Saturday
Dec262009
The Latest from Iran (26 December): The Eve of Ashura Demonstrations
Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 22:24 
2245 GMT: It's Going On Outside Tehran. Norooz reports that 20 people were arrested in demonstrations in Isfahan. Video is also out of tonight's protests in that city.2220 GMT: Night Update. Not much new to report in last few hours. After the crowd for the Jamaran ceremony was prevented from attending the memorial and/or forcibly dispersed, there were further clashes with reported arrests and injuries in Niavaran.
Reports also came through of Ayatollah Dastgheib's speech in the Qoba Mosque in Shiraz, scheduled for 11 a.m. local time tomorrow.
1825 GMT: Tonight's Memorial. BBC Persian reports that the Jamaran ceremony and former President Khatami's speech was indeed interrupted by "government supporters" and turned violent before it was abandoned.
1725 GMT: We are checking out the latest stories around the disruption and cancellation of the Jamaran service, including the claim that plainclothes "thugs" invaded the gathering and halted the Khatami speech.
1705 GMT: Latest Rumours. Claims circulating that the memorial service, with former President Khatami's address, in Jamaran has now been cancelled.
1645 GMT: Peyke Iran is now carrying a report of the harassment and beating of the Mothers of Martyrs in Laleh Park this evening.
1630 GMT: Tonight's Events. Conflicting rumours are flying about the gathering for the memorial at Hosseinieh Jamaran. One report is that the Hosseinieh (religious institute) is packed, another is that the crowd (and former President Khatami) have been prevented from attending and are moving toward Qods Square.
There are also reports that the Mothers of Martyrs, whose children have been killed and detained, and supporters have been surrounded by security forces during their weekly protest in Laleh Park.
1620 GMT: Today's Protests. It has been a day of frustration for us, as a major failure from our host service kept us off-line until now.
Since our 1200 GMT update, the streets have been quieter with the notable except of this evening's events at Jamaran in north Tehran (see 1630 GMT), where former President Mohammad Khatami was to speak at a memorial for Grand Ayatollah Montazeri. Security is still tight, with agents reportedly searching personal items at some metro stations, checking cell phones and confiscating some of them. It is also reported that plainclothes security and Ansar Hezbollah wearing black clothing were present around Tehran University although no clashes were reported. We are checking out other stories of attacks on women and children and the arrest of passengers on a bus for shouting anti-Government slogans.
1200 GMT: Here is what we have been following:
The pattern this morning was of running clashes between demonstrators (how many? thousands? tens of thousands? Activists went as high as 50,000 in estimates) and security forces who tried to keep them from congregating. The most serious confrontation was at Imam Hossein Square, with reports of tear gas being used.
There were also reports of clashes near the Mosque of Shahmirzadiha, at Pol-e Choubi, in and around Ferdowsi Square, Enghelab Square and at Val-e Asr near Daneshjoo Park. Security forces tried to contain and divert protesters, who were moving in loudly-honking cars as well as on foot, by setting up one-way systems and closing bridges. A later report claimed that security forces had stormed the Iranian Students News Agency building in pursuit of protesters sheltering there.
Reported chants included, "This is the month of blood - Khamenei will be toppled", and "Tehran is Karbala Today!" (a reference to Imam Hossein's death at Karbala, which is commemorated by Ashura tomorrow). It has also been reported that Mohseni Square was renamed Rahnavard Square by protesters.
There are reports, mostly unconfirmed, of protests in Mashhad, Isfahan, Qom, Shiraz, and Najafabad
0645 GMT (1015 local time): Today is Tasua, the fast day before Ashura, when the death of Imam Hossein is commemorated by Shi'a Muslims. So far it is also a day of quiet and uncertainty: despite talk of the opposition turning out in advance of the mass demonstrations and memorials planned for tomorrow, little has come through on any gathering.
The rumblings continue, however. It is now reported that Hosseinieh Ershad will not hold any Ashura ceremonies. The religious institute is noted for its opposition to the Shah in the years before the 1979 Revolution, including the passionate speeches of Dr Ali Shariati, a hero of the movement. On Friday it was announced that the Khomeini mausoleum would also refrain from any commemoration of Ashura.
An EA reader notes an article by Navid Minayi on the “men in hejab” movement that is protesting the arrest and attempted humiliation of student activist Majid Tavakoli. Minayi compares the hejab to apartheid and criticises Nobel Prize laureate and women's rights activist Shirin Ebadi, who defended the veil in her open letter to students. Significantly Minayi's opinion appears in Rouydad News, an indication that the refomist movement is slowly opening up to social debates such as the wearing of the hejab. Mowj-e-Sabz, the prominent Green movement website which has relaunched with the vow to publish “different ideas”, is also considering the issue.
