Hundreds of thousands are in the streets of the capital despite the very late time and protests along with sporadic clashes are happenening in several areas of Tehran.
Demos and clashes are rocking the south, north, east, west and especially the center of the Capital. From Nazi Abad and Majidie to Shahrak Gharb and Guisha and from Dolat and Shariati to Rey, hundreds of gatherings and thousands and thousands of protesters are showing their rejection of the regime.
At several occasion, brutal plainclothes men were captured by the demonstrators and were attached to trees.
Several patrols and plainclothes men's bikes have been destroyed as were caught filming the demonstrators. the regime's agents were saved from lynchage with the intervention of some of the protesters.
Tear Gas is used in different areas and chase and run is taking place.
The regime has placed its vital buildings, such as Governments and radio and TV under huge surveillance to avoid a popular take over.
The night will be very long.
You would think some of those F#$%#n cable news outlets would cover stuff outside of the USA for once....I would love to watch some news like this...why is there no international news station on cable??? I'm stuck with CNN (liberal propaganda), MSNBC (Neurotic propaganda), and Fox (Republican/Tabloid)....What about Terhan...are the Mooolaaasss gonna die???
Maybe we need to do something more than just getting the networks to cover the Iranian uprising for demoncracy. Maybe we need to figure out how to let the Iranian students know that we are supporting them during this uprising.
Many young Iranians lit candles and marched through the streets showing their support for us after 9/11.
Maybe it is time that we hit the streets here in the USA to demonstrate we support democracy for the Iranian people and call in the media to cover it.
When they roughed up those kids last night, I had a feeling they were disturbing a hornet's nest. Gotta love it when a bad plan falls apart. Nice move Mullahs!
Well, lets just hope this can lead to something meaningful.
Now, if we could just do something about the Senate LOL!
Reading this story made the song "We're not gonna take it" come into my head. A song by Twisted Sister for those who don't know who might have performed it.
Good luck to the Iranians protesting, I hope and pray later we don't see stories of mass murder in the streets of Iran.
Gotta love the religion of peace.
Maybe once they stretch the moolaaaaaaaaaaahs neck, they'll swing back to being zoa-whatever and really freak everyone in the region out.
Great link... people need to see this.
Methinks they are getting worried. From the "Islamic Republic News Agency"
http://www.irna.ir/en/index.shtml
Tehran condemns US 'interference' following unrest
Tehran, June 14, IRNA -- Iran on Saturday came heavily on US for praising recent riots in Tehran and said American officials' statements constituted a "flagrant example of interference in Iran's internal affairs".
US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher was cited as saying Thursday that "We applaud the Iranian people for calling attention to the destructive policies of the Iranian government, that do such a disservice to its population".
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said "these statements contradict international norms and American commitment to the Algeria Declaration".
"Selective dealing has become a typical feature of the American policy. They (US leaders) regard massive demonstrations in western countries and America itself as the result of democracy but they cite limited demonstrations in Tehran as being for democracy," he said.
Iranian leaders have already said that the demonstrations held by "a handful of individuals" were being orchestrated by Washington.
"The enemies openly support those adventurers who can become their mercenaries by disturbing people's security," Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told a gathering of jubilant people in Varamin, south of Tehran Thursday.
Asefi said, "Americans ignore people's presence in millions to welcome the leader and President (Mohammad Khatami), but they call the protests of a few individuals as the voice of the people."
He was apparently referring to another part of Boucher's
statements that "it's our hope that the voice of the Iranian people and their call for democracy and the rule of law will be heard".
"Such statements are not new to us and the Iranian nation's
memories from American officials and the disgraceful 1953 coup are not anything different," he said, referring to the US-led coup against the popular government of Mohammad Mosaddeq to reinstate Shah.
American officials have become promoters of lies in the
international scene, Asefi said.
"Denying realities and interpreting events according to their
wish constitute the current American policy and American officials, by vainly making an opportunistic exploitation, are intending to divert the Iranian nation from the progress path and undermine the country's independence," he added.
Recent riots have followed a peaceful gathering of students in protest to the possible privatization of universities, which officials have denied.
Gatherings were held at Tehran University dormitory on Thursday, which turned violent later and spread to the nearby streets. Officials have blamed "non-student" elements and "mercenaries" for the unrest.
'US INSISTING ON ITS WHIMS' OVER NUCLEAR PROGRAM
Asefi also hit out at Washington for 'insisting on its whims' with respect to Iran's nuclear energy programs.
"America's persistence is aimed at pressuring the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and influence its report," the official said in reference to a much-expected meeting of the agency's board of governors on June 16 to report on Tehran's nuclear plans.
Asefi reiterated that "Iran's nuclear programs are totally
transparent and its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency will not be affected by these pressures".
Iran says its nuclear programs are transparent and peaceful, aimed at producing 7,000 megawatts of electricity in the next 20 years when the country's oil and gas reserves become overstretched.
Washington charges that the programs were a cover to acquire
weapons of mass destruction.
BH/JB
End
Khatami spells out 'anti-terror fight' top priority for Muslims
Tehran, June 14, IRNA -- President Mohammad Khatami told Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal here Saturday that Muslim countries must give top priority to fighting terrorism and refrain from giving pretexts to certain powers, apparently US.
The Iranian president also renewed Tehran's condemnation of terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia, including suicide bombings on May 12, in which 35 people died.
Faisal stressed on cooperation between Tehran and Riyadh on fighting terrorism and cited the two countries' security as inter-related, which could also benefit the region, he said.
Close ties between the two key Muslim countries also benefit Muslims, the Saudi foreign minister added.
Faisal, meanwhile, submitted Saudi King Fahd's message for President Khatami.
Khatami stressed the need for establishing peace and security in the region under a collective cooperation in order to guarantee the Islamic countries' development and progress.
The Islamic Republic supports peace in the region, he said, adding Iran is also ready to protect the country's independence as well as national interests and its territorial integrity.
Khatami cited the Zionist Israeli regime's policy of repression and state terrorism as hindering real peace in the occupied lands. To achieve enduring peace, the rights of all Palestinians must be restored, the Iranian president reiterated.
Faisal also met with the chairman of the arbitrative Expediency Council, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who urged Iran and Saudi Arabia not allow "the slightest dent to their ties".
Iran's former president stressed the need for Tehran and Riyadh to adopt joint strategies in order to tackle regional crises, given the ongoing "sensitive situation of the region".
Rafsanjani hailed common stances of the two countries on regional and world issues, including Iraq, Palestine and terrorism, saying they were the results of "deep-rooted" ties.
Faisal said, "Tehran and Riyadh have common concerns with respect to the regional situation and fighting terrorism and we have achieved the highest degree of mutual trust and cooperation."
The Saudi official recalled the two countries' efforts to prevent the US-led invasion of Iraq, saying Iran and Saudi Arabia are now working to resolve the Iraq crisis.
"We hope Iraq will see a government, trusted by all Iraqis, come to work," Faisal said.
He privately conveyed Saudi de facto ruler, Crown Prince Abdullah's message for Rafsanjani, as well as his invitation for the cleric to visit Saudi Arabia.
Rafsanjani said Iraq's invasion in the face of widespread international opposition indicated that American rulers did not attach any importance to the international laws.
"America, by occupying Iraq and violating the rights of that country's defenseless people, revealed its true face to the world and now the world's public opinion knows that fighting terrorism and weapons of mass destruction are only pretexts for America," he added.
The former Iranian president cited the occupying Zionist regime and American support for Israel as "the most important" obstacles to establishing peace and security in the Middle East.
He also denounced recent "terrorist steps" of the Zionist regime.
"It is impossible to resolve a crisis by creating more crises and there is no other way than putting a halt to the massacre of the oppressed Palestinian people and restoring their rights in order to finally resolve the Middle East crisis."
Rafsanjani implicitly rejected the US-backed 'road map' for peace between Palestinians and Israelis, saying that "any plan, shy of guaranteeing the interests of the Palestinian people, is doomed to fail".
BH/JB
End
We're definitely getting differing estimates, depending on the source. As we've seen, the BBC is only reporting thousands -- not hundreds of thousands -- demonstrating in the capital.
Yeah, but we know where the BBC's sympathy lies. The Brittish navy turned off the BBC during the gulf war because their coverage was so pro-saddam.
Yep. Wish we had a reliable source there. I don't believe either one of them.
