Exploding Garrmondo Weiner Interactive Swiss Army Penis - Iranian Protests [Update]: Massacres in Tehran

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Iranian Protests [Update]: Massacres in Tehran - Allah Akbar

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http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h3...hmadinejad.jpg

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TEHRAN, Iran » Iran declared President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the winner Saturday of an election that pitted the conservative establishment against candidate with broad backing from the country's youth. Riot police attacked opposition supporters, beating them with clubs and smashing cars.

A statement from Mousavi posted on his Web site condemned what he described as the "manipulation" of election results.

Demonstrators wearing the trademark green color of Mir Hossein Mousavi chanted slogans condemning the results that gave 62.6 percent of the vote to Ahmadinejad. Protesters set fire to tires outside the Interior Ministry in the most serious unrest in Tehran in a decade.

Witnesses also said a commercial bank elsewhere in the city was set on fire.

Police attacked the demonstrators near the Interior Ministry, where the election results were announced, beating them with clubs and smashing cars. Police also moved to disperse any large gatherings of people around the city.

An Associated Press photographer saw a plainclothes security official beating a woman with his truncheon.

In another main street of Tehran some 300 young people blocked the avenue by forming a human chain chanted "Ahmadi, shame on you. Leave the government alone."

Interior Minister Sadeq Mahsouli, who supervised the elections and heads the nation's police forces warned people not to join any "unauthorized gatherings" as he gave detailed results for the elections.

"If there are gatherings in some places, people should not join them," he said. "Lets not give opportunities to people who aren't affiliated to any candidates."

He added that in Tehran itself, Mousavi won more votes than the incumbent.

Overall, however, Mousavi only took 33.75 percent of the vote in a contest that was widely perceived to be much closer than the official results.

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, thanked the people for their record 85 percent participation and warned opposition candidates to "avoid provocative behavior."

"I assume that enemies intend to eliminate the sweetness of the election with their hostile provocation," he said in his televised address.

He called the results a "divine assessment" and called on all the candidates to support the president.

Nationwide, the text messaging system remained down Saturday and several pro-Mousavi Web sites were blocked or difficult to access. Text messaging is frequently used by many Iranians -- especially young Mousavi supporters -- to spread election news and organize.
Iran election stolen? 'Official' results declare Ahmadinejad landslide winner - Salt Lake Tribune

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BBC shows police cracking down on protesters

Look at them run and give up the guy they're beating when some protesters rush them.

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Juan Cole explains the circumstances that point to election fraud.

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1. It is claimed that Ahmadinejad won the city of Tabriz with 57%. His main opponent, Mir Hossein Mousavi, is an Azeri from Azerbaijan province, of which Tabriz is the capital. Mousavi, according to such polls as exist in Iran and widespread anecdotal evidence, did better in cities and is popular in Azerbaijan. Certainly, his rallies there were very well attended. So for an Azeri urban center to go so heavily for Ahmadinejad just makes no sense. In past elections, Azeris voted disproportionately for even minor presidential candidates who hailed from that province.

2. Ahmadinejad is claimed to have taken Tehran by over 50%. Again, he is not popular in the cities, even, as he claims, in the poor neighborhoods, in part because his policies have produced high inflation and high unemployment. That he should have won Tehran is so unlikely as to raise real questions about these numbers.

3. It is claimed that cleric Mehdi Karoubi, the other reformist candidate, received 320,000 votes, and that he did poorly in Iran's western provinces, even losing in Luristan. He is a Lur and is popular in the west, including in Kurdistan. Karoubi received 17 percent of the vote in the first round of presidential elections in 2005. While it is possible that his support has substantially declined since then, it is hard to believe that he would get less than one percent of the vote. Moreover, he should have at least done well in the west, which he did not.

4. Mohsen Rezaie, who polled very badly and seems not to have been at all popular, is alleged to have received only 670,000 votes, twice as much as Karoubi.

5. Ahmadinejad's numbers were fairly standard across Iran's provinces. In past elections there have been substantial ethnic and provincial variations.

6. The Electoral Commission is supposed to wait three days before certifying the results of the election, at which point they are to inform Khamenei of the results, and he signs off on the process. The three-day delay is intended to allow charges of irregularities to be adjudicated. In this case, Khamenei immediately approved the alleged results.

I am aware of the difficulties of catching history on the run. Some explanation may emerge for Ahmadinejad's upset that does not involve fraud. For instance, it is possible that he has gotten the credit for spreading around a lot of oil money in the form of favors to his constituencies, but somehow managed to escape the blame for the resultant high inflation.

But just as a first reaction, this post-election situation looks to me like a crime scene. And here is how I would reconstruct the crime.

As the real numbers started coming into the Interior Ministry late on Friday, it became clear that Mousavi was winning. Mousavi's spokesman abroad, filmmaker Mohsen Makhbalbaf, alleges that the ministry even contacted Mousavi's camp and said it would begin preparing the population for this victory.

The ministry must have informed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who has had a feud with Mousavi for over 30 years, who found this outcome unsupportable. And, apparently, he and other top leaders had been so confident of an Ahmadinejad win that they had made no contingency plans for what to do if he looked as though he would lose.

They therefore sent blanket instructions to the Electoral Commission to falsify the vote counts.

This clumsy cover-up then produced the incredible result of an Ahmadinejad landlside in Tabriz and Isfahan and Tehran.

The reason for which Rezaie and Karoubi had to be assigned such implausibly low totals was to make sure Ahmadinejad got over 51% of the vote and thus avoid a run-off between him and Mousavi next Friday, which would have given the Mousavi camp a chance to attempt to rally the public and forestall further tampering with the election.

This scenario accounts for all known anomalies and is consistent with what we know of the major players.
Informed Comment: Stealing the Iranian Election

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Riot police beating protesters

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Oh well, four more years of this raving lunatic. I guess, what the supreme Leader wants, the supreme Leader gets.

Sorry to use an old and tired analogy but its like they borrowed bits and pieces from the election theft playbook of 2000 in the US. I hope no one gets killed over this.

The 2000 election was ultimately hinged on the returns of a few counties in a single state. The anomalies alleged in Iran's case is far more sweeping. The proper analogy might have been Texas going for Kerry in a landslide, or California and New York going solidly for Bush.

Thing is that people outside the big cities dont have access to computers, tv and cellphones, which was the big campaign promotion focus. So they dont really know Mousavi so they are going to vote for the one they know which is the other. This isnt going to lead anywhere anyway. Three people have already died, some more will die and then the army will come and it will die down.

Looking forward to my tripp, will twitter live from the crowd.

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Originally Posted by Zergrinch (Post 708505)

The anomalies alleged in Iran's case is far more sweeping.

Well that's why I said bits and pieces. Zip, you're going to Iran?

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Originally Posted by Dark Nation (Post 708512)

Well that's why I said bits and pieces. Zip, you're going to Iran?

Yah, visiting my relatives. I got my tickets months ago though. Also found some new pictures and got information live, Tehran's tripping hard. It's major chaos and a cousins friend got a retarded beating in public.
http://web2.twitpic.com/img/12327753...4566a-full.jpg

Also more pictures here Flickr: mousavi1388's Photostream
and I heard that Twitter got blocked just this second. Buddy recorded this

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwTPsD8Q__8 <- can hear him say that they threw out tear-gas in the end.

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Originally Posted by Zip (Post 708511)

None of that explains how Rezaie had 3+ million votes four years ago and now has just above 300,000. It's undeniable that this election was stolen.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwTPsD8Q__8 <- can hear him say that they threw out tear-gas in the end.

Iranian friend of mine commented that the linked video is out of Shiraz and from some of the other crowd media it looks like they spread to Mashhad, Shiraz, and Isfahan into the night on Saturday, although they're smaller scale. Apparently they're claiming the West is inciting the riots now with outside "mercenaries".

According to that link, the Ayatollah's daughter was arrested.

How intriguing. I guess power is thicker than blood.

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Originally Posted by Bradylama (Post 708588)

None of that explains how Rezaie had 3+ million votes four years ago and now has just above 300,000. It's undeniable that this election was stolen.

Oh i have no doubt that some dirty work as been done because the gap in votes is way too big, but I dont think he could have won, fair or not

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Originally Posted by Zip (Post 708622)

Oh i have no doubt that some dirty work as been done because the gap in votes is way too big, but I dont think he could have won, fair or not

Well about that

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Some comentators have suggested that the reason Western reporters were shocked when Ahmadinejad won was that they are based in opulent North Tehran, whereas the farmers and workers of Iran, the majority, are enthusiastic for Ahmadinejad. That is, we fell victim once again to upper middle class reporting and expectations in a working class country of the global south.

While such dynamics may have existed, this analysis is flawed in the case of Iran because it pays too much attention to class and material factors and not enough to Iranian culture wars. We have already seen, in 1997 and 2001, that Iranian women and youth swung behind an obscure former minister of culture named Mohammad Khatami and his 2nd of Khordad movement, capturing not only the presidency but also, in 2000, parliament.

Khatami received 70 percent of the vote in 1997. He then got 78% of the vote in 2001, despite a crowded field. In 2000, his reform movement captured 65% of the seats in parliament. He is a nice man, but you couldn't exactly categorize him as a union man or a special hit with farmers.

The evidence is that in the past little over a decade, Iran's voters had become especially interested in expanding personal liberties, in expanding women's rights, and in a wider field of legitimate expression for culture (not just high culture but even just things like Iranian rock music). The extreme puritanism of the hardliners grated on people.

The problem for the reformers of the late 1990s and early 2000s was that they did not actually control much, despite holding elected office. Important government policy and regulation was in the hands of the unelected, clerical side of the government. The hard line clerics just shut down reformist newspapers, struck down reformist legislation, and blocked social and economic reform. The Bush administration was determined to hang Khatami out to dry, ensuring that the reformers could never bring home any tangible success in foreign policy or foreign investment. Thus, in the 2004 parliamentary elections, literally thousands of reformers were simply struck off the ballot and not allowed to run. This application of a hard line litmus test in deciding who could run for office produced a hard line parliament, naturally enough.

