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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Top dissident Iranian cleric dies | Top dissident Iranian cleric dies |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| One of Iran's most prominent dissident clerics, Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Ali Montazeri, has died aged 87. | One of Iran's most prominent dissident clerics, Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Ali Montazeri, has died aged 87. |
| "Hoseyn Ali Montazeri passed away in his home last night," state-owned Irna news agency said. | "Hoseyn Ali Montazeri passed away in his home last night," state-owned Irna news agency said. |
| Hoseyn Ali Montazeri was a moving spirit in the 1979 revolution which created Iran's Islamic state, and was at one stage set to become its leader. | Hoseyn Ali Montazeri was a moving spirit in the 1979 revolution which created Iran's Islamic state, and was at one stage set to become its leader. |
| One of Shia Islam's most respected figures, he was also a leading critic of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. | One of Shia Islam's most respected figures, he was also a leading critic of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. |
| Grand Ayatollah Montazeri issued a fatwa condemning President Ahmadinejad's government after June's disputed election. | Grand Ayatollah Montazeri issued a fatwa condemning President Ahmadinejad's government after June's disputed election. |
| 'Sense of religious duty' | |
| But that was not his first clash with authority. He repeatedly accused the country's rulers of imposing dictatorship in the name of Islam. | |
| During his lifetime, the cleric was transformed from a pillar of the Islamic revolution to one of the most vocal critics of its leadership. | |
| Grand Ayatollah Montazeri became an inspiration for reformists | |
| He had been designated to succeed the Islamic Republic's founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, but the pair fell out over Iran's human rights record a few months before Khomeini died of cancer in 1989. | |
| Montazeri then spent six years under house arrest. | |
| In 1997 he famously clashed with Ayatollah Khomeini's successor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, after questioning the powers of the Supreme Leader. | In 1997 he famously clashed with Ayatollah Khomeini's successor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, after questioning the powers of the Supreme Leader. |
| This led to the closure of Grand Ayatollah Montazeri's religious school, an attack on his office in Qom and a period of house arrest. | This led to the closure of Grand Ayatollah Montazeri's religious school, an attack on his office in Qom and a period of house arrest. |
| Born into a provincial family and educated at a seminary, Hoseyn Ali Montazeri came to prominence as one of the early supporters of Imam Khomeini. | |
| Prior to the overthrow of the Iranian monarchy, he organised public protests in support of Imam Khomeini, following the latter's arrest. | |
| As a result Grand Ayatollah Montazeri was repeatedly detained himself and tortured in jail. | |
| While Imam Khomeini was in exile in Iraq, Grand Ayatollah Montazeri was nominated as his representative in Iran, and after the revolution, he was designated as successor. | |
| But he was marginalised after questioning decisions taken by the Supreme Leader and calling for a transparent assessment of the revolution's failures. | |
| In his opposition to President Ahmadinejad, he became an unlikely inspiration for Iranian reformists. | |
| Despite his old age and failing health, Hoseyn Ali Montazeri backed the opposition's claims that the 2009 election result, which gave President Ahmadinejad a landslide victory, had been widely rigged. | |
| The cleric had often said his opinions were guided by his "sense of religious duty". | |
| What are your memories of Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Ali Montazeri? | What are your memories of Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Ali Montazeri? |
| Send your comments using the post form below. | Send your comments using the post form below. |
| A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |