Posted on 06/18/2009 4:57:39 AM PDT by Scanian
TEHRAN, Iran -- Hundreds of thousands of Iranians marched in quiet defiance on the fifth day of post-election chaos yesterday, setting the stage for a showdown today with the increasingly worried hard-liners.
Trying to stem the uprising, Iran's "supreme leader," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called in representatives of all four candidates in the dubious election, in an effort to quell the angry protests that threaten the 30-year-old Islamic regime.
Khamenei, who backed extremist President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election, has not been seen in a week but is expected to plead for calm tomorrow. Officials said he will make a rare appearance leading Friday prayers in Tehran.
Today, pro-reform activists plan a rally to mourn "martyrs" gunned down by regime thugs at this week's protests.
Among the latest developments:
* Ahmadinejad opponents cited proof of the rigged election, including figures that showed more than 30 Iranian towns cast more votes than they had registered voters.
One town, Taft, had a turnout of 141 percent, an opposition Web site said. Another town, Kouhrang, had 132 percent.
Government officials said there was a record 85 percent turnout nationally.
* At least 500 political activists, journalists and students were reported to have been arrested during the government's post-election crackdown.
Among those seized yesterday was Saeed Laylaz, editor of the business daily Sarmayeh, who warned last week that Iran could be headed for a post-election bloodbath.
* Iran accused the United States for the first time of "intolerable" meddling in the crisis.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Are you reading this Obama? Do nothing at all, or even supinely support the current Iranian administration, and the Mullahs will still reflexively blame the Great Satan.
Looks like it’s still going strong after looking at photos on Twitter.
Noticed Amnesty International issued a tepid plea to keep it peaceful.
Of course, if the students were to prevail, you-know-who will take some credit.
And Mousavi appears to be as bad a Ahmadinejad.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei selects several “candidates” for an “election” for head figurehead.
Iranians think they were cheated because the “candidate” they voted for didn't win and so are demanding new “elections” to get another of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s hand picked “candidates” as head figurehead.
Meanwhile the Ayatollah’s are “scared” because the Iranian people are demanding that one of the Ayatollah’s hand picked “candidate's” be selected as head figurehead.
Hmmm...
I must be missing something...
No idea how this is all going to shake out, but at least the Iranians have the will to actually DO something when they see fraud in an election. I can only wish more Americans would have the same energy and courage.
Don't let them make you retreat. Onward to freedom.
This has been brewing in Iran for a few years now. The election was just the catalyst.
“I must be missing something...”
I don’t think this is as much about wanting to actually have Mousavi as president as it is to have a free and fair election. Mousavi would be just a transitory figure. This is something more than just wanting another mullah. We shall see. It’s inspiring to see they aren’t just backing off.
“Hang in there, brave Iranians. You’re making headway”
YES!! Even if our feckless, ineffectual, so-called “president” won’t even give you so much as lukewarm support, the great majority of aware Americans support you strongly. Keep up the fight!
Sounds like U.S. elections...LOL!
better if:
“Iran’s Top Mullahs to Beg for life”
Or obama is having the CIA do overt plans in Iran. The US gov't is not going to come out and flatly say they are trying to get rid of the mullahs.
Iranians are looking at Iraq and Trashcanistan and saying why not us? This is the hunger for freedom and Democracy that everybody has. We however are moving towards tyranny.
Pray for America
Yep, the people have had enough.
I think that must be a factor. But also: both Mousavi and Khorrubi have made removing the hated Basiji a plank of their platform.
From our point of view Mousavi is a bad guy, but he's enough of an opportunist to make reforms for cynical reasons. And if the Basiji are maimed as a political force then Iran will be much more open to Western influences.
How can you have a “free and fair” election when the Ayatollah picks the candidates?
They want a new “election” with the same candidates...
A point without a difference...
I think you are correct. It has the smell of a genuine popular uprising. It could be what the world is in store for due to the multiplying digital communications now available.
Freedom. There is nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has come.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.