But in 2000, it was clear that the hard liners only had about 20% of the electorate on their side.

By 2005, the hard liners had rolled back all the reforms and the reform camp was sullen and defeated. They did not come out in large numbers for the reformist candidate, Karoubi, who only got 17 percent of the vote. They nevertheless were able to force a run-off between hard line populist Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a pragmatic conservative billionaire. Ahmadinejad won.

But Ahmadinejad's 2005 victory was made possible by the widespread boycott of the vote or just disillusionment in the reformist camp, meaning that fewer youth and women bothered to come out.

So to believe that the 20% hard line support of 2001 has become 63% in 2009, we would have to posit that Iran is less urban, less literate and less interested in cultural issues today than 8 years ago. We would have to posit that the reformist camp once again boycotted the election and stayed home in droves.

No, this is not a north Tehran/ south Tehran issue. Khatami won by big margins despite being favored by north Tehran.

So observers who want to lay a guilt trip on us about falling for Mousavi's smooth upper middle class schtick are simply ignoring the last 12 years of Iranian history. It was about culture wars, not class. It is simply not true that the typical Iranian voter votes conservative and religious when he or she gets the chance. In fact, Mousavi is substantially more conservative than the typical winning politician in 2000. Given the enormous turnout of some 80 percent, and given the growth of Iran's urban sector, the spread of literacy, and the obvious yearning for ways around the puritanism of the hard liners, Mousavi should have won in the ongoing culture war.

And just because Ahmadinejad poses as a champion of the little people does not mean that his policies are actually good for workers or farmers or for working class women (they are not, and many people in that social class know that they are not).

So let that be an end to the guilt trip. The Second of Khordad Movement was a winning coalition for the better part of a decade. Its supporters are 8 years older than the last time they won, but it was a young movement. Did they all do a 180 and defect from Khatami to Ahmadinejad? Unlikely. The Iranian women who voted in droves for Khatami haven't gone anywhere, and they did not very likely much care for Ahmadinejad's stances on women's issues:

'In a BBC News interview, Mahbube Abbasqolizade, a member of the Iranian Women’s Centre NGO, said, “Mr. Ahmadinejad’s policies are that women should return to their homes and that their priority should be the family.”

* Ahmadinejad changed the name of the government organization the “Centre for Women’s Participation” to the “Centre for Women and Family Affairs”.

* Ahmadinejad proposed a new law that would reintroduce a man’s right to divorce his wife without informing her. In addition, men would no longer be required to pay alimony. In response, women’s groups have initiated the Million Signatures campaign against these measures.

* Ahmadinejad’s administration opposes the ratification of the UN protocol called CEDAW, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. This doctrine is essentially an international women’s Bill of Rights.

* Ahmadinejad implemented the Social Safety program, which monitors women’s clothing, requires the permission from a father or husband for a woman to attend school, and applies quotas limiting the number of women allowed to attend universities.'

Mir Hosain Mousavi was a plausible candidate for the reformists. They were electing people like him with 70 and 80 percent margins just a few years ago. We have not been had by the business families of north Tehran. We've much more likely been had by a hard line constituency of at most 20% of the country, who claim to be the only true heirs of the Iranian revolution, and who control which ballots see the light of day.

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She was in tears like many women on the streets of Iran’s battered capital. “Throw away your pen and paper and come to our aid,” she said, pointing to my notebook. “There is no freedom here.”

And she was gone, away through the milling crowds near the locked-down Interior Ministry spewing its pick-ups full of black-clad riot police. The “green wave” of Iran’s pre-election euphoria had turned black.

Down the street outside the ghostly campaign headquarters of the defeated reformist candidate, Mir Hussein Moussavi, the baton-wielding police came in whining phalanxes, two to a motorbike, scattering people, beating them.

“Disperse or we’ll do other things and then you’ll really know.” The voice, from a police megaphone, was steady in its menace. “You, over there, in a white hat, I’m talking to you.”

Anger hung in the air, a sullen pall enveloping the city, denser than its smog, bitter as smashed hope.

I say “defeated.” But everything I have seen suggests Moussavi, now rumored to be under house arrest, was cheated, the Iranian people defrauded, in what Moussavi called an act of official “wizardry.”

Within two hours of the closing of the polls, contrary to prior practice and electoral rules, the Interior Ministry, through the state news agency, announced a landslide victory for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose fantastical take on the world and world history appears to have added another fantastical episode.

Throughout the country, across regions of vast social and ethnic disparity, including Azeri areas that had indicated strong support for Moussavi (himself an Azeri), Ahmadinejad’s margin scarcely wavered, ending at an official 62.63 percent. That’s 24.5 million votes, a breathtaking 8 million more than he got four years ago.

No tally I’ve encountered of Ahmadinejad’s bedrock support among the rural and urban poor, religious conservatives and revolutionary ideologues gets within 6 million votes of that number.

Ahmadinejad won in other candidates’ hometowns, including Moussavi’s. He won in every major city except Tehran. He won very big, against the backdrop of an economic slump.

He won as the Interior Ministry was sealed, opposition Web sites were shut down, text messages were cut off, cell phones were interrupted, Internet access was impeded, dozens of opposition figures were arrested, universities were closed and a massive show of force was orchestrated to ram home the result to an incredulous public.

Overnight, a whole movement and mood were vaporized, to the point that they appeared a hallucination.

The crowds called it a “coup d’état.” They shouted “Marg Bar Dictator” — “Death to the dictator.” Eyes smoldered.

I’ve argued for engagement with Iran and I still believe in it, although, in the name of the millions defrauded, President Obama’s outreach must now await a decent interval.

I’ve also argued that, although repressive, the Islamic Republic offers significant margins of freedom by regional standards. I erred in underestimating the brutality and cynicism of a regime that understands the uses of ruthlessness.

“Here is my country,” a young woman said to me, voice breaking. “This is a coup. I could have worked in Europe but I came back for my people.” And she, too, sobbed.

“Don’t cry, be brave,” a man admonished her.

He was from the Interior Ministry. He showed his ID card. He said he’d worked there 30 years. He said he hadn’t been allowed in; nor had most other employees. He said the votes never got counted. He said numbers just got affixed to each candidate.

He said he’d demanded of the police why “victory” required such oppression. He said he’d fought in the 1980-88 Iraq war, his brother was a martyr, and now his youth seemed wasted and the nation’s sacrifice in vain.

Quoting Ferdowsi, the epic poet, he said, “If there is no Iran, let me be not.” Poets are the refuge of every wounded nation — just ask the Poles — and nowhere more so than here in this hour.

Iran exists still, of course, but today it is a dislocated place. Angry divisions have been exposed, between founding fathers of the revolution — Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader, and Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the former president — and between the regime and the people.

Khamenei, under pressure from Rafsanjani, appeared ready to let the election unfold, but he reversed course, under pressure, or perhaps even diktat, from the Revolutionary Guards and other powerful constituencies.

A harsh clampdown is underway. It’s unclear how far, and for how long, Iranians can resist.

On Vali Asr, the handsome avenue that was festive until the vote, crowds swarmed as night fell, confronting riot police and tear gas. “Moussavi, Moussavi. Give us back our votes,” they chanted.

Majir Mirpour grabbed me. A purple bruise disfigured his arm. He raised his shirt to show a red wound across his back. “They beat me like a pig,” he said, breathless. “They beat me as I tried to help a woman in tears. I don’t care about the physical pain. It’s the pain in my heart that hurts.”

He looked at me and the rage in his eyes made me want to toss away my notebook. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/15/op...t-edcohen.html

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I doubt that the few lies he tries to fool the women with was the point that won it for him. I still believe the reasons i gave in my other post was the thing that turned it over. People outside Tehran, Shiraz, Esfahan dont have access to the media outlet that everyone else have. They dont know who Mousavi is and when it comes to voting time, who are they going to vote for? The one that they know, the current president. The ones that do the projected numbers dont go to the farmers or small villiages, they dont go to the areas around Tabriz.
Mousavi didnt have a chance to begin with and I think they just changed the numbers to somehow show that Ahmandijan is the more powerful, their plan backfired and now it's chaos.

I dont even think that these arrests that are happening are legit, it's all smoke and mirrors. These dudes have so much power it's stupid. And to be honest, I'm actually kinda scared of going tomorow...

Ok, just ignore recent Iranian history when voters supported reformists by a wide margin and that Khatami lost his election to Ahmadinejad even though nobody in the country was supposed to "know who he was."

Right now ununiformed fighters are attacking students in Tehran University. There's suspicion that they're hezbollah fighters. Over 100 have been injured and a few have been killed. The police have literally blockaded the campus and the authorities are just letting Arabs go to town on students and protesters.

Iraninan Student (Change_for_Iran) on Twitter

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# Reza is looking very bad & they will shoot at us again if we try to leave here. #iranelectionhalf a minute ago from web

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This is election day in Tehran. Ahmadinejad is forced to climb over the top of his car to escape.

The crowd is yelling "Mousavi, Mousavi, Mousavi"

At the end, they are yelling 'doorogh gou!' LIAR!

"Ahmadi Bye Bye!"

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Originally Posted by Bradylama (Post 708700)

Khatami lost because he talked tons of shit and didnt fulfill enough promises, he did make it a bit easier on the youth (and that's only in the major cities, small towns were still strict) so I have no doubt that Ahmadinejad was put in place to make a bit more strict and also do what he did to America. And you can think whatever you want homie but I'm going to go with my own 22 years of experiance of my own country and from what I've gathered from my relatives and friends that are currently in the country.

