Sheikh Mehdi Karroubi's statement on the bloody days of Iran: The miserable situation in Iran today is the result of Mr. Khamenei's destructive policies / The peaceful way out of this crisis is a free referendum

The full text of Mehdi Karroubi's statement is as follows:

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un
These days, the whole of Iran is in grief, sorrow and mourning for a crime whose dimensions cannot be expressed by words or pens. Truly, blood must be shed for this mourning. I express my condolences to all the bereaved families who, in their complete oppression, were not even allowed to hold a ceremony worthy of their loved ones, and to the great people of Iran, and I ask God Almighty to have mercy on all the victims and to grant them patience and reward.

And here are a few points;
1. Protesting the rights of the people and protecting the lives and security of citizens are among the duties of the government's security and law enforcement institutions. The government is responsible for any failure to provide security and the possible presence of foreign elements. The depth of the tragedy is, of course, so deep that no excuses or pretexts to justify or cover up this heinous and merciless massacre, as well as disrespect for the bodies of the victims, are acceptable.

2. Clarifying the dimensions of this crime, including accurate statistics on the number of dead, injured, and damaged, requires an independent commission of civil society organizations and trusted individuals. Instead of issuing political indictments and issuing dictated sentences, judicial authorities must provide the basis for the unconditional release and liberation of the protesting people.

3. The current deplorable situation in Iran is a direct result of Mr. Khamenei’s destructive domestic and international interventions and policies, an example of which is his insistence on a costly and fruitless nuclear project and the heavy consequences of sanctions over the past two decades on the country and the people.

4. After the brutal massacre of people protesting the dire economic conditions, he claimed to recognize the protest. This is a false claim, because he has not yet issued permits for gatherings except to his supporters or to his own authorities. In February 2008, Engineer Mousavi and I requested a march from the Ministry of Interior in accordance with the explicit text of the constitution. The people's share on that day was batons, clubs, beatings, and bullets in the streets, and our share was obscenity and insults, the destruction of houses and apartments, and then arbitrary arrests and imprisonment.

5. Achieving freedom and democracy will be achieved through the awakened will of a nation and their unification, not through the bombs of foreign governments. Look at what you have done to this nation, that a significant part of the people are not even willing to listen to the compassionate and compassionate warnings of experts about the worsening of the country's situation in the event of foreign military intervention. This is the same nation that preserved the integrity of Iran with its unparalleled sacrifice and bravery in the imposed war.

6. The only peaceful way out of this crisis is to turn to the people and recognize their right to determine their destiny in a free referendum.