Videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i37YRF4RmvE&feature=player_embedded
Video Gallery of March 1st Protests in Iran http://persian2english.com/?p=20336 Persian2English <http://persian2english.com/> Breaking the Language Barrier on Human Rights Recap of Opposition Protests in Iran on March 1stMarch 01, 2011 News Topics <http://persian2english.com/?category_name=uncategorized> | Videos <http://persian2english.com/?category_name=videos> <http://persian2english.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/anti-riot2.jpg> Tehran was filled with anti-riot police forces today On March 1st, brave and persistent Iranian civilians once again protested in the main cities of the country. Gatherings and clashes were reported in Shiraz, Isfahan, Mashhad, Tehran, and Rasht. Persian2English has recapped the events that unfolded in Iran today. The support received from people outside the country is also highlighted. Today’s civilian protests in Iran were organized by supporters of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, the two head figures of the reformist opposition movement in Iran. The most recent news from opposition websites indicates that the two men have been captured by the Islamic Republic of Iran officials and are held in Tehran’s Heshmatiyeh prison<http://persian2english.com/?p=20255>. Their families have not been able to contact them for the past two weeks and no other sources have information on Mousavi’s and Karroubi’s conditions. Also, no officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran have confirmed the news of the arrests. Last night, Mohammad Marandi, the unofficial propaganda mouthpiece for the Islamic Republic of Iran told CNN,<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coz4XBvXbbY>“Mr. Mousavi and Mr. Karroubi are seen by the vast majority of people to have, gone way too far, caused riots, [and] effectively accepted the backing of the United States, terrorist organizations like the Mujahedin Khalgh, Monrachists. And this is something in Iran that is just unacceptable.” *Date: *June 2009 *Description:* Mousavi in a televised 2009 presidential election debate (FA) <http://persian2english.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/banner.jpg> Tehran, March 1, 2011: on the Niyayesh highway, a poster with the picture of Khamenei hangs on the cement walls. The text reads: "Dictator, say hello to the end." *PROTESTS IN TEHRAN* Based on the videos that surfaced from Iran<http://persian2english.com/?p=20336>, the main chants in Tehran were, “Death to the dictator”, “Allah o Akbar”, and “Ya Hossein Mir Hossein”. Civilians also chanted a couple slogans that called on the army to join the people. Many cars honked their horns in support of the people braving to protest while walking in the streets. Numerous news sites reported on protests outside the University of Tehran and on Enghelab Square. The amount of anti-riot police forces out on the streets was unprecedented and, according to eyewitnesses<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw1vnXpmqls>, many people were forced to show their protest by honking the car horn. Deutsche Welle <http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,6455126,00.html>published an eyewitness account of a large crowd gathered in Tehran, despite the use of tear gas on protesters. Unconfirmed reports indicated that the crowd that has gathered at Enghelab Square was larger than the one for the February 14th protests. Kaleme <http://www.kaleme.com/1389/12/10/klm-49976/> reported that anti-riot and plainclothes forces attacked<https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150150144196071&id=1409869442>protesters on some streets in the central part of Tehran, mainy around Enghelab Square. The regime forces used batons, tasers and tear gas to attack protesters. There are also reports of gun fire around Enghelab Square. It is not confirmed whether the bullets used were real or plastic. The gatherings grew larger as night time approached. Protesters who tried to enter Enghelab Square through side streets were dispersed by regime agents. Around 6:30pm, anti-riot and plainclothes forces prevented people from entering Valiasr Square and ENghelab Square. All entrances to these two squares were blocked. According to BBC Persian<http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/2011/02/110214_live_iran_25bahman.shtml>, eyewitnesses report the arrest of at least 50 people in Enghelab Square. * PROTESTS IN MASHHAD* Based on the videos that surfaced from Iran<http://persian2english.com/?p=20336>, there were anti-regime protests in Mashhad by civilians. There were also night chants of “Allah o Akbar”. According to Kaleme <http://www.kaleme.com/1389/12/10/klm-49970/>, ten people were arrested on Ahmad Abad Street. * PROTESTS IN SHIRAZ* Based on the videos that surfaced from Iran<http://persian2english.com/?p=20336>, civilians in Shiraz held protests chanting, “Mubarak, Ben Ali, now it’s time for Seyed Ali”, “Marg bar dictator” and “Don’t be afraid, we’re united”, and “Marg bar Khamenei”. Cars passing by also honked their cars in support. *PROTESTS IN ISFAHAN* Based on the videos that surfaced from Iran<http://persian2english.com/?p=20336>, people in Isfahan chanted at night, “Allah o Akbar”. *PROTESTS IN RASHT* According to Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran<http://hrdai.blogspot.com/2011/03/blog-post_5305.html>, Civilians in Rasht chanted loudly, “Marg bar dictator” and “Allah o Akbar”. The protest began at 4:30pm <http://www.freedomessenger.com/?p=24179>, despite the heavy rain. Cars passing honked in support of the protesters. Security forces responded by breaking car windows and denting the vehicles. Around 6:00pm, security forces attempted to disperse the crowds by issuing threats, but the people continued. Security and plainclothes forces eventually attacked the crowds and clashes erupted. HRDAI reported that the number of arrests in Rasht exceeded 100. Protests took shape in the afternoon and also the evening. People chanted “Marg bar dictator” in Tehran and passing cars honked their horns. In Isfahan, people chanted Allah o Akbar when night fell. In Isfaan, during the day, the people clashed with security forces. protesters chanted, “Freedom, freedom.” *Wall Street Journal*<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704506004576174254108776140.html?mod=wsj_share_facebook> <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704506004576174254108776140.html?mod=wsj_share_facebook>“The level of anger on both sides was unprecedented,” said a young man from Tehran. He said at one point a team of riot-police had encircled the crowd where he was standing and beat the crowd with electric batons. When protestors shoved them back, they fired in the air, he said. *The Associated Press*<http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ifKeLAUFGPsxgThns67DZ18WQdfQ?docId=f1c46f5f659e42b392bedacac09e3fd4> Witnesses said riot police charged on protesters in central Tehran to try to scatter crowds. Some police took swipes at cars whose drivers were believed to be honking their horns in support of the demonstrators. There were no reports of injuries, but opposition websites said several people were arrested. *SOLIDARITY WITH IRAN PROTEST IN TORONTO* ** * <http://persian2english.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/toronto3.jpg>* Young supporter holds poster against executions in Iran ** Torontoinans gathered at Mel Lastman Square late Nonday afternoon until early evening in solidarity with the Iranian people’s protests scheduled for the next day. Protesters held signs that read: “No to the Islamic Republic of Iran”, “Free political prisoners”, “Please, Canada, raise your voice. Speak out even louder against executions in Iran”, and “We are countless”. The gathered protesters chanted, “Marg bar dictator”, “Free political prisoners”, “Freedom for Iran”, and “Release Mousavi and Karroubi”. They also sang a few revlutionary songs together. <http://persian2english.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/toronto1.jpg> Activist in Toronto supports Iran in protest Iran Updates: 10 Esfand / March 1 by JOSH SHAHRYAR, HOMYLAFAYETTE, DAN GEIST, TEHRAN BUREAU STAFF, and CORRESPONDENTS 01 Mar 2011 07:5140 Comments<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2011/03/iran-live-blog-10-esfand-march-1.html#disqus_thread> [image: MehdiAndFatemehKarroubi.jpg][image: RahnavardAndMousavi.jpg] *Iran Standard Time (IRST), GMT+3:30* *11:40 p.m. *A Tehran resident tells Tehran Bureau: I wandered on down to Vanak, shopping in hand, the place was teeming with security on all corners of the square, plenty of plain-clothed police, some of whom sat in cars around the square. I'd not seen this before, that many parked cars occupying the now unused end strip of the bus lane. At first I thought they were cars claimed due to sounding of the horn, but upon a second pass there were people that sat within them. If anything Vanak was abnormally quiet for that time of day. My guess is that the 'real shopping' was happening farther downtown. There was the presence of a new type of uniform, or at least it was the riot squad with the protective gear off, all black [clothing], big fellas too. I heard people being urged to not stay still and to move on. On this occasion, this one sat out. Oddly enough my VPN is not working and another method of connection is not working. I expect the VPN to fail because it seems to have some link with the government here: http://www.iraniandubai.net; they have ceased to work on most protest days and were out for a few days following Feb. 14. Their reason being that the Mokhaberat [national telecoms provider] had caused this. The company has an Iranian bank account so they must operate with the knowledge of the government. My other method being blocked is more interesting because it shows the smarts of these guys. I'm using my third method, my backup tunneling method, nothing out of the ordinary but does the job albeit very, very painfully slowly. *11:10 p.m.* Our marvelous mapster shows where the action happened today: [image: IranMarch1ProtestMap.jpg] As far as the English-language website of the official Islamic Republic News Agency is concerned, there was no news worth reporting about the protests or about the situation with Mousavi and Karroubi. Still, due attention was paid to human rights concerns with a featured story<http://www.irna.ir/ENNewsShow.aspx?NID=30273072&SRCH=1>on Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast and his statement in which, as IRNA put it, "he reiterated that the US double standard policy and the statements made by its senior officials, particularly Ms Clinton, have weakened the human rights status in the world. The US authorities' approach has severely damaged the issue of human rights, Mehmanparast noted." *11:05 p.m.* DW Persian has an extensive report<http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,6455126,00.html>(in Farsi) from a Tehran eyewitness: The number of security forces today in Tehran was higher than February 14 and 20. There were a lot of plainclothesmen. The security forces hit the protesters hard in an attack at Vali Asr Crossroads and closed off the area. They fired a few shots in the air and the crowd dispersed. We waited for half an hour in one of the side streets of Vali Asr and then exited with a few others. In the dark and cold, we started walking toward Enghelab and Azadi squares. The entire crowd were walking toward the west on the sidewalks, but there were a lot of plainclothesmen among the people. The avenue was jammed with traffic. The signals wouldn't turn green or were forced to not turn green. The drivers were honking their horns. Every now and then, security forces would politely take someone aside and check their camera, cell phone, bag, or wallet and then take a picture. I could see people on scaffolds, taking people's pictures from a wide angle after a minute's pause. Right before Navab Avenue, the crowd got denser and security forces moved to disperse them. People quickly turned down side streets. Some said there were clashes on Navab and they don't want people to get there. We went toward Tohid like the other times. Then, we went toward Azadi and saw that people were moving away from the avenue because there were clashes down there. People were being attacked by security forces and plainclothesmen. The sound of honking horns was really loud and disturbing. The cold air was also making us suffer. Right then, they held two of my friends to check their equipment. We told them we were going home from work and because the roads were jammed with traffic, we had to walk. Security forces had brutally attacked protesters. Some people told us they had fired shots in the air repeatedly. I can't say how many people were there. But I can tell you that half the people on the sidewalks were security forces and Basij. *10:50 p.m.* Some small items via<http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/2011/02/110214_live_iran_25bahman.shtml>BBC Persian: Saham News claims that there were protests in Islamshahr, southwest of Tehran. Ardeshir Amir Arjomand, senior advisor to Mousavi, told BBC that violence against protesters had lost its effectiveness. An eyewitness reported hearing gunshots from Navab Avenue in Tehran. Nedaye Sabze Azadi reports that the headquarters of the official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) as well as several madrassas, including Ayatollah Saeedi's, are being used as temporary detention centers for protesters. A video purportedly shot in Shiraz this evening. It is especially difficult to authenticate the currency of nighttime videos, so we must often rely on the most basic tests: Is it compatible with the available verbal descriptions? In this case, yes. And has anyone seen it before? Everyone here is quite sure that they haven't seen this one before, but if you have, please let us know and point us to where: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Max1o568gb0&feature=player_embedded *10:15 p.m.* From Mousavi's Facebook page -- the description of the violence as "unprecedented" may be generally accurate in comparison to the protests on February 14 and 20, but is not likely to be if the relevant timeframe encompasses 2009 and the protests following the June presidential election and in December, on the Day of Ashura: Kalame reports unprecedented violence by security forces, plain clothes agents and anti riot police against protesters in the streets of Tehran today. The violent clashes continued in a variety of areas across Tehran at the time this report was published. It has been reported that a large group of protesters have been surrounded in and around Enghelab square. The demonstrations today are in protest to the arrest and incarceration of the Green opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi and their spouses, Dr. Zahra Rahnavard and Fatemeh Karroubi. One of Kalame's reporters who was present on Enghelab street reports: "At around 6:30pm today a large crowd of people had gathered around Vali Asr square chanting 'Ya Hossein... Mir Hossein' and 'Ya Mehdi... Sheikh Mehdi.' Gun shots were heard while, protesters were attacked by anti riot police and plain clothes agents. I was in the middle of the crowd and like everyone else I tried to run away. When I arrived in a safe area, I realized that my jacket was stained with blood, splattered all over me as a result of people being shot." An eye witness present around the side streets of Enghelab street reported: "We were stuck in one of the side streets. Tear gas had filled the street and we could hear gun shots coming from somewhere in our vicinity. People kept chanting 'Death to Dictator.'" Here is an image of a banner apparently hung today along Tehran's Niyayesh Highway. It bears an image of Khamenei and the text "Dictator be payan salam kon" -- Dictator, say hello to the end. Below it is a brief video of the banner being hung. [image: HelloEndBanner.jpg] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TytvUjlp19Y&feature=player_embedded *9:50 p.m.