The Iranian regime put on a big celebration Friday for the 32nd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution…reportedly tens of thousands came out onto the streets of Tehran to cheer on the regime.
This, on the very same day Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak stepped down.
And days before the “Green Movement” in Iran plans to put on its own demonstration, in solidarity with Egypt’s pro-democracy movement, and a march to call for changes in Iran as well.
Iran’s Prosecutor Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei has rejected the request for that demonstration on Monday, calling it “a political act”. It’s unclear whether or not people will come out onto the streets anyway, to demand change. The police presence on the streets is intimidating, Iranians say. The security services have used force on a level much more severe than that which was employed in Egypt since Iran’s disputed elections in 2009, after which thousands of people were thrown into jail, some reportedly raped and worse. 500 still remain in prison, according to human rights groups, as a result of the protests that followed Iran’s elections.
Tehran’s hardliners have tried to say that the Egyptian movement is an Islamic movement, similar to Iran’s 1979 Revolution. President Ahmadinejad said a revered 9th century Shi’ite saint, the 12th Imam, or Mahdi, was behind the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia.
“This is a global revolution, managed by the Imam of the ages”, Ahmadinejad told the crowd.
He also said, “Despite all the (West’s) complicated and satanic designs…a new Middle East is emerging without the Zionist regime and U.S. interference, a place where the arrogant powers will have no place.”
But this rhetoric appears an attempt to spin events, because of the Iranian regime’s fear of its own population’s demands for change. The Iranian democracy movement has made Egyptian activist and one of the leaders of the uprising, Wael Ghonim, not Ayatollah Khomeini, its poster boy.
Many Iranians have latched onto the green wristband Ghonim’s been seen wearing in pictures, and have wondered if it is a sign of solidarity with Iran’s Green Movement. He told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, that it was just a coincidence, but that he is happy Iranians made the connection.
He also told the Campaign, “I would tell Iranians to learn from Egyptians, as we have learned from you guys, that at the end of the day with the power of the people, we can do whatever we want to do. If we unite our goals, if we believe, then all our dreams can come true.”
One of the opposition leaders, Mehdi Karroubi, is under house arrest in Iran, and according to the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, about 30 people affiliated with the opposition have been rounded up in recent nights. Hadi Ghaemi, Executive Director of the Campaign, calls it an effort to isolate the opposition from some of its leaders.
U.S. National Security Council Spokesman Tommy Vietor said, “The recent arrests and efforts to block international media outlets underscore the hypocrisy of the Iranian leadership. For all of its empty talk about Egypt, the government of Iran should allow the Iranian people the same universal right to peacefully assemble, demonstrate and communicate in Tehran that the people are exercising in Cairo. Governments must respect the rights of their people and be responsive to their aspirations.”
Fox News asked Hadi Ghaemi if he believed Mubarak’s resignation would motivate Iranians to come out onto the streets on Monday, and he said, “I believe so. But we don’t know at this point the extent to which the average Iranian will be inspired to come out onto the streets spontaneously.”
That of course, is because of the police presence likely to be highly visible on Monday.
Ghaemi said, “Monday, even if people don’t come out, it doesn’t mean the end of the protest.” Ghaemi says the number of police on the streets will be an indicator of just how powerful the opposition is, and how scared the government is of them.
“Whether Egypt will be a spark for Iran may not be evident for the next few months. Monday will be the beginning of that process in Iran. We will see how it develops.”
White House National Security spokesman Tommy Vietor said in a statement Thursday that
This, on the very same day Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak stepped down.
And days before the “Green Movement” in Iran plans to put on its own demonstration, in solidarity with Egypt’s pro-democracy movement, and a march to call for changes in Iran as well.
Iran’s Prosecutor Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei has rejected the request for that demonstration on Monday, calling it “a political act”. It’s unclear whether or not people will come out onto the streets anyway, to demand change. The police presence on the streets is intimidating, Iranians say. The security services have used force on a level much more severe than that which was employed in Egypt since Iran’s disputed elections in 2009, after which thousands of people were thrown into jail, some reportedly raped and worse. 500 still remain in prison, according to human rights groups, as a result of the protests that followed Iran’s elections.
Tehran’s hardliners have tried to say that the Egyptian movement is an Islamic movement, similar to Iran’s 1979 Revolution. President Ahmadinejad said a revered 9th century Shi’ite saint, the 12th Imam, or Mahdi, was behind the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia.
“This is a global revolution, managed by the Imam of the ages”, Ahmadinejad told the crowd.
He also said, “Despite all the (West’s) complicated and satanic designs…a new Middle East is emerging without the Zionist regime and U.S. interference, a place where the arrogant powers will have no place.”
But this rhetoric appears an attempt to spin events, because of the Iranian regime’s fear of its own population’s demands for change. The Iranian democracy movement has made Egyptian activist and one of the leaders of the uprising, Wael Ghonim, not Ayatollah Khomeini, its poster boy.
Many Iranians have latched onto the green wristband Ghonim’s been seen wearing in pictures, and have wondered if it is a sign of solidarity with Iran’s Green Movement. He told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, that it was just a coincidence, but that he is happy Iranians made the connection.
He also told the Campaign, “I would tell Iranians to learn from Egyptians, as we have learned from you guys, that at the end of the day with the power of the people, we can do whatever we want to do. If we unite our goals, if we believe, then all our dreams can come true.”
One of the opposition leaders, Mehdi Karroubi, is under house arrest in Iran, and according to the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, about 30 people affiliated with the opposition have been rounded up in recent nights. Hadi Ghaemi, Executive Director of the Campaign, calls it an effort to isolate the opposition from some of its leaders.
U.S. National Security Council Spokesman Tommy Vietor said, “The recent arrests and efforts to block international media outlets underscore the hypocrisy of the Iranian leadership. For all of its empty talk about Egypt, the government of Iran should allow the Iranian people the same universal right to peacefully assemble, demonstrate and communicate in Tehran that the people are exercising in Cairo. Governments must respect the rights of their people and be responsive to their aspirations.”
Fox News asked Hadi Ghaemi if he believed Mubarak’s resignation would motivate Iranians to come out onto the streets on Monday, and he said, “I believe so. But we don’t know at this point the extent to which the average Iranian will be inspired to come out onto the streets spontaneously.”
That of course, is because of the police presence likely to be highly visible on Monday.
Ghaemi said, “Monday, even if people don’t come out, it doesn’t mean the end of the protest.” Ghaemi says the number of police on the streets will be an indicator of just how powerful the opposition is, and how scared the government is of them.
“Whether Egypt will be a spark for Iran may not be evident for the next few months. Monday will be the beginning of that process in Iran. We will see how it develops.”
White House National Security spokesman Tommy Vietor said in a statement Thursday that
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