Ayatollah Khamenei addresses Iran for first time since disputed election | Breaking Tweets

Ayatollah Khamenei addresses Iran for first time since disputed election

Posted by Craig Kanalley on 6/19/09 • Categorized as Elections, Mideast

During a speech at Tehran University on Friday, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei rejected reports of corruption and rigging in last week’s presidential election, stating that Western media and governments have brought about such doubt. He called Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the definite winner and said it was an ”absolute victory” for the religious establishment of Iran.

Khamenei also compared the youth enthusiasm for the 2009 election to that of 1979 revolution, but said today’s youth are confused and must seek God for answers. The crowd chanted back “Death to America” during his speech.

Thousands around the world monitored the speech live on Twitter and “Khamenei” quickly became a rising Twitter trend. Here are some of the first tweets from Iran reacting to the speech:

  1. RT from Iran: nothing. supreme leader said nothing. we will be in the streets tomorrow agian #iranelection 19 Jun 2009 from TweetDeck
  2. RT from Iran: Khamanei “world wanted us to change our system, but YOU (ppl) voted to keep this regime” #iranelection (WTF?!?!?) 19 Jun 2009 from web
  3. RT from Iran: OMG, he’s lying big time, saying ppl (trouble makers) terrorizing Basijis and police #iranelection 19 Jun 2009 from web
  4. RT from Iran: Khamenei blaming violence/unrest during rallies on foreign spies & terrorists & urging people not to rally #gr88 #iranelection 19 Jun 2009 from web
  5. RT FROM IRAN – JUST GOT BACK FROM OUTSIDE, TEHRAN is FULL of buses which brought ppl to friday prayers from small cities! #iranelection 19 Jun 2009 from web

Here was some other immediate reaction from around the world:

  1. OakFoSho
    OakFoSho (Oakland, Calif.) @BreakingTweets I shudder at the thght of wht coms nxt 4 the brave green wave. Khamenei s going 2 release his club wielding Basiji bullies! 19 Jun 2009 from web in reply to BreakingTweets
  2. carokann
    carokann (Berlin, Germany) Young Iranians will have to fight and die for their freedom. This is the sad consequence of Kameneis speech #iranelection #khamenei 19 Jun 2009 from TweetGrid
  3. Kjetil Manheim
    Manheim (Oslo, Norway) Ali Khamenei must be more madly deluded than I thought he was. Must be strange to be an Iranian listening to his speech, I guess. 19 Jun 2009 from TweetDeck
  4. MOSHE
    MOSHEKO (Undisclosed) I just read some of Khamenei’s speech. Garbage. Keep fight Iran! 19 Jun 2009 from web
  5. Vartan Tateosyan
    Vartanick (Sofia, Bulgaria) In spite of the Ayatollah Khamenei speech, the World Savior continues to sustain that the revote is the necessary thing to do in Iran. 19 Jun 2009 from web
  6. Nassim Kirby
    nassimxk (Anaheim, Calif.) I am outraged by Khamenei’s speech. >:[ 19 Jun 2009 from web
  7. Francesco
    fbnm (Undisclosed) @StopAhmadi, is it just me or there weren’t many young people attending Khamenei’s speech today? (weird, since 70% of Iranians are under 30) 19 Jun 2009 from web in reply to StopAhmadi

Some journalists covering the Middle East tweeted their observations during the speech, such as Jim Sciutto, now in Dubai since his visa expired:

  1. jim sciutto
    jimsciuttoABC #iranelection Khameini says ‘the people have made their choice’, game over, he is endorsing the election 19 Jun 2009 from web
  2. jim sciutto
    jimsciuttoABC #iranelection Khamenei: state would not cheat, i disapprove of any ‘illegal’ challenges 19 Jun 2009 from web
  3. jim sciutto
    jimsciuttoABC #iranelection Khamenei has delivered his ultimatum to protesters 19 Jun 2009 from web

Breaking Tweets provided the following live tweets during the speech:

  1. Breaking Tweets
    BreakingTweets Live in #Tehran: Ayatollah Khamenei calls #IranElection “a great show of responsibility and participation” 19 Jun 2009 from web
  2. Breaking Tweets
    BreakingTweets Live in #Tehran: #Khamenei: Youth enthusiasm of 2009 similar to 1979 but today’s young are confused #IranElection 19 Jun 2009 from web
  3. Breaking Tweets
    BreakingTweets Live in #Tehran: #Khamenei criticizes the West for bringing doubt to #IranElection, crowd chants “Death to America” 19 Jun 2009 from web
  4. Breaking Tweets
    BreakingTweets Live in #Tehran: #Khamenei: The worst government of all is that of Britain, crowd chants “Death to the UK” #IranElection 19 Jun 2009 from web
  5. Breaking Tweets
    BreakingTweets Live in #Tehran: #Khamenei: If the protesters and rioters do not stop, they will be held accountable #IranElection 19 Jun 2009 from web

Related articles:
Iran timeline and how to find the latest, June 17, 2009
Live Election Night blog, June 12, 2009

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  • StephanieJMaynard
    ^^
  • StephanieJMaynard
    The world is filled with creative energy and while I'm all for the concept that everyone is entitled to whatever they want, and that we should prosperity bank texas allow each person to want whatever makes them happy... I'm also for the concept that most people in society don't aim very high because they are afraid of failure. Now to have enough creative energy to create or attract 5 million dollars - anyone can do that. But how much creative energy does it take to attract or create 400 million?
  • Guest 29
    The liberals in the USA got rid of the Shah of Iran because he was brutal ...but he was pro America and a freind of USA. So he was replaced with a even more brutal and harse ruling group and NOT a friend of America... another great decision by ACLU types and Liberal socialists...
  • I feel for their plight, and I wish the people of Iran peace and prosperity.
  • How is it that a religious leader can threaten the people he rules over? No truly spiritual person could ever do such a thing.

    He is a fraud and he is no better than the most corrupt dictators.
  • TJMorrisACIR
    YEs I heard. I am a woman and the other women who are built like me may think like me. If that is the case, H do not approve being treated like chatel in the name of God or the Holy Quran or for any other reason for that matter. Iran is run by religious tryant Dictators.
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