Iran: Post-election news regularly updated

Political events in Iran continue to unfold following the June 12 presidential election. For the past week, I have tried to (and often failed to) keep up with the rapid-fire clips of news coming from Iran. This has been helpful, at least to me.

I wish to shift gears now, though, and contextualise the situation. It is helpful to have a play-by-play, but it's also helpful to take a step back and have a look at certain things such as: what is the character of Iran's contemporary and past culture, are the motivations of people being accurately portrayed, what is political life like within the country? Essentially, I believe much more analysis is needed, and that, at least in some cases, the core issues indigenous to Iran are perhaps increasingly being misunderstood.

So, I will from this point on suggest other people's relevant analysis or write my own in future posts.

Regular updates and live blogs are available at a number of different sites following Iran's post-election politics, such as on the Guardian's blog, and at the Huffington Post. You can also review my past updates below, covering some of the events in the past week.

China's Xinhua news reports [3] that: "Four family members of Iran's influential former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani have been released, but his daughter is still under custody, Iran's satellite channel Press TV reported Sunday."

In the name of God

We all come from Him and will go back to Him

The great and dignified Iranian nation:

With much sorrow I was informed that, during peaceful rallies to defend their lawful rights, the great Iranian people have been attacked [by the security forces], beaten, and bloodied, and killed. While expressing my condolences for this painful event and the losses, and feeling the pain of the nation, I declare Wednesday [June 24], Thursday and Friday days of national mourning. I express my strongest support for the Muslim nation [of Iran] in their defense of their rights in the framework of the Constitution that recognizes republicanism [direct and free elections, and respect for the votes] as one of the pillars of the [political] establishment, and declare that any action that would harm the republicanism of the system is not permitted [is against religion]. Every one of our religious brothers and sisters must help the nation in defending its lawful rights. Based on this principle, any resistance in this direction [against people who are defending their right], particularly use of violence, beating, and killing of [the people of] the nation is acting against the Islamic principle that the nation must decide its own fate and path and, therefore, I declare it to be religiously haraam [the worst sin].

Hossein Ali Montazeri

Unconfirmed reports are circulating from Iran of a rally to be held tomorrow in honour of those who have died in the past week of protests.

More images have been coming from Iran, some gory: photo 1 [5], photo 2 [6], photo 3 [7], photo 4 [8], photo 5 [9], photo 6 [10] (all uploaded by the same source). There is a photo of a policeman striking a car here [11] (date unknown).

A reader, Simon Owens, has conducted an experiment to better understand the role of Twitter in disseminating information regarding Iran. You can read his short post here [14]. Below is an excerpt:

"..if an Iranian protester tweets his experience, how many retweets should he expect to get?

"...Out of the 100 random tweets, each one was retweeted an average of 57.8 times. The tweet that received the highest volume of retweets had 311 retweets. The smallest had only 6 retweets. Most of the tweets I found had between 30 and 50 retweets."

The Guardian's blog, Comment is Free, has an interesting post on Iran [15], by Peter Beaumont. I found it a fair representation of the complexity of opinions found within the various political groups in Iran, reflecting the opinions of many of my Iranian friends, family, and acquaintance within and without the country who supported Ahmadinejad, Mousavi, another presidential candidate, or who did not vote in the June 12 election. Here is an excerpt:

"Visiting Iran [16] last year to cover parliamentary elections, I discovered a country utterly at odds with most of its depictions. I found myself discussing the sociologist Durkheim with a classical record producer in a cinema-cafe and debating the political situation in Iraq [17]'s Shia holy cities with a conservative mosque guard in southern Tehran. I sat with artists drinking bootleg vodka at a party and discussed the limits of personal freedom over the Islamic dress code with a liberal but headscarf-wearing teacher. Even the attitudes among supporters of President Ahmadinejad, whom I encountered in the countryside, were complex, confounding what I thought I knew. Iran, you see, makes a mockery of how the west would like to frame its reality.

"Which makes reading many of the views expressed in the west during Iran's election crisis often baffling - I have struggled to recognise the place depicted."

CNN points to a story [18] from Iran's Mehr news that quotes Tehran's police chief as stating that the police have not been authorized to use firearms against protestors. In most cases that I've seen reported from those in Tehran, the Basij militia are the ones mainly accused of the worst violence, including shootings.

The following videos are alleged to be of protests taking place today in Tehran: video 1 [19], video 2 [20].

Al Jazeera has a short video report on rumours regarding political activity regarding the clerics in the religious city of Qom. Clerical support for either side would greatly help in the oppositing parties in the contest for power and influence. View the video here [21].

For those who would like more detailed information on the history of Iran leading up to the 1979 revolution, I highly recommend the following book: "Roots of Revolution [22]", by Nikki R. Keddie. It is an insightful analysis of the history, economics, and politics of Iran leading up to the Islamic revolution.

Unconfirmed reports continue to come in claiming a number of Iranian journalists are being arrested.

A video of protestors throwing stones is available here [24]. Another video, said to be from Saturday, is availabe here [25].