I'm not saying that Mousavi would have won outright, but that support for Rezaee after Ahmadinejad alienated some conservatives would have forced a runoff between him and Mousavi, which would have gotten out any Mousavi supporters yet to vote, as well as put the Karroubi supporters into the Mousavi camp.

Rezaee and Karroubi votes practically disappeared, however, in four years despite an 85% turnout. This entire process was designed to prevent a runoff.

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Originally Posted by Bradylama (Post 708703)

You make a valid point, it's all shady and hopefully we get more details soon. Right now Im thinking if I should get a safety vest or something for my trip tomorow lol

Zip, I strongly suggest you postpone your trip to Iran, especially if you're going to Tehran. We don't really know what's happening, and things can get pretty messy real quick.

I concur, as much as you have planned for this trip months in advance, extenuating circumstances such as what is going down right now do not warrant taking such risks.

Are they even allowing flights to and from Tehran as a result of this? I would assume your embassy would have been putting out alerts by now.

There are few urban centers that aren't experiencing protests. Things may be dying down today, but Tehran is probably gonna keep going at it for a while yet.

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If CNN was a bro I would smash him. There are tens of thousands of people pouring into Revolution Square right now after the protest was declared illegal, and they wanna talk about iReporter bullshit.

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Basij have opened fire on the crowd

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People are advised to stay off the streets at night unless they want to be beaten to within an inch of their lives by the secret police.

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Confirmed: They killed about 15 ppl using machin-gun in Azadiabout 1 hour ago from web
Twitter / SadeqN: Confirmed: They killed abo ...

3 people are known to be dead in Tehran after the Basij opened fire, but in other cities like Azadi and Isfahan where the foreign media don't dare venture the violence is much worse.

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Boston Globe image collection

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I forgot to mention rumors of a General Strike for tomorrow (tonight for us Yanks).

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A lot of protesters intend on fighting the Basij tonight. Things are going to get ugly.

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Basij HQ has been molotoved, it burns.

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Channel 4's footage of the attack on Basij HQ

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DEAR LEADER IS THIS YOUR ISLAM?

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Iran Election 2009
DEAR LEADER IS THIS YOUR ISLAM?
A new picture/poster doing the rounds tonight. My headline is what the poster asks:
http://iranpoll2009.files.wordpress....pg?w=500&h=375
The poster shows Khamenei, Ahmadinejad at Sunday’s press conference (those flowers!) and, below, one of the defining pictures of the weekend, state thugs seemingly about to beat a woman after having kocked a man to the ground.

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http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h3.../karroubi2.png
Reminder: Karroubi himself is a Lur, so the results from Lorestan are impossible.

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Protesters have apparently told each other to wear black shirts in mourning because IRIB's broadcasts have given the demonstrators little coverage and described them as "thugs".

It it will be interesting to see if it is allowed to proceed. People are being asked on Facebook to meet at Valiasr Square at 5pm(1.30BST).

But a pro-government counter demo, organised by the Islamic Propaganda Organisation, has also been called for today at 4pm (12.30BST) in the city's Valiasr Square. It has all the ominous makings of violent street clash.

Some of the protesters' chants are aimed not at Ahmadinejad but at Khamenei, the supreme leader.

The best known chant is "Death to the dictator" (Marg bar diktator). But there is another that goes "Seiyed Ali Pinochet, Iran Chile Nemishe - Seiyed Ali (Khamenei) Pinochet" - Iran will not become Chile. Somebody left a message on Balatarin, a Farsi blog site, last night suggesting that it was time to drop Marg bar Diktator and replace it with Marg Bar Khamenei.

On whether Ahmadinejad really did win, it has been pointed out that he won big in the home towns and provinces of his opponents. This is unheard of in Iran and is one of the strongest pointers to fraud.

Karroubi in particular, even though he was not expected to win, is very popular in Iran. He was awarded only 330,000 votes and was beaten 10 to one by Ahmadinejad in his home town. That is not credible.

As for the pre-election telephone polls showing that Ahmadinejad was winning two to one, there were similar ones closer to the election showing the same voting margin in favour of Mousavi.

Meanwhile, according to the Guardian's sources, students at Tehran university are in mourning for five fellow students said to have been killed in campus clashes with the security forces on Sunday.

According to witnesses, many are in tears and are threatening to stage a sit-in at the university on Friday to prevent the regular Friday prayer session - scheduled to be addressed by the supreme leader, Khamenei.

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Foreign journalists have been banned from leaving their offices to cover protests.

The Culture Ministry said journalists could continue to work from their offices but that it was cancelling press accreditation for all foreign media.

"No journalist has permission to report or film or take pictures in the city," a Culture Ministry official told Reuters.

One of those journalist, Channel 4's Lindsey Hilsum, says yesterday was a day in journalism that she will never forget.

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Iran's post-election unrest: live | News | guardian.co.uk

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# we told everybody to get out and leave dorms. but most of the student got no where to go & no relatives in Tehran.18 minutes ago from web
# confirmed by farsi twitters: around 2000 basiji is now standing in front of dorms.20 minutes ago from web
# I can't contact to anyone over there, the cell phones are out again.29 minutes ago from web
# it looks they are going to attack dorms again! IRG's chopper just passed by Yousefabad. there is noting left to destroy over there!31 minutes ago from web

Iranian Student (Change_for_Iran) on Twitter

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Images from today and yesterday.

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# which side is BBC Persia on? saying we should just calm down & stay at home! and then what?!5 minutes ago from web
# @picenissimo dorm students, I know most of them personally.15 minutes ago from web in reply to picenissimo
# @mrscourtneyreed What left to loose?!16 minutes ago from web in reply to mrscourtneyreed
# there is no need to hide their names anymore Mobina Ehtrami, Fateme Borati, Kasra Sharafi, Kambiz Shoaee & Mohsen Imani; all killed by ansar18 minutes ago from web
# not only that they attacked us, now they are hiding the bodies of those we lost! I will kill ahmadynezhad myself!22 minutes ago from web
# footage as soon as somebody from the protest gets home! there is no mobile/wireless internet connection right now33 minutes ago from web
# people are standing in front of state TV building in valiasr in silent just holding their hands & mousavi pictures in air.41 minutes ago from web

Iranian Student (Change_for_Iran) on Twitter

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Guardian collection of images and youtubes impossible to get from reporters because of media bans

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Latest rumors coming through Iranian tweets are reports of police arresting Basij that attack protesters.

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niacINsight - @ 12:38 PM, pictoral breakdown of Iranian security involved in suppression

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@LaraABCNews New chants on the rooftops of Tehran: "I will kill, I will kill...whoever killed my brother" and "canons, tanks, and basijis will not deter us anymore," "as long as Ahmedinejad is around, this is what we do every night"

Heading out, any other rubberneckers feel free to update.

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MARG BAR DIKTATOR

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Dozens of Tehran University students were beaten and severely wounded, requiring hospitalization, following an attack by plain-clothed vigilantes and the state security forces on the university's large dormitories. The attackers used bullets, chains, daggers, batons and clubs to beat the students. Residents of the Amir Abad neighborhood, where the student dormitories are located, have called for help in their telephone calls to the public.

The Tehran University students began their protests on Sunday night, chanting "death to the dictator" and condemning the electoral coup. With the entrance of plain-clothed vigilantes and state security forces into the dormitories, an asymmetric battle broke out at the residence halls. The state security forces' first initial attempts at entering the university were halted by the students' resistance. However, with the launch of the state security forces' all-out attack on the dormitories, which included sound grenades, tear gas and shooting at all doors, the forces were able to penetrate the student dormitories.

Clashes at the Tehran University dormitories were under way as the cell phone networks were down in Tehran for the second time since the announcement of election results and students inside the university were unable to reach the outside. After cell phone networks went down for about an hour all over Tehran, state security forces entered the dormitories and gained control over the dormitories by ruthlessly firing at all doors and using tear gas. They then allowed plain-clothed vigilantes and forces affiliated with the Ansar Hezbollah militia to enter the dormitories. Ansar vigilantes are currently entering every single building and room to savagely beat the students with clubs, chains and daggers. Clashes are ongoing at the Tehran University dormitories. Meanwhile, fifteen students are in critical condition after being shot while state security forces were attempting to enter the dormitories. Among the injured students, one is in highly critical condition due to injuries to his face and neck. Also, two other students were shot in the face, one of whom is in danger of losing his eyes according to the medical students present on the scene. Other students were shot in the leg or other parts of the body, leaving deep wounds and scars. According to the students, the attacking forces were fully prepared, equipped with various kinds of hot and cold weapons, including batons, clubs, daggers, chains, sound grenades, tear gas, pepper spray and guns.

The students also report that the security forces are using a new kind of plastic bullets that leaves holes in the shot persons' bodies. Clashes are ongoing at the Tehran University dormitories. Campus security forces and university administrators have left the premises and the students are left alone. At three a.m. last night, residents in the Amir Abad neighborhood were alerting news agencies that the injured students trapped inside the dormitories are in urgent need of medical support, lacking access not only to ambulances but also to basic first aid.
Savage Attack on Student Dormitories - roozonline.com

Keep it real, zip

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Warning, new twitter feeds are most likely government members trying to spread misinformation, ignore them! Also, there is a handful of good twitter feeds, but please do not publicize their usernames, they are in enough danger as it is and they don't need more publiclity. Those in the know will c/p their entries. Major timeline overhaul, including what has unfolded in the last few hours.

This seems to be helping quite a few people, so I'll go ahead and repost it in every threads with some adjustments. Sorry, this has reached the level of TL;DR but I really am trying to cram the most relevant information and speculation only. Everything is updated as events unfold, especially the timeline and what will happen in the future.

