Who is Mir Hossein Mousavi?
The politics of the man behind Iran's pro-democracy uprising
What happened
Mir Hossein Mousavi called on supporters to demonstrate peacefully Thursday against the official tally that put him at a distant second in Iran's presidential election. Mousavi also asked people to gather in mosques to honor those killed or wounded in clashes with riot police. (Reuters) President Obama said Westerners shouldn't overestimate the differences between Mousavi and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. "Either way we were going to be dealing with an Iranian regime that has historically been hostile to the United States," Obama said. (Politico)
What the commentators said
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sorry, folks, but Mir Hossein Mousavi is no moderate, said Jay Solomon in The Wall Street Journal. It's true that he campaigned on a promise to improve relations with the West, but he governed as a social conservative when he was prime minister in the 1980s. And diplomats say he "remains a committed supporter of the values and clerical system born of the 1979 Iranian Islamic revolution."
Don't overlook the crucial difference between Mir Hossein Mousavi and Iran's current rulers, said former BBC and Al Jazeera journalist Shirin Sadeghi in The Huffington Post. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and Iran's powerful clerics are completely out of touch with their people, and rule as if what ordinary Iranians want doesn't matter. "Mousavi is now firmly coming into his own" as leader of an opposition that is promising to change things for the better.
You're confusing Mir Hossein Mousavi, the man, with Mousavi, the symbol, said Eric Trager in New Majority. Mousavi's supporters believe he was robbed of the presidency in a rigged election, so he has become the poster boy of Iran's insurgent pro-democratic movement. But "his reserved tone and sudden populism mask a dark history of religious fanaticism, support for terrorism, and perpetuation of authoritarianism."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
What are the different types of nuclear weapons?
The Explainer Speculation mounts that post-war taboo on nuclear weapons could soon be shattered by use of 'battlefield' missiles
-
Floral afternoon teas to enjoy during the Chelsea Flower Show
The Week Recommends These are the prettiest spots in the city to savour a traditional treat
-
How to plan a trip along the Mississippi River
The Week Recommends See this vital waterway from the Great River Road
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
-
'Seriously, not literally': how should the world take Donald Trump?
Today's big question White House rhetoric and reality look likely to become increasingly blurred
-
Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?
Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
-
Democrats vs. Republicans: who are the billionaires backing?
The Explainer Younger tech titans join 'boys' club throwing money and support' behind President Trump, while older plutocrats quietly rebuke new administration
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
-
Is Trump okay?
Today's Big Question Former president's mental fitness and alleged cognitive decline firmly back in the spotlight after 'bizarre' town hall event
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
-
Will 'weirdly civil' VP debate move dial in US election?
Today's Big Question 'Diametrically opposed' candidates showed 'a lot of commonality' on some issues, but offered competing visions for America's future and democracy