Windows on Iran – 84 / Election Special

Dear All,

It is now believed that the Friday rally [w]as bigger than a million [people].

New developments are reported in Iran around the clock. While there is frustration, there is also hope that some positive changes will result.  Please see the PeaceWithIran.com posting for photos of recent demonstrations.

36 Army Officers Arrested

Quoting Persian websites, Mr. Mousavi’s Facebook [site] reported – hours ago – that on Friday (July 17) 36 army officers were arrested in Iran because they planned to attend Mr. Rafsanjani’s sermon wearing their uniforms as a sign of the opposition of the army to the way members of the Basij have treated peaceful protesters in Iran.  While these officers were arrested before taking their action, their plan may represent the feeling among a larger segment of the army which has not made its sentiments public yet.  For more on this, please see the July 19 article, “36 Army officers arrested over protest plan,” in the Guardian (UK). Read the rest of this entry »

The Friday July 17 Protests in Images

Cleric Says ‘Crisis’ Has Caused Loss of Public Trust

By ROBERT F. WORTH and ALAN COWELL

Published in the New York Times on  July 17, 2009

BEIRUT, Lebanon — As thousands of opposition protesters chanted in the streets of Tehran on Friday, the former Iranian president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani assailed the government’s handling of the post-election unrest, saying it had lost the trust of many Iranians and calling for the release of hundreds of protesters and democracy advocates arrested in recent weeks. Read the rest of this entry »

Windows on Iran – 81 / Election Special

Dear All,

I send you a special window to let you know that this Friday will be an eventful day in Iran. Ayatollah Rafsanjani, the second most powerful politician in Iran, and a person viewed as supporting Mr. Mousavi, will lead the Friday prayer in Tehran and deliver the sermon. The reformists are asking their supporters to come out in large numbers. At the same time, there is an air of uncertainty about whether Mr. Mousavi himself will attend the event and whether Mr. Rafsanjani will make a decisive move against the system.

The general mood of the protesters in Iran is that of defiance. The fact that the official media does not acknowledge the crisis and acts as if everything is in perfect order leaves people frustrated and angry. Women continue to be most visible on the streets.

Read the rest of this entry »

Dear All,

Despite the continuation of uncertainty, and the heavy presence of anti-riot police on the streets of Tehran and other major cities, all the correspondence from the country shows that the general mood is improving. Somehow people have crossed the threshold of fear. But the main reason is that although large demonstrations are not allowed anymore, other events indicate that this protest is far from over.  I hope this window brings you some of the reasons for this interpretation.

Read the rest of this entry »