Suppression of Dissent - The Players

Currently, there are either two or three groups who are suppressing the students on the ground that you'll read about throughout this thread:

1. The Basij
2. Ansar Hizbullah (which I will refer to as Ansar)
3. Lebanese Hizbullah (Unconfirmed but highly probable. Der Spiegel, based on a Voice of America report, says that 5,000 Hizbullah fighters are currently in Iran masquerading as riot police, confirming the independent reports. Many different independent reports and video point that way. Even in the last hours other independent twitter feeds have declared witnessing thugs beating on people while shouting in Arabic; I will refer to them as Hizbullah)

- The Basij are your regular paramilitary organization. They are the armed hand of the clerics. The Basij are a legal group, officially a student union, and are legally under direct orders of the Revolutionary Guard. Their main raison d'être is to quell dissent. They are the ones who go and crack skulls, force people to participate in pro-regime demonstrations, and generally try to stop any demonstrations from even starting. They are located throughout the country, in every mosque, every university, every social club you can think of. They function in a way very similar to the brownshirts.

They were the ones who first started the crackdown after the election, but it wasn't enough. While they are violent and repressive, they are still Persian and attacking fellow citizens. A beating is one thing, mass killings another.

- Another group was working with them, whose members are even more extreme, is Ansar. There is a lot of cross-membership between the Basij and Ansar, though not all are members of the other group and vice-versa. The vast majority of Ansar are Persians (either Basij or ex-military), though a lot of Arab recruits come from Lebanon and train with them under supervision of the Revolutionary Guard. They are not functioning under a legal umbrella, they are considered a vigilante group, but they pledge loyalty directly to the Supreme Leader and most people believe that they are under his control. They are currently helping the Basij to control the riots, but due to the fact that they are Persians and in lower numbers than the Basij, they are not that active.

- The Lebanese Hizbullah is a direct offshoot (and under direct control) of the Iranian Hizbullah (itself under direct control of the Supreme Leader) and cooperates closely with Ansar though Ansar occupies itself only with Iran's domestic policies, while Hizbullah occupies itself only with Iran's foreign policy unless there is a crisis like right now. However, Hizbullah has been called to stop violent riots in Iran in the past.

(the following paragraph includes some speculation based on reports from ground zero) Hizbullah flew in a lot of their members in Iran, most likely a good deal even before the elections in case there were trouble. They are the ones who speak Arabs and are unleashing the biggest level of violence on the Persians so far. Another wave arrived recently and there is chatter that yet another wave of Hizbullah reinforcements are coming in from Lebanon as we speak. According to Iranians on the ground, they are the ones riding motorcycles, beating men women and children indiscriminately and firing live ammunitions at students.

What will happen

Unless the army decides to intervene in the favor of the Council and to stop the early beginnings of the new Revolution, Ansar & Hizbullah members will be the ones doing the brunt of the killing and repression with Basij as a support while also protecting government buildings and try to do crowd control. The police seems to have for the most part disbanded in centers like Tehran according to all reports, including international media. If the police decides to come back, they will focus less on protection and crowd control, so the Basij will start to crack more skulls).

Currently, this is what is happening.

Timeline (updated and revamped!)

note: I built this through both articles and twitter feeds, so I do not claim that this is a 100% factually correct representation of reality, but this is the general narrative.

14th of June - While the previous day had been witness to some protests, they were for the most part peaceful. However, as time grew the protests turned more and more violent. When the first spontaneous riots erupted, the first wave of violence was unleashed. The Iranian Riot Police was called in to support the regular police officers controlling the protests, and shortly after the Basij also took the scene, moving from a passive to active role of repression. The RP concentrated mostly around public buildings and streets while the Basij took position around student groups, especiallly universities.

- As things got more out of hand, more and more Basij troops were called in, as the police started dispersing. The riot police are less inclined (or, rather I should say the Basij are more inclined) to use violence so they retreated and leaving the place to the Basij. The repressive forces concentrated their assault mostly around the main Iranian universities, while the riot police were concentrating on protecting various government buildings such as the Interior Ministry. At least two people had been killed already.

- On the telecommunication front, this is when we started to hear more and more from twitters while videos were being freely updated to youtube (while youtube started to delete the more violent ones a few hours later). This is also the moment where the government realized what was happening, and ordered for the internet, phone lines and cellphones to be cut off, in order to avoid people communicating with the outside world.

late 14th, early 15th of June - This is the second wave of violent repression. At this point, violent riots had spread all over the main cities of Iran. The violence against citizens was not only the fruit of the Basij anymore, but also came from Ansar Hizbullah members. This is the point where firearms started being used. There were reports of a few murders but it was mostly fired in the air or on walls in order to scare away protesters in University dorms. It's also around the same time that the first reports and videos of an important number of non-Persian thugs shouting in Arabic and violently beating people with chains, clubs and electric batons (similar to cattle prods), which led to many speculating that lebanese Hizbullah members were now in Iran. Der Spiegel, through Voice of America, later claimed that 5000 Hizbullah fighters were passing off as Riot Police, validating the claims of many independent sources and twitter feeds.

- Universities have been the hotbed of protests, serving as a hub of anti-government demonstrations and preparations. 120 teachers from the Sharid University resigned in protest over the election results. Perfectly away of this, the Basij, Ansar and possibly Hizbullah members concentrated their attacks on University Dorms all over the country, storming them and beating students, destroying everything, especially computers.

- The end of the second wave came right before the beginning of the current manifestation. Things were getting quieter with only sporadic reports of dissenters being assaulted. Important to note: at this time. the Supreme Leader authorized the plainclothes militias to use live ammunition against the crowd if things were to get out of hands. By the end of the first two waves of protests, hundreds of people had been arrested.

midday, 15th of June - This brings us to the third wave, which just began around 12:30PM for those of us on the East Coast. Plainclothes militia opened fire on civilians protesting peacefully. Possibly up to 2 million protesters took the street. Chaos erupted in the streets, with reports of fighting all over Tehran and spreading over Iran as the news circulated. Pictures of people shot, some to death, finally surfaced and were published in the mainstream media. Violent and murderous repression has started. At least a twenty people had been killed at this by the end of the 15th of June.

- There is a major national crackdown on students, especially those with connections to the outside world going on right now. Students are fighting back in some areas. Telephones are being bugged and everyone twittering and sending videos outside of Iran are being rounded up. ISPs were shut down, government hackers are threatening people who twitter, and some of them have vanished in the last 24 hours.

- Eventually, the people started to fight back. First, they took over and burned down a Basij base, killing its commander. Later, a Basij shot a young man in the face in front of their HQ, at which point a policeman went to confront them. The Basij beat the policeman, at which point students stormed the compound, throwing molotov cocktails, burning it to the ground.

- During the night, the police entered certain neighbourhood to arrest public servants and force them to appear at tomorrow's pro-Ahmadinejad manifestation, but the people went out in the street and forced them out of their neighbourhoods. The Basij have kept on storming dorms. So far the reports are conflicting, but it appears that the death toll could be as high as 40 for the protesters, with two dead on the side of the repressive militias. This is the end of the third wave.

early 16th of June - Supporters of Moussavi have a manifestation planned for 5pm, Tehran time. Roughly the same number or more is expected to attend. People are dressed in black and told to protest silently.

- The pro-Ahmadinejad crowd however are planning a counter-demonstration at the very same place the supporters are supposed to gather at 3pm. Most agree that basically they are simply going to gather for a confrontation. Rumours are that they are taking position in buildings next to the parade and in bunkers to attack. Basij from all over the country are moving to Tehran and supporters are being bused from all over the country. A major showdown is expected to unfold.

- The crackdown on people using telecommunication is as strong as ever. Anyone with a laptop, camera or cellphone is attacked in the street by plainclothes militias. Tehran hotels are under lockdown to prevent the members of the foreign press not yet expulsed from reporting what is happening.

- As for the Iranian Government and different branches, there are rumours that many Army Generals have been arrested for plotting a Coup d'État, but this is still speculation at this point. The Supreme Leader has also called for a 10-day inquiry into the claims of fraud, but it has been widely dismissed as cosmetic. Moussavi and his supporters have rejected this, claiming that they want new elections. Khameini is now using the armed Basij as his own bodyguards, hundreds of them are surround him and his residence to protect from attempted assassinations. Ahmadinejad himself is in Russia right now, for a planned visit, and tries to pretend that everything is good as usual.

early 16th of June - The fourth wave of violence has started, and was expected to flare up very soon. It surprisingly was quite mild. Pro-Moussavi supporters said that there were even more people today protesting against the regime, though raw numbers are hard to get. If this is true, it means there are more than 2M protesters in the street right now. They are dressed in black and protesting silently and without violence so far. Other reports that only 250,000 were in the street, possibly scared by the Basij and propaganda.

- The Basij, surprisingly, did not attacking the march itself but rather assaulted dorms again. It looks like they are using the march as a diversion. In Tehran proper, 2000 Basij are waiting to storm the male dorm, and they are backed by IRG helicopters, which seems to send the message that the IRG has broken from their undeclared neutrality toward tacitely supporting the Regime.

- The crackdown on telecommunications is starting to suffocate all of Iran. As of now:

* Gmail and GTalk are shut down
* Yahoo is shut down
* AIM is most likely shut down
* Phone lines are down
* HTTPS and other such protocols are down
* Iranian ISPs have been shut down
* They are trying very hard to close down the Iranian connexion to twitter and giving proxies they control in order to track down people
* Cellphones and SMS are shut down

People are also receiving phone calls from the government saying "We know you were in the protests".

Night has fallen on Iran, and the Basij are roaming, attacking passerbys at random. They have also surrounded dorms and waiting to storm them once again.

The Revolution lives on.