Reader Comments (37)
Barry,
I'm not familiar with the writing or speaking style of Iranian armed forces, but what strikes me about the letter is its lack of flowery flourishes, unlike the previous alleged military letter. The Farsi is quite plain and straightforward. Very no-nonsense. I think the English translation captures that fairly well.
If this letter is authentic - and that is one hell of a huge if - then Rafsanjani would have to be involved with it in some way. Perhaps that's why the steering committees of the Assembly of Experts and Expediency Council are pegged as playing a role in a transitional government. Rafsanjani is the chairman for both bodies!
Bozorg,
How many American soldiers were in Iran during the Shah and how many Russian or Chinese Soldiers are in Iran now? Who set up and trained the Savak if not the CIA and the Zionists? Why did a Muslim country have a huge Zionist embassy in 1975? Oh I forgot the Pasdaran and the Basij were set up by Deng Xiaoping.
The difference is that the Shah was in love with the West and wanted to recreate Iran in its image while Iran today has mere alliances of convinience with China and Russia. No one is trying to recreate Russia and China on Iranian soil. Come on this is child level information. I hope you are just making stuff up and don't really believe this nonsense.
By the way just to correct you I am a North American convert to Tibetan Buddhism and one of the Dalai Lama's personal bodyguards.
And to correct you once again (so much silliness to correct) I have no fondness for violence but understand its role in history. Violence, even mild forms of violence, have played a key role in the religious history of Iran. Even the victory of the Usulis against the Akhbaris would not have taken place without Vahid Behbahani resorting to force and driving the Akhbaris out of places like Qom and Najaf.
Bozorg,
I have no particular reason to think it is authentic or confirmed, but it would make sense that it lacks flowery language. It seems more like a clear message of who is involved and what their intent is. The aims and rules of engagement of the Artesh (if it is real) are exactly what one would expect of a carefully crafted army coup.
The main thing that makes me doubt it is that it gives a time almost 12 hours after the statement was first seen. If real that gives Khamenei more time to react than is necessary.
However situations like this normally do end in fractures within the army and I think that this situation has gone more than far enough for that to happen. I have read a lot of history and have never seen a regime this isolated survive for very long. The fact that it has even survived this long is a testament to how dangerous oil revenues that can be manipulated by a dictator are to civil society.
Bozorg, don't get angry, velesh kon ...
Adam
I once read something that discussed what a "curse" mineral wealth has been to many countries - mainly underdeveloped countries. Instead of the riches being able and used to turn the country into a "paradise", it creates misery
I wonder what Iran would be like if it didn't have oil? It is only a geological accident that it does.
Barry
Samuel,
Yes, the alliance is quite convenient - for the Chinese and Russians. Khamenei is their fuzzy poodle.
In your journey for enlightenment about the IRI's mugging of the Iranian people, you can check out the link that Arshama has kindly provided. Om mani padme hum.
Barry,
For Iran in particular, oil has been a curse. I have little doubt that the average Iranian would be much wealthier today if oil had never been discovered in Iran. I would actually argue that if the Artesh coup does not materialize a stoppage (labor strike or otherwise) or sabotage of the oil industry would be the quickest way to oust Khamenei.
Adam and Barry,
The black gold has certainly been both golden and black. A democratic and accountable Iran will do a much better job of diversifying its economy.
I agree, only a general strike or army intervention will prove conclusive. Or, if the regime comes to its senses and adheres to its own constitution.
heh.
[...] The Latest from Iran (26 December): The Eve of Ashura Demonstrations [...]
Mark,
Just catching up with this. I am following the claim of military turn against Supreme Leader, which is still bubbling this morning. No substance, however, beyond this purported letter.
S.
RE post 18
While one grandson, Hassan Khomeini, joined the SL for the mourning ceremony of Tasua Friday night at the Beyt Rahbari (seat of the Supreme Leader), Khomeini's other grandson Yasser attended the Imam Khomeini Hosseiniyeh in Jamaran for the same ceremony (with ex-president Khatami as guest speaker) on the same night.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2009/12/selected-headlines-96.html
- Khomeini's grandson sits alongside Supreme Leader, Hardliners
- Plainclothes raid Imam Khomeini's Hosseiniyeh in Jamaran
CORRECT VERSION
RE post 18
While one grandson, Hassan Khomeini, joined the SL for the mourning ceremony of Tasua Friday night at the Beyt Rahbari (seat of the Supreme Leader), Khomeini’s other grandson Yasser attended the Imam Khomeini Hosseiniyeh in Jamaran for the same ceremony (with ex-president Khatami as guest speaker) on the very next night.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2009/12/selected-headlines-96.html
- Khomeini’s grandson sits alongside Supreme Leader, Hardliners
- Plainclothes raid Imam Khomeini’s Hosseiniyeh in Jamaranne