The funeral of Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri -- a leader of Iran's 1979 revolution turned prominent regime critic -- became a flashpoint for the country's opposition as thousands of opposition protesters wore green and shouted "death to the dictator" in the Iranian holy city of Qom. Thousands also marched in Montazeri's home town of Najafabad. Witnesses say clashes have broken out between security forces and protesters.
Internet access is reportedly slow and cell phone service unreliable in Iran today as authorities attempted to disrupt communications during the funeral. A number of senior opposition leaders were also arrested on their way to attend the funeral on Monday. Iran's Supreme leader praised Montazeri for his scholarship but also noted the tension between the regime and the man once designated for his position.
Montazeri was an acolyte -- and once designated successor to -- Iran's original Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei and helped draft the country's Islamic constitution. But Montazeri long criticized the regime for its consolidation of power and suppression of civil liberties and women's rights.
In the months since Iran's disputed election, he argued that the current government had lost legitimacy and accused the Basij militia of following the "path of Satan." Considered the most knowledgeable Islamic scholar among Iran's senior clerics, Montazeri was largely protected from reprisals by the regime.
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Middle East
- The Iranian troops who were reportedly occupying a disputed oil field inside Iraq have reportedly withdrawn.
- Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri arrived in Damascus for talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad.
- Israeli authorities threatened to use force to enforce a ban on West Bank settlement construction.
Asia
- Afghanistan's parliament began debate on President Hamid Karzai's cabinet picks.
- Nepalese police clashed with Maoist protesters, arresting 70.
- The weapons-packed plane from North Korea impounded in Thailand this month may have been heading for Iran. heading for Iran.
- The U.S. has charged three suspected al-Qaeda associates with orchestrating a massive drug deal to finance terrorist activities.
- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says an unmanned Colombian plane violated Venezuelan airspace.
- U.S. envoy Hugo Llorens visited deposed Honduran leader Manuel Zelaya at the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa.
Europe
- President Obama says the United States is "quite close" to a new nuclear arms reduction agreement with Russia.
- Polish police have recovered the famous "Arbeit Macht Frei" sign that was stolen from the Auschwitz concentration camp last week.
- The EU eased travel restrictions on citizens of three former-Yugoslavian countries.
Africa
- Madagascar leader Andry Rajoelina has abandoned a negotiated power-sharing agreement.
- Islamist militants fired mortars at the police headquarters in Mogadishu, Somalia.
- Dozens were killed in clashes between farmers and nomads in central Nigeria.
AFP/Getty Images
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