Demands from the protesters

1. Dismissal of Khamenei for not being a fair leader
2. Dismissal of Ahmadinejad for his illegal acts
3. Temporary appointment of Ayatollah Montazeri as the Supreme Leader
4. Recognition of Mousavi as the President
5. Forming the Cabinet by Mousavi to prepare for revising the Constitution
6. unconditional and immediate release of all political prisoners
7. Dissolution of all organs of repression, public or secret.

Who is Grand Ayatollah Montazeri?

Ayatollah Montazeri is a pro-Democracy, pro-Human Rights Ayatollah who was at one point on the short list of possible successors of Khomeini, but became marginalized as he adopted what was seen as a too pro-Western, pro-Democracy stance.

Since the beginning of the Revolution, he has been one of the fiercest critics of the Regime, and one of the biggest proponents of women and civil rights for ALL Iranians, including much-maligned minorities like the Baha'is. In fact he goes further than the protections afforded to them under Sharia.

He is also a big critic of Ahmadinejad and has been seen for years as the best hope for Iran if he ever was to come to power, something that was unthinkable a mere week ago.

He has also come out with a statement saying that policemen who beat on protesters and follow orders will not be forgiven under Islam, and that even if the government cuts the lines of communication with the outside world, that it was too late and the truth was getting out
pastebin - Someone - post number 1462651

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Extraordinary scenes: Robert Fisk in Iran - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
The Army may be coming around on the side of the protesters. Quite a few soldiers attempted to keep the Basij away from demonstraters in Azadi Square yesterday.

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Robert Fisk: Fear has gone in a land that has tasted freedom - Robert Fisk, Commentators - The Independent

Quote:

The fate of Iran rested last night in a grubby north Tehran highway interchange called Vanak Square where – after days of violence – supporters of the official President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at last confronted the screaming, angry Iranians who have decided that Mirhossein Mousavi should be the president of their country. Unbelievably – and I am a witness because I stood beside them – just 400 Iranian special forces police were keeping these two armies apart. There were stones and tear gas but for the first time in this epic crisis the cops promised to protect both sides.

"Please, please, keep the Basiji from us," one middle-aged lady pleaded with a special forces officer in flak jacket and helmet as the Islamic Republic's thug-like militia appeared in their camouflage trousers and purity-white shirts only a few metres away. The cop smiled at her. "With God's help," he said. Two other policemen were lifted shoulder-high. "Tashakor, tashakor," – "thank you, thank you" – the crowd roared at them.

This was phenomenal. The armed special forces of the Islamic Republic, hitherto always allies of the Basiji, were prepared for once, it seemed, to protect all Iranians, not just Ahmadinejad's henchmen. The precedent for this sudden neutrality is known to everyone – it was when the Shah's army refused to fire on the millions of demonstrators demanding his overthrow in 1979.

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Crazy. Absolutely crazy.

Holy shit.

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2:01 AM ET -- Aslan: Rafsanjani calls "emergency" meeting of Assembly of Experts. If true, this is a bombshell. Appearing on CNN last night (video below), Iran expert Reza Aslan reported this:

There are very interesting things that are taking place right now. Some of my sources in Iran have told me that Ayatollah Rafsanjani, who is the head of the Assembly of Experts -- the eighty-six member clerical body that decides who will be the next Supreme Leader, and is, by the way, the only group that is empowered to remove the Supreme Leader from power -- that they have issued an emergency meeting in Qom.

Now, Anderson, I have to tell you, there's only one reason for the Assembly of Experts to meet at this point, and that is to actually talk about what to do about Khamenei. So, this is what I'm saying, is that we're talking about the very legitimacy, the very foundation of the Islamic Republic is up in the air right now. It's hard to say what this is going to go.

Aslan's scoop is also reported by the Farsi-language Rooyeh.

The reader in Iran who tipped me off to this sent a follow-up note:

jesus christ dude,

I'm [in my 30s] and never thought of it, let alone witnessing it as it unfolds.

I'm going nuts.

HOLY SHIT !!!

An informed Iranian-American had a different take. "I think Rafasanjani is not going to ask for Khamenei's removal, but is bluffing to force Khamenei to drop support of Ahmadinejad."

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3.30pm:
More than 500,000 Iranians are silently marching from from Haft-e-Tir Squre to Vali Asr Square, reports Saeed Kamali Dehghan in Tehran.

Many are wearing black in mourning for those killed in earlier protests. Protesters want to go to Tehran University later to mourn the killing on Sunday of students in a dormitory.

Reuters says that "tens of thousands" of people are protesting.
One street leading to the square was packed for several kilometres, witnesses said.

Most of the protesters were silent and making victory signs. Some are holding pictures of those killed.

The authorities say the rally is banned.

Leading reformists are also being arrested in droves, and the Iranian government has reduced bandwidth for the country. Youtube traffic for Iran has slowed to a crawl but they're still being inundated with videos.

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Image of a tremendous demonstration in Isfahan yesterday.

I am cautiously optimistic that this is going to end up with both Khamenei and Ahmadinejad fired. Though, I fear there will also be a bloodbath.

I wonder if Zip really went on with his decision to go to Tehran.

Some estimate the number of demonstrators could be between 1 million - 3 million people. There's also rumors coming through of an arrest warrant for Rafsanjani.

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??? ?? peiknet

This source is in Farsi, but the gist of it is that Basij have been laying down arms or standing down in some places across Iran. The Basij number in the millions as the state militia, but there is only 90,000 uniformed Basij with 300,000 in reserve. Being in the Basij opens a lot of opportunities in the theocracy, and it looks like many of them don't have the stomach for beatings and murder.

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http://www.img98.com/images/zei9ofmo1bvisqpvhbw.jpg - this photo of a dead student is being forwarded throughout Iran [Note]: Not Work Safe!

Iran protests: live | News | guardian.co.uk

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3.47pm:
The official Iranian Republic News Agency reports that Gholamali Hadadadel, head of the Iranian Parliament, the Majlis, has invited Mir Hossein Mousavi to participate in a televised debate Friday on controversy surrounding last Friday's vote, our Tehran correspondent Saeed Kamali Dehghan writes.

It's a trap, get an axe.

A lot of reports are now saying that the riot police are protecting the protesters from the Basij and there are unconfirmed reports that many are wearing green armbands. On that note, it was fucking brave of the Iranian football team to wear green armbands for their match against Korea yesterday. They all took them off by the second half but to show such support for the opposition as such a high profile (And therefore traceable) person shows real courage. Their families are probably missing already...

They haven't been targeting entire families yet, just protest organizers, leading reformists, and human rights activists.

If the State TV appearance is also intended as a trap it'd be a huuuuuge mistake on the establishment's part. Things have gone so far that Iran may undergo an honest-to-God revolution with either the Supreme Leader relegated to ceremony, or the Islamic Republic replaced by an Iranian one.

Well most people aren't objecting to the Islamic Republic, just the Ayatollah and President. That said, the last time the Riot Police refused to beat up opponents of the state was the last revolution, making their actions all that more symbolic. There's certain to be change of some sort after this but Mousavi is advocating peaceful protest still so unless the crowds get away from him, it looks unlikely there'll be a bloody revolution and the state wields far too much power for a peaceful one to have any success. I read some rumours that high ranking military officials had been arrested for planning a coup but they were just unconfirmed rumours, as so much of the information coming out of the country is at the moment.

Some would argue these protests are already soaked in martyr's blood, so we'll have to see.

The rumor that high-ranking Revolutionary Guard commanders were arrested gets repeated a lot, so I would treat it as if it were true.

Again from the Guardian's live blog
5.55pm:
AP reports that the Iranian government has accused the US of "intolerable" meddling in Iranian affairs and of fueling post-election strife.

Quote:

A state television channel in Iran says the government summoned the Swiss ambassador, who represents U.S. interests in Iran, to complain about American interference. The two countries broke off diplomatic relations after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. An English-language state-run channel quoted the government as calling Western interference "intolerable."

President Barack Obama has spoken cautiously about the situation in Iran (and provoked criticism from the American right, which wants more strident denunciations of the regime), saying that it would not be helpful for him to be seen as meddling.

Yesterday Obama said:

Quote:

When I see violence directed at peaceful protestors, when I see peaceful dissent being suppressed, wherever that takes place, it is of concern to me and it's of concern to the American people. That is not how governments should interact with their people... I do believe that something has happened in Iran where there is a questioning of the kinds of antagonistic postures towards the international community that have taken place in the past, and that there are people who want to see greater openness and greater debate and want to see greater democracy. How that plays out over the next several days and several weeks is something ultimately for the Iranian people to decide.

They had all the European ambassadors in yesterday accusing them of the same thing. At least it looks like Obama isn't looking to invade just yet. Despite Mousavi being seen as a reformist, there's not a huge amount of differences between the two of the candidates policy-wise and almost none in terms of foreign policy so human rights issues aside, there's not really anything to be gained by America getting involved, other than providing a polarising force for the whole of Iran to rally against. If you sent a few tanks rolling over the border from Iraq I imagine the two factions would reconcile their differences really quickly.

It's easier for the Obama administration to negotiate with somebody like Moussavi who hasn't been demonized by western media, which is why a lot of Neocons are worried about the protests being successful.

As for invasion, invading Iran was unfeasible during the Bush years and it's unfeasible now. Everybody knew it, and the biggest reason aside from the fact that we're already tremendously overstretched and international opinion would be in an uproar is that Iran's surface-to-ship missiles would cause tremendous naval losses and damage shipping in the Gulf.

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Originally Posted by Shin (Post 709271)

If it's true that one of the demands of the protesters is to make Ayatollah Montazeri temporary supreme leader, then the rift is deeper than you might think. It did kind of get lost in the TL;DR of the past few pages, but:

Quote:

Who is Grand Ayatollah Montazeri?

