In the face of brutal intimidation by the regime and desperate attempts at public conciliation by Ahmadi, the leader of the Green Movement, as February 11 approaches, has issued an extraordinary statement of resolve:
“The majority of people believed in the beginning of the revolution that the roots of dictatorship and despotism were abolished. I was one of them, but now I don’t have the same beliefs. You can still find the elements and roots that lead to dictatorship.”
He seems increasingly confident as the junta seems increasingly chaotic:
Mr. Moussavi said he did not believe that the revolution had achieved its goals.
A former senior official close to the opposition said that Mr. Moussavi “has taken his attacks against the regime one step further up.”
“People’s demands on the streets were definitely much more than what the opposition leaders were calling for,” the former official said in a telephone interview. “Now, with his new remarks Mr. Moussavi is reflecting what is closer to what people want.” He spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution inside Iran.