I've quickly compiled a series of articles from media outlets around Iran in order to provide a very rough perspective from some of its neighbours (or at least from a handful of publications)

Turkey - Hurriyet - World divided on disputed Iran poll [26]: "International opinion is roughly divided between the Western line - a pro-democratic stance that implies or levels criticism at Iran [27]'s leadership - and economic allies, mostly among developing nations, that accept the election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad."

Egypt - Al-Ahram - Understanding Iran's elections [28]: "To even begin answering such a complex question we must look beyond customary platitudes. Some Ahmadinejad fans maintain that he was the "candidate of the poor", the leader of the "rejectionist axis" in the region, and "the chief enemy of the US and Israel," and that these are the factors that decided the election in his favour. However, such labels that play on the prevalent themes of his ideological rhetoric fail to supply a sufficiently objective analytical framework. Nor does the customary left-versus-right framework serve the purpose, given that all candidates were solid members and supporters of the establishment and that their ideological stances elude such ready-to-hand pegs; that the entire socio-political map in Iran is much more fluid."

Egypt - Al-Ahram - Iran's democratic upsure [29]: "Regardless of their integrity, Iran's elections -- and even their aftermath -- are the fundamental democratic and collective expression US hawks and Zionists fear most."

Israel - Ha'aretz - Mousavi testing how far he can take Iran protests [30]: "Mousavi's actions have managed to show up Khamenei as being "the leader of one side" and an interested party, and therefore not an arbitrator. This is yet another significant challenge to the authority of the Islamic supreme leader"

Lebanon - The Daily Star - An iron fist won't resolve the fact that Iranians have lost trust in their leaders [31]: "The supreme leader has said that Ahmadinejad is the president of all Iranians, and that all citizens should therefore support him. But the duties of the governor and the governed go both ways: Iran's leaders must also be responsive toward all Iranians."

I will try and find more articles from the region later. Also, do send me any opinion pieces on Iran from the wider region (nima(at)nmaleki.com [32]).

The Twitter feed, mousavi1388 [33], maintained by Mousavi's supporters writes that, "GhalamNews (our newsagency) seems to be hacked. Please await further instructions."

This image was just sent to me (it has no time stamp, so location/date unknown):

"Protests continued at least until 9 p.m., with Iranian state television reporting a total of 13 deaths, while state radio said 19. There is no doubt that there are many more injured and arrested."

CNN reports that "Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki on Sunday disputed allegations of ballot irregularities in the presidential election, calling the possibility almost nonexistent." Read the article here [35].

Photos said to be from yesterday's events in Tehran are available here [36] (people spreading sand to thwart security forces' motorcycles), here [37], here [38], here [39], here [40], here [41], here [42], here [43], here [44], here [45] (people spreading sand), here [46], here [47], here [48], here [49], here [50], and here [51]. Most of these were uploaded by a single source.

Video claimed to be from yesterday in Tehran is available here [53], and here [54] (shot from a rooftop)

A recent video on YouTube claims that a Basij militia building in Iran was caught in an explosion after a natural gas line was set on fire. You can view it here [55].

Despite rumours circulating throughout the internet regarding the possible presence of the army, including tanks, in Tehran, most reliable eye witnesses on the ground deny this.

There seems to be no reliable estimate of the injured and dead from Saturday's clashes in Tehran.

A collection of six videos from the unrest and opposition in Iran are available here [56]. Another video, said to be from Saturday is available here [57], also here [58], and here [59].

Yesterday, a significant number of tweets from Iranians relayed links to first aid instructions, and pointers on how to deal with tear gas (in Farsi and English). This may in part have been a response to rumours that Basij militia were searching hospitals for opposition to the government.

Grand ayatollah Montazeri [62], one of the leaders of the 1970 revolution, is said to have released a statement today, published on peykeiran.com. The date at the bottom of the release indicates it was written on June 25, however peykeiran.com has published it as a new release. It is available in Farsi here [63], as well as a very rough English version here [64].

Contested Iranian president Ahmadinejad tells the US and Britain not to interfered in the country's internal affairs. Reuters reports on this [65].

"Definitely by hasty remarks you will not be placed in the circle of friendship with the Iranian nation. Therefore I advise you to correct your interfering stances," Ahdmadinejad was quoted as saying in ISNA news.

A Farsi and English version of Mousavi's fifth statement is available here [66]. An excerpt below:

"The great participation in this election was, in the first degree, indebted to the efforts for creating hope and trust among the people, to obtain a befitting response to the existing administrative crises and the widespread social dissatisfaction, whose accumulation can target the bedrock of the Revolution and the Regime. If this good faith and trust coming from the people is not answered by protecting their votes, or the people can not react in a civil and peaceful way to defend their rights, there will be dangerous pathways ahead, responsibility for which lies with those who can’t stand peaceful behaviors."

A statement by former Iranian president Khatami [67] has been released today. You can read it in Farsi here [68]. Google translate has a very rough English translation here [69].