Ayatollah Montazeri is a pro-Democracy, pro-Human Rights Ayatollah who was at one point on the short list of possible successors of Khomeini, but became marginalized as he adopted what was seen as a too pro-Western, pro-Democracy stance.

Since the beginning of the Revolution, he has been one of the fiercest critics of the Regime, and one of the biggest proponents of women and civil rights for ALL Iranians, including much-maligned minorities like the Baha'is. In fact he goes further than the protections afforded to them under Sharia.

He is also a big critic of Ahmadinejad and has been seen for years as the best hope for Iran if he ever was to come to power, something that was unthinkable a mere week ago.

He has also come out with a statement saying that policemen who beat on protesters and follow orders will not be forgiven under Islam, and that even if the government cuts the lines of communication with the outside world, that it was too late and the truth was getting out

Of course it's hard to say whether this demand, if real, is coming from the students and universities, or if it's a widely carried ideal.

Ahaha, I was basing that on this quote

Quote:

"In the elections, voters had different tendencies, but they equally believe in the ruling system and support the Islamic Republic,"

Forgetting it was Ayatollah Khamenei who said it...

Brady, I was only joking about invading Iran. Still, I think that the US is better off completely out of this for the time being as any interference would inevitably give Khamenei more leverage over the people, turning their dissent against you rather than his regime.

Well Obama hasn't said anything, and if any foreign operatives are agitating the crowds it would be Mossad. Not that they could do anything to agitate them more than the Basij and Ansar-e-Hizbullah already have.

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Originally Posted by Change_for_Iran

# it is still unbelievable, but our exam is at 8am tomorrow morning!5 minutes ago from web
# @emmymason and they can't just unseat khameneyi! apart from being loyal to him, khamaneyi is backed by IRG's high ranking Generals7 minutes ago from web in reply to emmymason
# @emmymason soccer is true! so brave of them! clerics meeting is not emergency, it happened to be in this times.8 minutes ago from web in reply to emmymason
# Masood is now chanting "down with basij" and people are following!13 minutes ago from web
# @WeStandAs1 it says Russian advisers seen training basij forces & madaduf give a real warm welcome to ahmady & congratulate his victory15 minutes ago from web in reply to WeStandAs1
# 1 killed & 3 badly injured in Yazd (hometown of ex president Khatami) I hope some of these news to be rumors.21 minutes ago from web
# @tzemingdynasty past 24Hours23 minutes ago from web in reply to tzemingdynasty
# @donebylee yes I'm already wearing my father's black shirt & went to see kasra's family, it was a horrible experience.24 minutes ago from web in reply to donebylee
# @neatfires you should support your agents way better than this!27 minutes ago from web in reply to neatfires
# http://bamdadkhabar.com/200... (farsi) lot's of talk today about Russia's direct involvement in what's happening over here28 minutes ago from web

Of course the Russians wouldn't want a more western-friendly Iran, why didn't I think of that?

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Keep in mind: this is in open defiance of the Basij who are patrolling at night.

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Originally Posted by Zergrinch (Post 709242)

I wonder if Zip really went on with his decision to go to Tehran.

He's there right now.

(imonei) on Twitter

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h3.../following.jpg
lmbo

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News for today has so far been pretty much the same. Moussavi said he'd take the movement to the end, Karroubi got a good zinger in, and protesters protest and Basij beat them.

The big news coming up are Friday's Prayers, where the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei plans to make a big show. Traditionally the S.L. is unquestioned in his decrees during prayer but we'll see how that goes.

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The Basij have now begun to cover their faces, whereas previously they hadn’t. This indicates they are becoming more scared of retaliation from the general public, similar to Iraqi security forces. Also, we have heard that cell phone service is cut off at night. There have been efforts to identify members of the Basij who have used violence against demonstrators, through facebook and other social networking websites. It’s interesting to see the feared militias themselves becoming afraid of retaliation.

Post-Election Iran as it Develops niacINsight

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Yesterday a couple of the members of the Iranian parliament started asking question regarding the plainclothes security forces who have been beating the protesters in Iran.

Apparently, Abutorabi (Parliament secretary) questioned the connections of the plainclothes security forces who had earlier storm Tehran University's dorms and killed and injured students. Abutorabi claims that those individuals have been identified and says: "Why do plainclothes individuals without permission from the government get to storm the dorms?"

Then Ansari, a member of the parliament took the floor and talked about the "fact finding" committee and the fact that everyone in that comity is an Ahmadinejad supporter and therefore questioned the legitimacy of the committee.

After Ansari, Abutorabi took the floor again and continued questioning the plainclothes security forces once again. At this point Hosseinian, Koochakzadeh, and resaee, the three biggest supporters of Ahmadinejad in the parliament, started a verbal argument which ended with a number of physical fights. As a result a number of pro and ant Ahmadinejad members of the parliament join the fight and start slapping and pushing each other.

In the end, the anti Ahmadinejad block claims that they will expose the identities of those behind the plainclothes security forces.

Keep in mind that the pro and anti Ahmadinejad blocks belong to the same political party! I think the government is starting to crack up from the inside.

???? ????

Hey Brady, thanks for keeping this thread up to date. I would've just propped you but dissing Kaleb was more important this morning, you know how it is.

tru tru

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First footage of the attack on Tehran U.

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Was flicking through news sites and saw this: Ayatollah Khamenei in a sermon called the elections fair and is directly calling for the protesters to stand down:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/20/wo...20iran.html?hp

Great, now the supreme religious authority is nice and firm in his opinion. No huge surprise or anything, but regardless... Anyway, just thought I'd share as (at least according to the times), this is fairly recent news.

lol he tried to call out the Democrats on burning down the Branch Dividian compound. Never mind bombing the shit out of serbs and bosnians.

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Big news today, Basiji with military uniforms, clubs, and guns confronted protesters and kept them from entering Revolutionary Square. I'll be updating this as I get more info.

Shooting at a blockade

Suicide bomber sets himself off near the Khomeini shrine, according to a semi-official news agency. Not rumor.

This is probably the same bomb zip talks about in his journal.

The bomb was probably engineered by the state to blame on the protests, especially when State TV reported the bombing before it had gone off.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrdRwOlmIxI - Iranian girl is shot and bleeds out into the street. Extremely graphic, not at all work safe.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Huffington Post

1:19 PM ET -- State TV reportedly shows shrine damage. From a reader: "I'm watching state TV here in Dubai and they just did a report on the bombing at the mausoleum. There was NO DAMAGE. All they showed was a broken window saying the "terrorists" luckily blew themselves up outside the building before doing any damage inside. The "bombing" was clearly a fraud as there was NO DAMAGE done to the mausoleum other than a broken window they showed at the entrance of the building. It clearly looked like there was NO BOMBING, no explosion fragments or blood shown just one shattered window. Also a correction to my previous e-mail. The program said the youths had been talking to "friends" in the U.K. and the U.S. on the phone about causing destruction in Iran rather than actually going to the U.S. and being trained. Important difference but the subtext is the same. They're clearly building a case for foreign interference i.e. the U.K and U.S."

this is a quote

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Boy shot in the gut, crowded by onlookers.

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It's night time in Iran right now, and Marg Bar Khameneis are becoming more prevalent among the Allah Ackbars.

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THere is so much dirty work going on that it's disgusting. Lots of civilian police walk around and crack car windows or hit someone just to give the police a reason to start fighting. I too believe that the bomb at khomenis grave was a stunt, they are now also starting with fake propoganda, beaten up students on TV saying that they dont know why they went our and they didnt even vote, basic BS
As Brady has posted the special units are out, the disgusting thing is that many of them arent persian, but imported from other countries. Facemasks on and strapped to the teeth. 10 of them were standing outside the Azadi metro station swinging for their life, hitting anything that walked by. Old people, kids, male, female they dont care.

The thing is that it was dying down until Kkhameni said that any blood spilled will not be held against the country but that it's the people faults, this railed people up and now they feel like they have nothing to loose! I was 2 kilometers away and i could see huge black smoke clouds, 4-5 different locations, raising up. Im guessing its from the burnt busses and cars. You wont find a single trash bin in Teheran since they are all on fire.

Other dirty things they do is that they disguise trucks. One was turned into a meat delievery truck with cooling in the back, they beat up 4 students with nightsticks and pistolwhipped them. Took them and threw them into the truck and drove away. The fuckers are lurking in the alleys jumping on anyone heading towards or even away from the area. They even got certain spots they drag people away to and do god knows what. One mother got his son dragged away around 5pm, one hour into the protest, and havnt heard anything.
Facemasks are down to, imo, hide that they arent even iranians. All these soldiers came out of nowhere, they must have landed with the plane this morning. Speaking of planes, a pilot for Iran air got shot also.

I dont buy the arrests or cops fighting against the Basiji, the mullahs have been tricking people for 30 years, they know what they are doing. The gas and money is going all over the place expect to their own people. The people need to keep marching, this aint no2 day thing. We need to show them that they cant push us away.
People are sick of nothing having jobs, not being able to buy food even though they work all day. University wont lead to a beter pay then a car washer. A dude said to me, i got 60 years left on this planet am i supposed to keep living like this?

They even stopped the recount of the 10% of the votes, why?
They had their numbers ready one hour after the voting was ended, how?

They treat their own people like dogs, beating them up like this. They close down all the connections to the outside world because they dont want anyone to see this. Iran needs someone like mOusavi so other countries can atleast start a dialouge with iran. the rats in place now is too hostile, no one wants a war. America is too stretched out and Iran hasnt even finished rebuilding after the last wars and revolution.

The worst thing would be if it all died down because as it is now, nothing as changed. But i dont think it will stop, as i said before, people feel like they dont have anything to lose atm. Brave warriors!

fuck these whores, I hope they get thrown to the people and let their blood wash away the damaged families tears.

