~ Iranian Elections and Riots ~

[A.J.]

True, but in those countries they were fractious governments at best. As strange as it sounds, these regimes are somewhat more "stable".

[strawberrypop]

Any potential for success for the reformists hinges solely on Rafsanjani, from what I gather.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafsanjani

Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani born February 15, 1934) is an influential Iranian politician, writer and former president. Currently he holds the position of Chairman of the Assembly of Experts[2] (a deliberative body of Mujtahids that is charged with electing, monitoring, and dismissing the Supreme Leader of Iran) and Chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council of Iran (an unelected administrative assembly that resolves legislative conflicts between the Majlis and the Council of Guardians).

Rafsanjani served as President of Iran from 1989 to 1997. In 2005 he ran for a third term in office, winning the first round of elections but ultimately losing to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the run-off round of the 2005 election.

Rafsanjani is reportedly associated with the Iranian business class and is hostile to Ahmadinejad and the more ideological tendency in the Islamic Republic. He has been described as a pragmatic and conservative, who supports a centrist position domestically and a moderate position internationally, seeking to avoid conflict with the United States.

Rafsanjani's daughter was released on 2009-06-21 after her arrest while taking part in a protest against Iran's recent presidential elections. Rafsanjani's former rival and incumbent president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, claimed a landslide victory over challenger Mir-Hossein Mousavi. Rafsanjani and his daughter are both outspoken supporters of Mousavi, while Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei remained staunch in his defense of Ahmadinejad.

From @persiankiwi:
At Friday prayers last wk Khamenei named Rafsanjani - it is very unusual to name anyone at Friday prayers

Rafsanjani is head of Guardians who appointed Khamenei - He has power to remove him too.

During elections ANejad attak reputation of Rafsanjani on behalf of Khamenei

Rafsanjani is possibly most powerful man in Iran - he has support of army and many of Revolutionary Guard

Ppl of Iran know that Rafsanjani opposes Khamenei and ANejad

Until today Rafsanjani has remained silent about elections fraud in Iran

Rafsanjani is waiting 4 Gov to show world extent of their suppression of ppls. Rafsanjani is also waiting for wave of support to grow both in & out of country.

Rafsanjani is slowly eroding support for Khamenei from behind scene

Rafsanjani is standing back to see who is who - who support who - to see who is trusted.
Rafsanjani is allowing Revolutionary Guard commanders to choose their side - with ppl or against. When all positions clear - Rafsanjani has the military, financial & clerical power to mobilise. The process is slow - but certain - when Rafsanjani speaks - he will be heard

[red_red_red]

LaraABCNews (http://twitter.com/LaraABCNews)Mousavi campaign office raided, declared "HQ for Psychological War Against the Country's Security" #Iranelection (pressTV, via @thelede (http://twitter.com/thelede))

[strawberrypop]

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y279/Hihey9989/cry.gif

1. all shops was closed - nowhere to go - they follow ppls with helicopters - smoke and fire is everywhere

2. ppl run into alleys and militia standing there waiting - from 2 sides they attack ppl in middle of alleys

3. so many ppl arrested - young & old - they take ppl away - we lose our group

4. saw 7/8 militia beating one woman with baton on ground - she had no defense nothing - sure that she is deadabout

5. they were waiting for us - they all have guns and riot uniforms - it was like a mouse trap - ppl being shot like animals

6. I see many ppl with broken arms/legs/heads - blood everywhere - pepper gas like war -

7. just in from Baharestan Sq - situation today is terrible - they beat the ppls like animals

[strawberrypop]

Oh No.

