said: “This year’s November 4 th because of how people took the streets and remained on the scene turned to a great memory for our nation.” He added that after the revolution gradually the ideas and values behind these ceremonies were forgotten and changed. l

In another part of this interview, Mousavi said: “On November 4 th, they had brought an army to confront the people. Unfortunately there were intrusions. Dividing the people and enforcing limitations created new circumstances for the Green movement.” l

He continued: “First it was the number of armed forces put on the streets to confront people. In the history of the revolution, I had never seen so many forces placed at important points.” While pointing out the heavy security that he noticed his commute to the Cultural Center for the Art in the morning before the demonstrations, he said: “I told myself even if today nobody shows up on the streets, this is a victory for the Green path of hope. It (brining all these forces) show how afraid they are of it and what a significant movement it is.” l

He added: “A country that is governed under the name of Islam and have had a great revolution should not continue its path by terrorizing people.” While reminding that the Islamic Revolution made people brave, he added: “The first impression of all those armed forces on November 4 was creating terror to tackle people’s greatest asset (their bravery) despite the fact that if we want to have a prosperous nation and county we should emphasis on this asset (people’s bravery). This is what was being attacked on November 4 and if you ask me if they achieved their goal; in my opinion, they did not.” l

By pointing out some of the horrific images of brutal attacks on people by the security forces, he added: “They attacked people but people were not afraid. If you look at the footages from the streets, you see that they were beating people but people were not running away. They go on the other side of the street and continue chanting their slogans.”

Mir Hossein added: “The next outcome of this kind [brutal] confrontation is anger, which will lead some to go beyond the basic slogans that the Green movement emphasises on them, which are abiding to the constitution and executing all its principles in the country without personal intervention.” l

Mousavi while emphasising on loyalty to the constitution as the share point between all members of the Green movement and said: “People should note that no matter how much they (the government’s agents) show brutality, people should not fall in the trap of brutality. It is necessary for us to maintain our logic and our cool, and remain loyal and preserve our values and bravery to express our beliefs in the society.” l

While emphasising that Green movement wants peace and remains peaceful, he added: “We want freedom as a natural and innate demand in human and we will pay any price necessary for it.”
In another part of his interview, Mir Hossein Mousavi, commented on the plans by the coup government to eliminate subsidies and the experts’ warnings against doing so. He said that the government itself in the name of the bill indicates that subsidies at this time are necessary but then says that they are harmful. Mousavi reminded that in all countries there are some subsidies but the issue is how the government distributes it to get the best benefit. l

Mousavi reminded that the elimination of subsidies will lead to increase in prices. He added that just because the government sells oil cheaper in the country than to the foreign countries, it should not conclude that it is paying subsidy because other prices in the country are also cheaper. He questioned if the government is also willing to increase the wage of workers comparable to what is paid in other countries. l

In another part of his interview Mousavi said: “What worries me is that the government does not have a comprehensive plan under the supervision of the parliament.” He continued: “Because of the political and personal differences they have caused a lot of problems for the people. We witness that the government does not have an unbiased view of the national interest.” He added that after the elimination of the subsidies, the government will only help those sectors that it favours and will not give any money to the others that are not favoured with it. l

He continued: “People don’t know what happened to the 300 billion dollar oil money in the past four years; where it was spent; and what its outcome was. l