A coup Manual: What We should Know About Iran’s Election?
HuffPo- The foreign media and western states are confused and puzzled as to how to interpret the Iranian election on June 12th. Over the past few days I’ve been speaking with many journalists in Tehran who normally go there for one or two weeks on assignment. Many of them, initially, believed that Ahmadinejad’s declared re-election was similar in nature to his first term election in 2005. Meaning that he had successfully mobilized his base of poor people and conservatives and that the reformists and Iranian middle class had, once again, lost the election. But recent development tells us that this is not the real story.
So, what are the sources of confusion? What went wrong and why are people angry and un-accepting of the results? Here are some essential questions that one might ask in order to fully understand the issues at hand: Read more
June 16, 2009 3 Comments
ABC7: “It was an organized fraud”
June 15, 2009 4 Comments
Mousavi’s Supporters in Tehran: Stunning!
June 15, 2009 Leave a Comment
Amanpour in Tehran with Farid Zakaria
June 14, 2009 Leave a Comment
Mousavi: “Stay on the scene, avoid any confrontation”
Entekhab News Agency has received the following message from those close to Mir Hossein Mousavi:
“Regarding the voices of concern raised by Iranian people, I would like to say that my family and I are well, and despite immense pressure from authorities on me to accept the results of this fradulent election, I have gone to Interior Ministry in order to claim my rightful win, to protect people’s votes, and to request nullification of the elections. Also, I am prohibited from appearing among people and contacting or talking to them, and I am under observation. On the other hand, my elections headquarters has been sealed and members of Participation Front have been arrested. I ask the dear people of Iran to stay on the scene, avoid any confrontation which will only benefit the lawless and cheating group.” Mir Hossein Mousavi has also requested a march permit for tomorrow afternoon at 4:00 p.m. [for his supporters to march] between Enghelab and Azadi squres.
June 14, 2009 Leave a Comment
A photo: Former President Khatami Without Turban:
Former President Khatami seems to be attacked by a few of Ahmadinejad’s supporters. Look at the hand on his shoulder. Source.
June 14, 2009 1 Comment
Actual Result of Iran’s Election: Mousavi 21 Million, AN: 10 million?
There have been widespread rumors regarding an email sent by a group of employees at MOI’s Election Headquarters about the true result of the election. This is not confirmed by any reliable sources. But according the other news on this topic, and in light of the way in which the election results were announced, it doesn’t really seem that far off. According to this email (which is published in a reformist website as well):
“- Initial results announced by MOI were based only on 500,000 received ballots.
- All 9 communiques of the MOI were written and planned in advance; numbers were faked via a software program which distributed vote counts among polling stations in such a way to make everything look plausible.
- True count: Mousavi - 21.3 million votes (57.2%); Ahmadinejad - 10.5 million (28%); Rezai - 2.7 million votes (7.2%); and Karroubi - 2.2 million votes (6%).
- Voter turnout is at 37.4 million or 81%.
- Invalidated votes are at 600,000.
June 14, 2009 3 Comments
“Down with dictator” on Tehran’s roof tops!
Thousands of Iranians have taken to their roof tops chanting “Down with Dictator”. This is a tradition in Iran to use the roof tops as a safe place to chant against what people object to. This has been done in order to show solidarity with Reformist candidates. I talked to different people from different parts of the city and learned that many people participated in this symbolic support. (Watch the video)
June 14, 2009 Leave a Comment
150 Faculty members of Sharif University resigned!
Iranian websites have reported the resignation of 150 faculty members from Sharif University, one of the most prestigious universities in the Middle East. They have said the fraud in the recent election is the reason for such a decision. (Source)
June 14, 2009 2 Comments
And it’s not just Tehran: A video from Shiraz city
A young man who seems is talking on his cell says that the police is using tear-gas, in Shiraz:
June 14, 2009 Leave a Comment
The Police Destroys Automobiles, Not the Protesters!
A stunning pic from Tehran shows that special guards are in charge of destroying cars, not protesters.
June 14, 2009 1 Comment
CNN: Video of Protests in Iran
June 14, 2009 Leave a Comment
Pictures for Tehran’s Protests
Interesting pics about protests in Tehran: (Click here)
June 14, 2009 1 Comment
Ahmadinejad’s press conference: This man is phenomenal !
Ahamadinejad held a press conference at 3:30 pm (Tehran time). He talked about Iran’s unique governance model and the other slogans that we’ve heard from him a lot. Highly criticized the western media on their coverage. He basically is trying to divert the attention from what is going on in Tehran’s streets. The first few questions were, as always, questions by government backed news agencies. He said Iran’s nuclear program belongs to the past, meaning : forget any negotiation. He directed the protests in Iran to foreign sources and roots. Over the past few days, conservatives have tried to portray the recent protests as moved back from out of the coutry in order to question the originality of such protests. This makes it easier for the government to confront them. I’m amazed by the coverage of foreign correspondents in Tehran. Most of the reports I’ve read, over the past two weeks, indicate a series of difficulties in order to understand the Iranian society, the election process, how conservatives rule Iran and so on.
June 14, 2009 2 Comments
How about Iran’s assembly of experts? Removal of the Supreme leader?
I was just reviewing the Iranian blogsphere. Angry people and particularly young bloggers are trying to find a way to get out of the current deadlock… They mainly have their eyes on Major figures, like Hashemi Rafsanjani, who is the head of Iran’s Assembly of Exports “( Khobregan Majlis) which according to the country’s constitution is in charge of approval and removal of the supreme leader. However, I do not think he acts that extreme. The history shows that any opposition to the Supreme Leader by any individuals or political parties is equal to the end of their political life. But it’s very interesting to see the options that have been raised in the blogosphere. According to the article number 111:
“In case the Leader is unable to carry out his legal functions, or loses one of his qualifications mentioned in Article 5 and Article 109, or if it transpires that he did not qualify some of the conditions form the very beginning, he shall be dismissed from his position.” Such decision shall be made by the Khobregan (Assembly of Experts) mentioned in Article 108.
“In the case of death, resignation or dismissal of the Leader, the Khobregan shall be required to determine and declare the new Leader at the earliest. As long as the Leader is not declared, a council composed of the President, Head of the Judiciary and one of the Faqihs (jurisconsults) of the Council of Guardians chosen by the Majma-e- Tashkhis-e-Maslahate-e- Nezam shall collectively discharge the functions of the Leader on a temporary basis. If one of them is not able to discharge his duties for any reason whatsoever during this period, another person shall be appointed by the Majma in his place, maintaining the majority of the Faqihs in the council.
“This council shall proceed with the discharge of the duties set out in paragraphs 1, 3, 5 and 10, and sub-paragraphs (d), (e) and (f) of paragraph 6, Article 110 hereof, after approval by three fourths of the members of the Majma-e-Tashkis-e-Maslahat-e- Nezam.
“If the Leader is temporarily unable to discharge the functions of the Leader as a result of sickness or other accidents, the council mentioned in this article shall discharge his functions during such period.”
Membership of the permanent members of the EDCS in the Constitutional Revision Council, in accordance with paragraph 3 of Article 177 of the Constitution.
Ratification of the laws passed by the Leadership Council, in accordance with Article 111 of the Constitution.
June 14, 2009 3 Comments