(Christian Science Monitor) Scott Peterson - In Jamkaran, Iran, tears stream down the cheeks of 2,000 men ripe for the return of the Mahdi, the 12th Imam they expect will soon emerge to bring justice and peace to a corrupt world. Every issue, from challenging the United States and Israel to enhancing Iran's power with nuclear programs, is designed to lay the foundation for the Mahdi's return. "If I think the Mahdi will come in two, three, or four years, why should I be soft? Now is the time to stand strong, to be hard," says Amir Mohebian, political editor of the conservative Resalat newspaper. "What Ahmadinejad believes is that we have to create a model state based on...Islamic democracy - to be given to the world," says Hamidreza Taraghi, head of the conservative Islamic Coalition Society.
2005-12-22 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive