Iranian Govt. to prosecute 30 people arrested during post election violence

London, Aug. 1 (ANI): In a bid to distract attention from the internal rift between Iranian President Ahmadinejad and the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country's hardliner regime has decided to prosecute 30 people arrested in the turbulent aftermath of the presidential election for offences against the State.

"These are going to be kangaroo courts - show trials. They're trying to turn attention away from their own troubles," The Times quoted one analyst in Tehran, as saying.

The defendants have yet to be named or given access to lawyers, and the court has yet to be announced, but the IRNA state news agency says that they will face charges of threatening national security, having links to terrorist groups and sabotage.

On Friday, Ahmadinejad denied any breach between himself and Khamenei, saying that their relationship was "like that of a father and son."

Recently, conservatives had criticised Ahmedinejad for defying Ayatollah Khamenei over his choice of a deputy.

On Thursday, thousands of demonstrators again took to the streets of Tehran, and soon after the IRNA announced the trials.

IRNA said that some of the defendants had links to the Mujahedeen-e Khalq, a militant group of Iranian exiles who want to overthrow the Islamic Republic, and to the members of the Baha'i faith, a regular target of the regime.

Other specific charges against the defendants included planting bombs, carrying weapons and grenades, attacking the police and Basij militiamen, destroying public property and sending images to the "enemy media".

"The rhetoric seems hell-bent on proving guilt and punishing them. The point is to put the blame back on the opposition, but the opposition is adamant the accusations are false," the analyst said.

On Saturday, defendants are expected to be lower-level detainees, with around 50 political prisoners. The alleged masterminds of the "conspiracy" are expected to stand trial later. (ANI)