AGHAJARI “READY TO DIE”, STUDENTS IN TEHRAN CONTINUE PROTEST

Aghajari, a disabled Iran-Iraq war veteran and close ally of embattled President Mohammad Khatami, was put on trial after calling in a speech for a reform of Iran´s state Shiite religion.
He also said Muslims were not "monkeys" who should blindly follow the teachings of senior clerics - a comment that challenged the very basis of Iran´s Islamic regime.
He was condemned to death by a court in the western city of Hamedan a week ago.
Iran´s judiciary on Wednesday hit back at its critics and defended the verdict.
"How can one defend someone who claims to be a Muslim but casts doubt on the principles of the religion... and qualifies as monkeys those who follow religious dignitaries," the judiciary´s public relations office said in a statement .
"Do these comments, repeated by the accused a number of times during his trial, not justify such a verdict by a believing and Muslim judge?" the statement asked.
Embattled President Mohammad Khatami on Wednesday broke his silence over the sentence, describing the verdict as "inappropriate".
"This verdict was inappropriate. I personally do not accept such practices," Khatami was quoted as saying by the state news agency IRNA.
"Such a verdict should never have been issued and I hope that this issue will soon be resolved," the president said.
The death sentence from the conservative-controlled judiciary has provoked widespread criticism, even from prominent conservatives.
Angry Tehran university students were back out on campus Wednesday for a fifth straight day of protests against Aghajari’s death sentence.
Up to 2,500 were seen gathered inside the campus for a series of speeches by student activists and reformist leaders, while police and anti-riot squads kept a discreet eye on the proceedings from streets outside.
The atmosphere was largely calm, with both sides apparently keen to avoid a repeat of the events of July 1999, when student protests on the campus degenerated into violent street clashes.
"If we can manage to keep calm, we can keep going," said one student, who gave his name as Hessam. He said he hoped the protests would continue until national student day in three weeks´ time.
An unidentified leader of Iranian students warned Ayatollah Ali Khamenehe’i not to repeat his threats to unleash forces of repression against them, or face "all the consequences" such a move may bear for the Islamic Republic.
"If Mr. Khamenei thinks that he is going to intimidate us with his so-called popular forces, he is utterly wrong", the source told Iran Press Service, referring to the leader’s warning of using "popular forces" to deal with present students unrest.
Late on Monday, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran´s most powerful figure and commander of the armed forces, issued a veiled warning to parliament, the government and judiciary to settle their differences.
"The day the three branches are unable or unwilling to settle major problems, the (supreme) leadership will, if it thinks it necessary, use the popular forces to intervene," he told high-ranking officials in comments broadcast on television.
"I hope that will never happen," he said.