Rafsanjani's daughter is said to have been arrested, according to Fars news. Rafsanjani chairs Iran's Assembly of Experts [70] (a body that can impeach the supreme leader), and is one of Iran's most powerful political figures. Times of India reports the following [71]:

"The daughter of Iran's former president Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani and four relatives were arrested over their involvement in protests against alleged election fraud in Iran, the Fars news agency reported on Sunday.

"Faezeh Hashemi, a renowned women's rights activist, former parliament deputy and head of women sports in Iran, has in the recent years emerged, like her father, as one of the main opponents of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad."

An ABC news journalist, Lara Setrakian [72], tweets that, "BBC resident Tehran correspondent Jon Leyne, a friend and ace reporter, given 24 hours to leave."

Multiple reports have come in that Mousavi and pro-Mousavi websites had been hacked today.

Tension in Iran is at a new high following Saturday's rise in violence in Tehran, where clashes between opposition demonstrators and security forces grew one day after a speech by the supreme leader Khamenei supporting Ahmadinejad as president, and asking an end to demonstrations.

Rumours were rife on Saturday, claiming the arrest of a number of influencial members of the Iran's reformists, including former parilamentary (majlis) members. Other rumours are circulating regarding the activity of the Revolutionary Guard, and the army. The possible mobilization of the military seems to have become a particular concern of the opposition in Tehran.

Images said to be from Saturday are available in a number of archives, one of them here [73]. The below image was uploaded to the internet by someone in Iran, claimed to be from Tehran on Saturday.

A video claimed to be from the city of Shiraz on Saturday, shows a demonstration that is broken up by security forces, view it here. [75] The most prominent male voice, among saying many things, can be heard saying "don't hit the old woman."

Iran's speaker of the parliament (majlis), Ali Larijani, on Saturday criticized some members of the powerful Guardian Council as biased. The Guardian Council supervises the election process and has more recently offered to conduct a partial recount of poll results.

"Larijani, however, believes that the Iranian people have lost their trust in the country's legal system. "Although the Guardian Council is made up of religious individuals I wish certain members would not side with a certain presidential candidate."

"The Guardian Council should use every possible means to build trust and convince the protesters that their complaints will be thoroughly looked into," the parliament speaker added."

A video of some of the Saturday's chaos in Tehran is available here [77]. It is graphic, showing a dead man, and the grieving. Other videos claimed to be from yesterday's upheaval in Tehran are available here [78], here [79]

Comments

Submitted by TerranceM on June 16, 2009 - 4:38am.

It’s good that you have these updates from Iran - Post Election. I think all of us must exercise our power to vote for our own sake. So the next time you will select the leaders of your nation, VOTE Wisely! Well, a lot of people want to know How Obama Got Elected. How Obama Got Elected is also the title of a documentary by John Ziegler, whose film purports that he was elected because the mainstream media was mean to Sarah Palin. It has been suggested that Obama was elected was via a process called voting – which has not occurred to Mr. Ziegler, who isn’t famed for intellectual prowess – and on a recent interview with Contessa Brewer on MSNBC, his microphone was cut due to his refusal to not act like an idiot. Many would give big cash advances to How Obama Got Elected to go away and Ziegler to shut up.

Submitted by thanks on June 16, 2009 - 11:18am.

thanks for the detailed reporting on the situation in Iran.

you've noted a political struggle between some leaders, and many other factors.

i'm interested in the background role the US might be playing here, helping manipulate legitimate concerns of the population to force the current leader out who is not willing to give certain global oil and nuclear corporations, and their bankers, control.

you observe that the protesting population does not seem to have specific demands except regime change. that's certainly a flag, along with the role that a former nuclear negotiator is playing, as well as the student-and-flower routine, and what we know of the current leader's stance on Iran's energy and financial policy.

there are serious issues with some of the human rights practice of the current leader, which are easy to denounce, and should be denounced and changed. but i'm concerned things will go from the frying pan into the fire with a more right-wing leader...

this is so hard when peoples in the country are between a rock and a hard place..like so many other places..

thanks again for your very helpful updates.

Submitted by thanks on June 20, 2009 - 1:25pm.

thanks again for the updates here.

in your link to his letter, it seems that Mousavi has legitimate complaints about the vote-rigging, which the government should address. Khameini has said that the opposition should use legal means to challenge the elections, rather than demonstrations, so when the opposition does express their legal complaints, the Guardian Council should then respond to that challenge appropriately.

i do hear you that it is very difficult to sort out who is doing what on the street, who shot the woman (maybe it was a third party agent trying to stir trouble) but uniformed police beatings of protesters is still just unacceptable. there needs to be an investigation into the Monday deaths too, and obviously return of all disappeared from wherever by whomever.

i suppose the symbolism of having the opposition in Revolution Square is what the government is trying to prevent, but it needs to address the stated legal complaints about the election or their intrasigience will just feed the polarizations, as you've noted is seeming to happen.

Submitted by davide1982 on July 19, 2009 - 3:29am.

Most of Iranians are really fed up with local authorities and laws which are unbearable anymore. Below the list of main restrictions set in Iran that may turn the life of average American into real nightmare:

http://www.myhowtoos.com/en/red-hot/89-10-reasons-you-would-never-live-i...