Allah - you are the creator of all and all must return to you - Allah Akbar - #
thank you ppls 4 supporting Sea of Green - pls remember always our martyrs - Allah Akbar - Allah Akbar - Allah Akbar
we must go - dont know when we can get internet - they take 1 of us, they will torture and get names - now we must move fast
Everybody is under arrest & cant move - Mousavi - Karroubi even rumour Khatami is in house guard
they pull away the dead into trucks - like factory - no human can do this - we beg Allah for save us -
Lalezar Sq is same as Baharestan - unbelevable - ppls murdered everywhere -
they catch ppl with mobile - so many killed today - so many injured - Allah Akbar - they take one of us -
in Baharestan we saw militia with axe choping ppl like meat - blood everywhere - like butcher - Allah Akbar -
reports of street fighting in Vanak Sq, Tajrish sq, Azadi Sq - now - #Iranelection - Sea of Green - Allah Akbar
rumour they are tracking high use of phone lines to find internet users - must move from here now -
phone line was cut and we lost internet - #Iranelection - getting more difficult to log into net -

[TheMojoPin]

So many of the Twitter accounts are making it sound like a massacre is going down in Tehran.

[Furtherman]

I saw that Iranian TV is showing "confessions" of protesters, blaming the BBC and American for inspiring the unrest.

The "confessors", some visibly wounded, looked like to be reading off cue-cards.

I think whoever is running these state-run ads is a little naive to think that people, even Iranian people, will fall for such tactics.

[red_red_red]

I saw that Iranian TV is showing "confessions" of protesters, blaming the BBC and American for inspiring the unrest.

The "confessors", some visibly wounded, looked like to be reading off cue-cards.

I think whoever is running these state-run ads is a little naive to think that people, even Iranian people, will fall for such tactics.
yeah, watched that, it was disturbing. i don't think they are falling for it, i think the hard-liners don't give two shits about what the young people want.

[red_red_red]

an Iranian woman pleading for help on CNN
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEtVRgZ3Szw

[strawberrypop]

Synopsis of the history leading up to the current crisis in Iran is detailed here (http://commera.wordpress.com/2009/06/24/the-new-dynamics-of-the-revolution/)

[brettmojo]

Oh No.
So much for that.

[strawberrypop]

Reliable sources report that Mr. Ramezanzadeh and Mr. Tajzadeh, both prominent reform politicians, along with a handful of their colleagues, are under mounting pressure in section 209 of Evin prison to give televised confessions of high treason. The goal is to establish charges of conspiracy for a velvet revolution that would encompass the reform candidates in the election as well.

Nothing posted by persiankiwi today, but change_for_iran is back.

I'm only posting this to say I'm still alive & not in Tehran, I had a bad incident with Basij and couldn't use computer

Shayan's brother's fate is still unknown, Reza has been released yesterday & at hospital right now & I think Masood is safe

as soon I can walk properly again, I will go back to Tehran. probably tomorrow night

I will twitt again at night, my back & neck hurts a lot & I can't sit here anymore

and to everyone out there specially IRG: no it's not the end & it will never be until we get what is rightfully ours

[foodcourtdruide]

I saw that Iranian TV is showing "confessions" of protesters, blaming the BBC and American for inspiring the unrest.

The "confessors", some visibly wounded, looked like to be reading off cue-cards.

I think whoever is running these state-run ads is a little naive to think that people, even Iranian people, will fall for such tactics.

I don't think the point is to trick people, it's to scare people.

[red_red_red]

LaraABCNews (http://twitter.com/LaraABCNews)from trusted source, eyewitness at #iranelection protests: the acid attacks were real, dumped on protesters from above.
no link to follow this up....wtf?

[red_red_red]

a pic from NYC 27 min ago:
http://twitpic.com/8ih6w

[A.J.]

Fucking clerics.

TEHRAN: A hardline Iranian cleric called yesterday for the execution of leading "rioters" to teach a lesson to the tens of thousands who have protested against the result of the presidential election two weeks ago. (http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=254193)

[styckx]

pk arrested

http://iran.whyweprotest.net/news-current-events/3097-persian-kiwi-arrested.html

[sailor]

i just heard talk of putting mousavi (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/mir-hossein-mousavi) and others on public trial (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/05/mousavi-iran-kayhan-election) and accusing them of being u.s. agents.