Friday
Dec112009
Iran: "The Military Will Stand with the Iranian People"? (with Audio)
Friday, December 11, 2009 at 12:37 
UPDATE 1225 GMT: The prominent Iranian exile, Mohsen Sazegara, has declared in a video message that the claimed letter and audio will be significant in assuring people that Iranian military forces are with them.UPDATE 0845 GMT: The claimed audio of the announcement of the eight regiments has now been posted.
The letter, on the reformist website Gooya, appeared last evening: "The Army is the Refuge of the People". This morning it is still causing excitement and uncertainty: is a section of the Iranian army and air force preparing to stand against the Government and "with the Iranian people" if the regime's violence continues?
Translation of the letter, purportedly signed by eight military units, from HomyLafayette:
In the name of pure God (NB Instead of the Arabic Allah, the word Yazdan is used. Yazdan is derived from the ancient Iranian language of Pahlavi. This may indicate that the author(s) of the statement are more patriotic than religious. It may also indicate that the author(s) want to target military personnel who are more patriotic than religious.)
The military is the refuge of the nation
In the years of the Sacred Defense (NB The Iran-Iraq War, 1980-1988) when, alongside our Revolutionary Guards brothers, we defended this land, we were in reality defending the honor and dignity and lives and possessions of the Iranian people. The country is precious because the Iranian nation is precious. The weapons of the Revolutionary Guards and the military must be employed in the service of this nation and the lives [of their servicemen] should be sacrificed for the people of Iran. In the days when, alongside our Revolutionary Guards brothers, we were giving our lives for this nation, we never imagined that a day would come when a group of Guardsmen, contrary to the wishes of the vast majority of the true and devoted personnel of the Revolutionary Guards, would use the might of their weapons against this nation.
The military considers itself the refuge of the nation and has never submitted to the demands of politicians to oppress the people. It has remained faithful to its vow to not interfere in politics, but it cannot remain silent while its countrymen are persecuted and violated. For this reason, to those individuals who have been imposed on the Revolutionary Guards and who are engaged in aggression and tyranny against the lives and dignity and honor of the Iranian people and who, more than anyone, have betrayed the blood of the martyrs of our country's armed forces, whether it be the Revolutionary Guards or the military, we issue a serious warning that if they do not change course, they will be faced with the reaction of the military's selfless men. The military is the refuge of the people, and it will defend, to its last drop of blood, the peaceful people of Iran against any aggressor.
[signed]
- A group of pilots and personnel of the aviation division of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army (Havanirooz)
- A group of commanders and personnel of the 33rd artillery division of Isfahan
- A group of pilots and servicemen of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (Nahaja)
- The Shahid Sattari University of the the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (Nahaja)
- A group of the personnel of the command staff of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (Nahaja)
- A group of the personnel of the support training center of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army
- A group of the professors and officials of the Imam Ali University for officers
- A group of the personnel and officials of the command center of the military
EA sources (and our readers, who picked up on the story several hours ago) have noted that 36 military generals 24 military officers were reportedly arrested in July for planning to attend Hashemi Rafsanjani's Friday Prayer speech in full military uniform, showing solidarity with demonstrators.
None of the regiments is Revolutionary Guard, and this morning the question is large: how much support do these eight regiments have in the rest of the Army and Air Force?
Reader Comments (141)
[...] Aufloesungserscheinungen 11. Dezember 2009 — Thomas v. der Osten-Sacken In jeder vorrevultionaeren Situation kommt frueher oder spaeter die Frage auf: Wie loyal steht die regulaere Armee – nicht der Haufen Sondereinheiten und Elitetruppen, die das jweilige Regime sich inzwischen geschaffen hat – zum strauchelnden und immer repressiver vorgehenden Ancien Regime? Wenn diese Frage nicht nur in Exilantenkreisen und heimlich in Offiziercasinos gestellt wird, sondern erstamals oeffentlich debattiert, dann hat man es mit einer signifikanten Aufloesungserscheinung zu tun. Auch 1979 erklaerte sich die Armee irgendwann neutral, das war das Ende des Schah. Diese Meldung spricht insofern fuer sich selbst: [...]
[...] Enduring America writes: The letter, signed by eight far-from-insignificant regiments, declares that they are loyal but cannot stand aside if the oppression and violation of the people continues. This oppression is a “betrayal”, and so the Army will defend the security of the people against aggressors to the last drop of its blood. [...]
I still very much doubt the authenticity of this. Although I am not 100% sure of any of their arguments, users on balatarin.com have noted that a) the "33rd group" mentioned in one of the eight regiment titles is not in Isfahan as claimed by the article signature and b) the opening sentence "Be naame yazdane pak" is quite unusual for people to use inside Iran as it is one of those sentences that purposefully avoids any Islamic or Arabic words. Such vocabulary refinement is usually done by exiled dissident groups that wish to emphasize their anti-Islamic and ultra-nationalistic values.
IranRiggedElect,
Much appreciated. Does the claimed audio reinforce/alter your view in any way?
S.
May be Yazdane Pak (the Almighty) finally has heard people of Iran and their calls from their roof tops and has decided to look kindly upon them. Let us hope the news is credible.
News about the involvement of iranian army to defend our people confirmed by Sazegara; in the begining of the video, he talks about it :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UequkIju5w
If this is true, it's huge! I've been wondering since late June what reaction the military would show when push came to shove and if this is true, then my suspicions were right. I don't think the military has ever stood against the people for very long. Even during the Shah's time, during the revolution, at the end they stood aside rather than create widespread bloodshed. Also, there was a statement put out by a military official a few months ago about how the military knew it's place and stayed out of politics while remaining completely aware of what is happening and that struck me as promising (as it seemed like a veiled criticism of the IRGC and a warning to the coup leaders that the military sees what they are doing).
One correction though, I remember reading in July about 25 or so military 'officers' (of various rank) being arrested for attempting to attend Rafsanjani's sermon in uniform but not 36 generals. I could have the number wrong but I'm pretty sure they weren't all or even mostly generals.
"Such vocabulary refinement is usually done by exiled dissident groups that wish to emphasize their anti-Islamic and ultra-nationalistic values." And one might add their anti-Arab bigotry.
Samuel
It's time to withdraw !! but if you change your mind you are welcome !!! :-)
"From somebody who is fanatically pro-people" !
Zendeh Bad !!
Somebody,
Thanks --- will correct re "generals" in text.
S.
The Green leaders are very quiet about the Green Children burning images of Imam Khomeini.
“They held up flags from which the “Allah” symbol — added after Iran’s 1979 revolution — had been removed. Most shocking of all, some burned an image of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the father of the revolution.”
Where is Khatami? His children are attacking his idol. I thought everyone was with the same program. "Let's pretend we are all loyal to the Ayatollah Khomeini and it is AN and the SL who are disloyal. We'll dress in green and shout from the rooftops" The student radicals must have lost their script.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/world/middleeast/11iran.html
Arabiya TV was trying to interview one of the Tehran-based analysts, Hassan Hani Zadeh, about the letter and the call was pretty badly scrambled. They tried a second time and the censors let the call go through, but continued to play with the sound. Apparently, someone is nervous about the subject.
It was 24 military officers, not 36 military generals (at least according to Amnesty International's list: http://www.amnesty.org/en/page/24-iranian-army-officers-detained).
I also tend to think it more likely than not that this is inauthentic, or at least it is not a message upon which we can rely. To answer the first point, though, we need to define what authenticity means. Is it that this comes from top military commanders of 8 battalions? Is it a message the majority of the soldiers believe? Is it a message on which some people from each battalion would act?
Just thinking about what authenticity would mean undermines my confidence in the message. If it really was the top military commanders, they would be removed immediately, and their only chance of resisting that would be to implement this coup in response. It seems they would know that. If you want to pull a coup, you pull a coup, and a military official should be the first recognize the importance of the element of surprise.
Furthermore, anything less than a fully united response, both within these battalions and among the military generally, risks provoking a civil war. This is probably the main reason the military stays out of politics and generally should.
Samuel
Khamnei had not to say what he said the friday after the election !! he put himself the islamic regime in danger , this old, close-minded man !! and as I have told you, Khomeyni was an excuse to run towards the victory !! perhaps it's also too late for the green leaders !!
Your heros have to bear themself a grudge for what has happened !
Samuel,
As you probably know, readers here have their doubts about the authenticity of the "burning" videos.
S.
Edward,
Thanks for this. Eyes wide open to see what happens.
S.
Nick
The big question is the authencity of the tape. If it is real then its more likely to have come from high level commanders, mid-ranking officers would have been arrested immediately. I don`t think SL would take the chance of arresting generals, it could have huge consequences. The way I see it, if the tape is real, its a message from artesh to IRGC, accept the unity plan and no more violence against the people. Or it is a message telling IRGC commanders to start jumping ships, cause SL is on his way out. The chances of civil war is slim, 3/4 og IRGC footsoldiers voted for Khatami, in extension they support the reformists. They have also been reports about basij and police second guessing their orders.
We need a confirmation on the authencity of the tape, then see how IRGC and SL responds.
@ Nick
I also doubt the authencity of this message, but it certainly will keep busy regime's intelligence officers, who have to fear plots everywhere. Very likely this is a kind of message from abroad to all those army men, who are dissatisfied with the situation, which means we are entering a new phase: the real soft war.
I think if there is this new involvement of " artesh ", behind we could find " Reza Shah " !
Is the renewal of "history ? :-)
Although like many readers I like to believe that the Army will stand with the people against the Dallal Pasdaran branch that has taken over, please read carefully into this. This could be true, but also it could be part of the campaign by the anti Ahmadinejad groups to create dis information and to make an environment of fear. Ultimately though its only through vigilance and presence in the streets that we can get anywhere.
One small correction. In the Friday prey that officers were arrested, it was 18 officers that were arrested and the reason for the arrest was given to be cause they intended to attend in military uniform. Non the less the name and ranks of those officers were released and there was no high ranking officers, but this may have been the story put out by the government.
One last point, we have to be also as Iranians very careful. When the military forces split, there is an advantage to our political view, but the country and its unity may be what suffers. Between defeating this corrupt tyranic regime and civil split and civil war, I rather take living with the tyrants for now. This is not necessarily all good. This we should also reflect on.
Folks,
There is no real evidence that this letter is fake. This was expected that at some point the Army would take a position. They did the same during the Shah's fall. And I would argue that the Army at that time was much more supportive of the Shah than the Army today is supportive of Khamanei. This regime never trusted the Army therefore it created the Sepah. Professional Army's dislike of Sepah is well documented over the years. With respect to these Army personnel getting arrested, typically letters like this are not signed by individuals. This is a warning and the regime at this point does not know who is really involved. This is the beauty of this. They will only know who is involved when these groups actually step in. The Sepah itself also has huge divisions in it so this is just the beginning. The use of Yazdane pak in the beginning is symbolic. And where the hell do you people get 8 regiments ? Air Force is not a regiment it is a branch, Havanirooz is not regiment ( ground air support) it is a branch, The Air Force academy is not a regiment. I don't know who the 33rd artillery group in Isfehan is but the fact that is spelled out much more granular than the rest actually makes me think authenticity. If they wanted to make up specific group names why just one ? And by the way the Isfahen folks are not using the term Regiment they say group. Where the hell did you people come up with the term regiment ?
Whereismyvote: It may not be authentic, but it wasn't put out by the government. You overestimate how clever the government is, their ideological line is very simplistic and predictable and they are not creative enough to rule by any method other than hitting students on the head with clubs.
No dictatorship would put out a story like this because it is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If the notion that elements of the army are about to turn spreads through the army ranks, many army personnel who are sympathetic to the protesters (and that is most of them) might be emboldened and start leading a broader revolt.
As for your last point, you are simply wrong. You have to be willing to support elements of the military that turn against Khamenei, otherwise the most murderous will rule forever. You removed Ahmadinejad by peaceful/democratic means, but Khamenei said no, therefore it might require a military coup to end this. You have to toughen up and accept that. You can't make an omlette without breaking any eggs.
Samuel,
There is nothing sacred about Khomeini. Some of the worst atrocities in this regime were committed by his order and during his rule. And his CIA ties are well documented. He was paid $8M by the CIA during his stay in France so he could finance his operation. He was by far one of the biggest liers in history. Two weeks before going to Iran he claimed he has no interest in ruling or governing and a week after going to Iran he claimed he would appoint a government. If people want to burn his picture I say more power to them. However it is a waste of time, he is dead and decomposing in the trash bin of history. Much more interesting to burn Khamanei's picture.
Some people here are too pessimistic to offer an objective analysis. If this news is true and not fabricated it is huge for the Green Movement and the people of Iran. I know 8 regiments is not enough to take back the country but it is a start.
It does not mean that only 8 regiments support the greens it only means that 8 regiments had the bravery to step up and publicly support. This could open the gateway for further support by the armed forces and police divisions.
Ange Paris, that was my first idea, too ;-)
Especially because of using "yazdan" (God), which you find in the old anthem.
History does not repeat itself, but there is a certain nostalgia for ancient Iran (Achaemenians), which the Pahlavi dynasty exploited for their propaganda. Leftists always hated the Achaemenians, and the actual regime deletes all dynasties from school-books. I dream of the day, when it will be possible to debate about history as such, not for propagandistic purposes. A long way to go ...