Funeral in Qom

Various opposition websites in Iran, reporting from the funeral of dissident cleric Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, say thousands of mourners attended Monday's service to pay their respects. Websites also reported sporadic clashes with security forces.

Rahesabz.net claims "tens of thousands of people" were present, while the Jaras website says hundreds of thousands attended. These reports could not be independently verified as foreign media were not permitted to travel to the northern city of Qom to cover the ceremony.

Jaras reported, "the present crowd in the procession has been estimated at hundreds of thousands of people and they were also shouting slogans in his support, and also in support of (opposition leader) Mirhossein Mousavi."

According to Rahesabz, mourners were also shouting anti-government slogans such as "Dictator, Motazeri's way will continue" and "Montazeri is not dead, it is the government which is dead."

Reports on the moderate Parlemannews website said "shots were heard fired into the air at the shrine of Masoumeh" where Montazeri was buried, while reformist website Norooz said security forces stationed at Montazeri’s house clashed with stone-throwing protesters.

"The police cracked down on people who were shouting (anti-government) slogans in front of his house and people threw stones at them," the website reported.

Mousavi and another opposition leader, Mehdi Karoubi, had both announced a day of national mourning for Montazeri, and on Sunday urged their followers to attend the funeral.

High profile dissident

Six months after the controversial re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, and one week before the Shiite holy day of Ashura, Montazeri's death and funeral could spark further unrest within Iran.

The grand ayatollah was one of Shia Islam's most respected figures, and played a crucial role in the founding of the Islamic Republic in Iran. However, he eventually fell out with the Republic's founder Ayatollah Khomeini, after criticizing Iran's human rights record in 1989. Before this, Montazeri had been tipped as Khomeini's eventual successor.

He was placed under house arrest for criticizing current spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in 1997, and issued a fatwa against President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad after his election victory this June.

Right up until his death, Montazeri repeatedly accused Iran's leadership of imposing a dictatorship in the name of Islam.

Authorities in Iran have increased security in the city of Qom, and have slowed national internet connections to a near-standstill in a bid to hamper any would-be protests.

Montazeri died on Saturday aged 87.

dfm/msh/AFP/Reuters

Editor: Michael Lawton