Former Supporter Says Khamenei 'Massacring' Defenseless Iranians

Abolfazl Ghadiani (Qadiani), who has been indicted and imprisoned in the past for criticizing Khamenei and the political system in Iran issued a statement for the second anniversary of nationwide protests in which hundreds were killed by security forces in November 2019.

Ghadiani said that the bloody response to those protests added a new page to the “dark and long record of killings” by Iran’s rulers. He added that the majority of people want to get rid of the president and put an end to “Supreme Leader’s monarchy”.

Ghadiani belonged to a leftist, revolutionary group that was supporting Khamenei until the disputed presidential election of 2009, when the Supreme Leader backed the questionable reelection of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Ghadiani with many others protested the results became an opposition figure.

Since 2018, Ghadiani has issued several statements calling Khamenei a despot and demanding his resignation. In June, he signed a statement with 100 other activists calling for a boycott of the presidential election, in which all important rivals to Ebrahim Raisi were barred from running.