With people openly shouting for Khamenei's death a revolution might not be too far away. Even if the riots are suppressed or Mousavi is seated as president with Khamenei kicked out, the establishment is absolutely fucked. It was a year after the Shah attempted suppressing protests before the original revolution. At this point it's just a matter of patience.

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tehran times : Assembly of Experts expresses strong support for Leader?s guidelines

Quote:

Assembly of Experts expresses strong support for Leader’s guidelines
Tehran Times Political Desk

TEHRAN -- In a statement issued on Saturday the Assembly of Experts expressed its “strong support” for the Supreme Leader’s statements on the presidential elections on Friday.

The 86-member assembly stated in the statement that it is hoped that the nation would realize the current condition and by sticking to the Leader’s guidelines preserve their patience and manifest their unity.

The Qom Seminary Teachers Society also issued a statement on Saturday declaring strong support for the guidelines of the Supreme Leader.

“The Qom Seminary Teachers Society… announces its strong support for his valuable guidelines and invites all (groupings) to maintain unity, abide by the law, and refrain from any action which leads to tension,” the statement said.

Addressing hundreds of thousands of people at the most recent Friday prayers in Tehran, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei urged all groupings to end their street protests and to pursue their complaints through legal channels.

Ayatollah Khamenei said the time for rivalry is over and everyone should unite and line up behind the president-elect.

-----------Cleric praises Leader’s remarks

In a letter sent to the Supreme Leader on Saturday, Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamedani said the Leader’s remarks showed the significant role of the velayat-e faqih (rule by the supreme jurisprudent) in the Islamic system.

Ayatollah Hamedani expressed hope that all groupings make the guidelines their priority.

--------- Leader’s guidelines guarantee a better future

MP Sharif Hosseini stated on Saturday that the Supreme Leader’s guidelines announced at Friday prayers guarantee a better future for the nation.

“The remarks showed the Iranian people the path toward a better future under the law without any rift or schism,” he told the Mehr News Agency.

The MP added, “All political groupings and the people should prioritize unity and heed the words of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution.”

------- Leader’s guidelines are a road map

In a letter to the Supreme Leader on Saturday, Ayatollah Abbas Ka’bi of the Guardian Council said the Leader’s speech has outlined a road map for the nation.

Ayatollah Ka’bi added that the GC will spare no effort to safeguard the nation’s votes.

“The council will seriously and meticulously examine the protests and the complaints of the candidates through the legal process and will safeguard each one of the nation’s 40 million votes,” he said.

---------- Following the Leader is a religious duty

MP Hashem Hashemzadeh said that following the Leader’s guidelines is a religious duty.

“The remarks of the Leader of the revolution were definitive… and obeying the orders of the velayat-e faqih (supreme jurisprudent) is a religious duty for everyone,” he told MNA.

--------- University chancellors vow to follow Leader

In a statement issued on Saturday, university chancellors have emphasized that they will follow the decisive orders of the Supreme Leader.

“We regard the maximum presence of the people at the ballot boxes as the most valuable political and social asset for the Islamic system… and urge all the elites of Islamic Iran to do their best to safeguard this asset,” part of the statement said.

---------- Armed forces urge people to follow the Leader

The Iranian Armed Forces Headquarters has issued a statement urging all people to follow the definitive guidelines of the Supreme Leader.

The statement added that the nation should be wary about the enemies’ plots.

“The victory of the great Iranian nation in the tenth presidential election… is a glory which should safeguard the country’s security magnificently. Thus, we should not be unaware of the enemies’ plots to destroy this unique capability,” it added .

tl;dr - The Assembly of Experts supports Khamenei. There's no longer a legal route to unseating him. At this point Khamenei will only be unseated by a military coup or popular revolution.

The girl who was shot and bled out in the video is named Neda, or "voice" in Farsi. She's become the martyr of the protests, along with the other unknown dead. Iranians on Twitter and other web 2.0 services constantly invoke her name to appeal for revolt or to prepare for their personal martyrdom.

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nigga what

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huffington Post

10:05 PM ET -- More on the Assembly of Experts statement. Earlier today, the Tehran Times posted an article claiming that the powerful clerical group, the Assembly of Experts, had on Saturday "expressed its 'strong support' for the Supreme Leader's statements on the presidential elections on Friday." It would have been a major blow to reformists' efforts to win the support of many senior clerics.

But as it turns out, it's not true. Reader Ali writes in:

I just wanted to point out that the letter of support written by assembly of experts in support of Khamenei's sermon is only signed by the deputy leader of the assembly, who is a former head of the judiciary and a staunch supporter of ahmadinejad, as well as a rival of Rafsanjani for the assembly's leadership election. He is the only one signing the letter and the government sponsored news media are reporting it as a letter from the full assembly.

And reader Majid provides more details:

Once again thanks for the great job in reporting the events. Just a comment about your 7:33pm item about the Assembly of Experts. The statement is not by the Assembly of Experts, but by Mohammad Yazdi, the head of the "Dabirkhane" of the Assembly of Experts. His statement doesn't carry much weight and definitely not a blow to the freedom movement. After all, there are certainly many Khamene'i loyalists in the Assembly of Experts and such comments could be expected from these cowards.

I didn't think State TV would be so brazen as to lie about the Assembly of Experts. Not because it was beyond their capabilities but because I didn't think they would have to.

This is pretty significant news.

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Quote:

Natural gas lines of Basij Head quarter was set on fire after Basijie's locked themselves inside .
at 0:05 you can see the whole building exploded
at least 5 from Basijies were killed
you can see fire in different parts of city
location : Eastern Tehran

Incredible, just incredible. Tehran probably smells like bacon.

TV doesnt show anything about the protests, it's all cooking shows and football. It's surprising how calm it is the day after. Im curious about tonight, nothing has been officially decided if there is going to be another protest or not. people might go out and do it silently. also they are looking people up from twitter and facebook so got to clean that out.
interesting times.

Its sick. Just take a look at this video.

Amatuer Video-- Wouldn't say graphic but disturbing. Listen to the audio.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv60QkqpAIE

CNN gets someone to explain it---
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAWnQp-1IIg

Apparently they're breaking into peoples homes and abducting people. God thats fucking insane

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Mousavi has been sending messages inquiring about ideas for a general strike.

Image collection

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http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2009/06/21/76567.html

Quote:

Religious leaders are considering an alternative to the supreme leader structure after at least 13 people were killed in the latest unrest to shake Tehran and family members of Ayatollah Rafsanjani were arrested amid calls by former President Mohammad Khatami for the release of all protesters.

Iran's religious clerks in Qom and members of the Assembly of Experts, headed by former President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, are mulling the formation of an alternative collective leadership to replace that of the supreme leader, sources in Qom told Al Arabiya on condition of anonymity.

The influential Rafsanjani, 57, heads two very powerful groups. The most important one is the Assembly of Experts, made up of senior clerics who can elect and dismiss the supreme leader. The second is the Expediency Council, a body that arbitrates disputes between parliament and the unelected Guardian Council, which can block legislation.

Members of the assembly are reportedly considering forming a collective ruling body and scrapping the model of Ayatollah Khomeini as a way out of the civil crisis that has engulfed Tehran in a series of protests,

The discussions have taken place in a series of secret meetings convened in the holy city of Qom and included Jawad al-Shahristani, the supreme representative of Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, who is the foremost Shiite leader in Iraq.

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Demonstrators rush Basij in the street - watch it to the end

good work brady, any specifc reason you are so into this thing?

Obviously can't speak for Brady, but personally this represents a big shakeup in the political climate of the region and has the possibility to change our (the West's) interactions with them for decades. Also, had a Persian roomate for years, who piqued my interest in the history and possibilities for change. Thanks for keeping this updated Brady.

For me, the biggest political anger I've ever experienced directly was the 2004 election. Thousands of bloggers crying out in unison, and silenced.

I guess I'm fascinated because this is actually important.

YouTube - CNN: Video Of "Neda" Before She Was Killed In Iranian Protest <- with commentary

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi21hNoEkaE <- original video

CNN's latest coverage about the brave young women "Neda" who died in the name of freedom!

Graphic. Very graphic. Might want to finish your dinner b4 watching this!

Apparently, they said it was some rooftop gunmen who shot her in the chest. SNIPER?

ach mein gott!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFW5sQ5L0Bk <- obama's statement

Quote:

Originally Posted by Press TV > Guardian Council: Over 100% voted in 50 cities

Iran's Guardian Council has suggested that the number of votes collected in 50 cities surpass the number of people eligible to cast ballot in those areas.

The council's Spokesman Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei, who was speaking on the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) Channel 2 on Sunday, made the remarks in response to complaints filed by Mohsen Rezaei -- a defeated candidate in the June 12 Presidential election.

"Statistics provided by the candidates, who claim more than 100% of those eligible have cast their ballot in 80-170 cities are not accurate -- the incident has happened in only 50 cities," Kadkhodaei said.

The spokesman, however, said that although the vote tally affected by such an irregularity could be over 3 million and the council could, at the request of the candidates, re-count the affected ballot boxes, "it has yet to be determined whether the possible change in the tally is decisive in the election results," reported Khabaronline.

just 50 cities :phew:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zip (Post 710037)

good work brady, any specifc reason you are so into this thing?

I think it's important for people to see that change can be affected through collective action. Not only that it can be affected, but how it is affected, and what you have to be willing to give up to affect it.

Plus I've always had a soft spot for Persia/Iran.

Edit: I will be updating this post so check back.

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Fuck Amerikkka

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Hey Americans fuck you, Neda is not your hero. Stop trying to make yourself feel important and just fucking watch.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry's press conference on the issue.

YouTube - Iran's Foreign Ministry Press Conference - 06/22/09

They're blaming bomb attacks as attempts to destabilize the country. Yet there are rumors the bombs are planted by the government agencies themselves.

