Iran: Our solidarity and theirs

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Sunday July 12, 2009 17:44

by Yassamine Mather

In this article Yassamine analyses the nature of the ongoing demonstrations. She points out that only conspiracy theorists belive that the protests were organised from outside Iran. She shows hoe thw actions of the working class are crucial at this conjuncture and finally she says that all sanctions against Iran must be opposed. Full article at url.

The continuation of demonstrations and protests against the Islamic republic of Iran, albeit on a smaller scale than two weeks ago, have fuelled further divisions at every level of the religious state: the Shia scholars of Ghom oppose the clerics in the Council of Guardians; leaders of the Pasdaran (Revolutionary Guard) are arrested for siding with the ‘reformist camp’; senior ayatollahs are divided, with Ali Saneii and Ali Montazeri declaring the election results fraudulent, while most other grand ayatollahs have remained loyal to the supreme leader.

With the exception of isolated believers in conspiracy theories, no-one doubts that the Iranian people have expressed loud and clear their desire for an end to the current political system and - in view of the fact that the ‘reformists’ keep wasting valuable time, still expecting miracles from above - it is the entire Islamic order, not just the conservatives, whose future is called into question.

Let us be clear: most Iranians do not believe a word of government claims that the protests were organised from outside Iran. As far as they are concerned, this crisis has all the hallmarks of one made in the Islamic republic. The regime has relied on crisis after crisis to survive over the last 30 years, constantly using real and imaginary foreign threats as an excuse for failure to deliver on any of its promises of equality and prosperity for the masses.

In working class districts of Tehran, groups of people have been throwing paint on photos of the supreme leader, writing slogans under his portraits and using every opportunity to taunt the religious militia with slogans such as ‘Death to Khamenei’ and the rhyming chant, “Rahbar ma ola-gheh - ye dastesham cholagheh” (“Our supreme leader is an ass - one of his arms is paralysed”). Iran’s state television is also under attack after broadcasting the ‘confessions’ of young demonstrators, who, bruised and exhausted, are shown on TV admitting they are ‘agents of foreign powers’.

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Clashes reported at funeral of Iranian dissident cleric

by pat c

Mon Dec 21, 2009 15:03

Reports of what is happening at Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Ali Montazeris funeral in Qom and in his hometown of

Iranian reformists have clashed with police after the funeral of a dissident cleric, opposition websites say. Earlier, tens of thousands took part in a procession for Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Ali Montazeri in the holy city of Qom. Clashes reportedly broke out, but the scale of the confrontation is not clear, says a BBC correspondent. Leading up to the funeral, buses carrying mourners were stopped and some passengers reportedly arrested.

Another site, Rahesabz.net, said some members of the hardline pro-government faction Ansar Hezbollah tried to stop chanting in the crowd, but left "after clashing with some people".

Other video showed thousands of mourners marching in Montazeri's hometown of Najafabad, near the central city of Isfahan. They beat their chests and chanted: "Oppressed Montazeri, you are with God now."

Crowds gather to mourn reformist Iran cleric Montazeri

Sun Dec 20, 2009 15:39

Yassamine mentioned Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Ali Montazeri in her article and his declaration that the elections were fraudulent. His funeral is expected to be a show of force for opposition forces.

Crowds of mourners are gathering in the Iranian city of Qom following the death of leading reformist cleric Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Ali Montazeri at 87.

Some pro-reform websites say thousands of people are travelling to the city ahead of Monday's funeral. Other unverified reports say opposition supporters are also gathering in some squares in Tehran, fuelling government concern of increased political tension.

Iran faced serious unrest after its disputed presidential election in June. Grand Ayatollah Montazeri, one of Shia Islam's most respected figures and a leading critic of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, himself said in August that the turmoil following the election "could lead to the fall of the regime". He said Iran's clerical leadership was a dictatorship and issued a fatwa condemning the government after the election.

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Iran: Our solidarity and theirs

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