Well, I think change could possibly come, but it would need some form of foreign intervention. Its too difficult to force change, with so much oppression and control over the people by the government.

I'm.. not too optimistic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by izanagi (Post 710174)

Well, I think change could possibly come, but it would need some form of foreign intervention.

This should never happen, fyi.

There's not much other news coming out of Iran. Iranians have stopped using networking devices and services to coordinate and have gone back to the 79 strategy of distributing flyers. Less news is going to come through Twitter as a result, since the rate of information exchange is slowing. The streets have also been fairly quiet, so this is either the start of something else altogether, or a lull in protests.

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I'd also like to say that I have the utmost faith in the Iranian people's ability to take back their own country. The State is never all-powerful, there is no boot stomping on a human face forever, and the idea that change can only come through foreign interventionism is what fueled the last eight years of our neoconservative nightmare.

Streets are quiet. 2 people died yesterday and 450 got arrested, it's stilll going on

I also found this, a mother got shot through the belly while pregnant and the bullet penetrated the child

????? ???????? ????? ????? - ?? ????? extremely disgusting and graphic.

Basiji arresting two people in their home

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people tearing down fences to block the Basijis bikes, im in that crowd somewhere

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News are leaking out that people that voted for Ahmedinejad was allowed to vote 3 times, with passport, id and drivers license. Villeges that only have 3000 people got 5000 votes... theirexcuse is that people traveled and voted there.

the street that neda got killed in, amirabad has changed to Neda on the streets.
Also i couldnt sleep and i was thinking what to compare this situation to, and this being gamingforced and all, first time i played halflife2, the first level, i got this weird creeping feeling that you are locked in and watched lol. weird compareing it to a game but thats the feeling i got when i saw the basijis in the alleys and stuff..

also tonight will be another bloody night, people are planning on going out but this time not only in one place but all over town.

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tons of people out will be a bloodbath!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zip (Post 710188)

????? ???????? ????? ????? - ?? ????? extremely disgusting and graphic.

That picture is actually from Lebanon. Not that there aren't plenty of damning photos already.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npdISZUtdmU - One student shot in the groin, while another dies from a head wound. This is not worksafe.

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Word coming through of a protest forming tonight.

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BBC is the new Satanic Cult scare

Quote:

4.47pm:
Here is an English transcription of a state-run Iranian TV interview from today with a young man purported to be a detained protester. It ran this morning on Vision of the Islamic Republic of Iran Network 1, Tehran.

[Presenter] The few rioters who disturbed Tehran's order in the past few days, have made significant statements regarding their objectives.
[Female with pixellated face] There was a military hand grenade [as received] in my hand bag and in my son's bag. It was all because my son wanted to have power and show that he could take over power [and use it] against his own country and his fellow countrymen. This was all because of an atmosphere created by the BBC in Iran. I was influenced by this channel.

[Reporter asks a young man] When did you come to Tehran?
[Young man]: About seven or eight days ago.
[Reporter]: When were you arrested?
[Young man] Three days ago.
[Reporter] Where?
[Young man] Under Hafez flyover.
[Reporter] Did you have any criminal record at all?
[Young man] No, not at all.
[Reporter] What about drugs?
[Young man] Yes. I had half a gram of crystal with me once. I came to Tehran to repair my mobile phone but when I saw that there was disorder, I started robbing people. I used the opportunity provided by the crowds and rioters and started robbing people.
[Young man] How did you do it?
[Young man] I did it with my brother. I would keep people busy and my brother would rob them.
[Reporter to young man 2] How old are you?
[Young man 2] I'm 15 years old.
[Reporter] So you didn't vote?
[Young man 2] No.
[Reporter] How long have you been here?
[Young man 2] Three days.
[Reporter] Where were you exactly arrested?
[Young man] Ostad Mo'in Avenue.
[Young woman] I was influenced by VOA Persian and the BBC. They were reporting that the [police] forces were the ones who were beating up people. I wanted to know what was happening and whether or not this was true. But when I went there, I realized that most of us protesters were attacking government property, the [police] forces and other people. They broke house windows and intercoms. Those who were protesting were somehow rioting. We set public property on fire, threw stones at people's cars, there were no [police] forces near us to be hit by our stones. We hurled stones at other people's cars, doors, windows, intercoms. We set motorcycles on fire. When I was running from the police yesterday my dad didn't want to open the door and let me in. I opened the door with force and sought refuge at home, but I was finally arrested.
[Reporter to another man] Did you take part in the election?
[Man 3] No.
[Reporter] So you didn't vote at all?
[Man 3] No.
[Reporter] Those who protested had taken part in the election and had their own objections. What did you want in the protests when you didn't even vote?
[Man 3] I was not pursuing anything particular. I think I was influenced by some networks like the BBC and the VOA to do this unethical action.
[Reporter to another young man] Did you vote?
[Man 4] No, I was under-age by a 10 or 20 days. There were so many things happening. I set buses, cars and even trees on fire. The Law Enforcement Force was warning us not to hurl stones towards cars, but I still threw stones. I did all sorts of things. I was provoked. I really didn't want to do these things.
[Reporter] How were you provoked?
[Man 4] They [fellow protesters] were provoking me with really bad language or even swear words. They said they [police] were Israelis.
[Reporter] Who agitated you? Were they specific people?
[Man 4] They mostly wore masks and I think they are the real people behind this whole thing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khatami

In the name of God

We will not waste our energy, but act efficiently. We have conveyed our words to the coup-makers to the world in the streets. Now we need to change our strategy.

From this Tuesday, at 9 every morning we will all go to the bazaar in our towns all over the country. If they prevent us, the bazaar will close. If they do not, there will be such congestion that the business will get interrupted and the bazaar will close. If they disconnect the telephone lines, again all activities will get interrupted and the bazaar will close. As much as possible, we will shut down the whole town and go to the bazaar to shut it down.

Take everyone with you. Bring the children, too –without any slogans-without green signs-without sit-ins; pretending to go shopping but not buying anything. We will only think of shutting down the bazaar, but do not leave any traces, not even a victory sign by our hands. NOT AT ALL.

We will only think of victory. Bring the children, all the towns of Iran, without slogans, without slogans, without slogans, quietly, quietly, quietly, without greens, without sit-ins, without fighting. If anyone starts quarrels or shouts, we will not join because we pretend to be going shopping. There is no need to fear, and everyone will come. No fights, no bloodshed, no slogans, no sit-ins. If they prevent us, we simply return because we mean to shut down the bazaar, not to assemble. If they shoot tear gas, the bazaar will close. We will act smartly and will not engage in any sort of fights although if any fighting happens the bazaar will close due to insecurity. But we will not engage in any fights, and calmly and solely think of victory. With the congestion the bazaar will shut down, or no one will be there. Under any circumstances we will win. Dear Mr. Mousavi: We do not need your martyrdom and self-sacrifice; we need your leadership until we reach our goals. Until 9am Tuesday, the 3rd day of the martyrdom of June 20th martyrs, we will have enough time to inform everyone.

Inform friends by any means: through websites, foreign media…. From Tuesday towards bazaar.

Send this message to friends and the addresses below so that it gets widespread all over our dear Iran. This strategy is effective and there is no need to fear, and will bring millions of Iranians into the scene without any bloodshed. Rest assured this strategy is so effective that the enemy will soon start denying and making rumors, and will start struggling. Do not believe them because this program will continue. Do not listen to rumors and inform everyone by whatever means possible.

Wishing for success.

Bazaar merchants joining the protesters in 79 was instrumental in the last revolution, and this plan would be for all purposes a general strike that isn't a strike, and gives the bazaaris pre-text to close up shop.

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The state borrows a page from the Great Satan's playbook - tortures children

The impression I'm getting from reading Western analyses of the situation say that Ahmadinejad may have truly won the election, although not by the majority officially reported by the government. Is it true that the protests are more or less an urban phenomenon, and the rural people still largely support the raving lunatic, Zip?

?????????? ?? ??????? ????

Apparently some site by the Iranian government with pictures of protesters, asking people to turn them in. Not sure how legitimate it is, but scary nonetheless.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zergrinch (Post 710656)

The actions of tribal and village leaders declaring that they shouldn't support the government suggests that people harping on the urban/rural divide have jumped to conclusions.

This is more like the "silent majority" that got Nixon elected even after the Kent State massacre. That is assuming that Ahmadinejad actually won the election, which I doubt.

Zip may not be able to post for a while either. There are reports of massacres in several squares in Tehran where Basij are just going whole hog and beating people to death. The government is also beginning to close in on internet users in general and several Iranian tweeters are feeling the heat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by @persiankiwi

#we must go - dont know when we can get internet - they take 1 of us, they will torture and get names - now we must move fast

#thank you ppls 4 supporting Sea of Green - pls remember always our martyrs - Allah Akbar - Allah Akbar - Allah Akba

#Allah - you are the creator of all and all must return to you - Allah Akbar

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yeah im gonna go silent from now on. Ive seen som nasty things today and i dont want to take the chance of them sniffing around my cousins house.
I will say this tho, no people have not given up, they are waiting and trying to collect themselves. they did say that Ahmadnejad won the second recount, but recounting 10 boxes (which they probably didnt) doesnt prove anything.
We carry our flag on our back and bleed for our country homie.

Stay safe and check in now and then to tell us you're still kickin' it.

When are you supposed to go home, zip?

From the sounds of it, checking in might just compromise him.

Do what you gotta do, dude. Just watch the fuck out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colonel Skills (Post 710712)

From the sounds of it, checking in might just compromise him.

Do what you gotta do, dude. Just watch the fuck out.

If just saying 'hey guys still here' will compromise him, then he can just think of my underwear drawer. Then I will know, and I'll know he's still safe.

I know he won't read this but Zip, bro. Stay safe, watch your back and get out of there on the first opportunity.