* Saham News claims that protests continue in different parts of Tehran. Reports of chants of "Mousavi and Karroubi must be freed!" coming from the center of the city. BBC Persian's TV channel has apparently been jammed again around the country. *9:35 p.m.* There are multiple reports that Fakhrolsadat Mohtashamipour has been arrested. She is the wife of imprisoned opposition activist Mostafa Tajzadeh<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2010/06/tajzadeh-reformists-should-ask-the-nation-for-forgiveness.html>-- deputy interior minister for security and political affairs in the Khatami administration. Mohtashamipour was briefly detained<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2010/12/extra-artists-plea-for-mohammad-nourizad-to-end-hunger-strike.html>this past December. [image: Fakhrosaddat Mohtashamipour.jpg] BBC Persian reports that protests in Tehran's main squares continue and tear gas is being fired on protesters to disperse them. In Shiraz, again according to BBC Persian, protesters chanted "Mubarak, Ben Ali, now it's time for Seyyed Ali" -- bracketing the ousted Egyptian and Tunisian dictators with Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. As we reported<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2011/02/iran-live-blog-25-bahman-14-february.html>, those chants were first heard in Tehran during the demonstrations of 25 Bahman. *9:10 p.m.* Two videos purportedly from today. The first from Shiraz; the second from Mashhad. While we know that the BBC has associated its logo with one and aired the other, we can not independently confirm their authenticity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLaT17MW53Y&feature=player_embedded http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrOmhVefOEA&feature=player_embedded *8:50 p.m.* Our columnist Muhammad Sahimi submits the following, based on reports from Saham News, the website of Mehdi Karroubi's National Trust Party; Kaleme, the website that is close to Mir Hossein Mousavi; and other online sources: Two police cars were attacked and set on fire in Enghelab (Revolution) Square, next to the campus of the University of Tehran. It is not clear who the culprits are. Reports indicate that a very large banner of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been set on fire in Sadeghiyeh Square. Security forces attacked people in an effort to take away the banner. In many parts of Tehran large crowds gathered. They include Ferdowsi Square, and Navvab and Behboudi streets. According to an eyewitness a large crowd gathered in Jamalzadeh Street leading to Enghelan Square. Another eyewitness has reported that the Basij militia brutally attacked people on Vali Asr Street. Reports indicate that in Imam Hossein Square, where the marches were to begin, tear gas was used to disperse the crowd and prevent it from marching toward Enghelab Square. Another report indicates that the special forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and plainclothes agents attacked people trying to move toward Azadi Square from Enghelab Square. Kaleme reports severe violence. Security forces attacked smaller crowds with batons and larger ones with tear gas. The slogans "Allah-o Akbar" and "Marg bar dictator" were heard up and down Azadi Street. Another eyewitness told Deutsche Welle that the violence is comprable with what occurred the immediate aftermath of the 2009 election. Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast reacted angrily to the reaction and concerns of Western officials about recent developments in Iran. He said that the West should pay attention to the demonstrations on the anniversary of the revolution on February 11, not to those by the Green Movement that are done by "a small number of people." He also said that the arrest of Mousavi and Karroubi is an internal matter. Majles Speaker Ali Larijani said that the report about the events of February 14 is confidential and will not be made public. The Association of Combatant Clerics, the leftist clerical group that is headed by Mohammad Khatami and Ayatollah Mohammad Mousavi Khoeiniha, issued a statement condeming the arrest of Mousavi and Karroubi and demanded their immediate release. Reporters without Borders demanded that the Islamic Republic be condemned in the Human Rights Council of the United Nations for the recent developments. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle asked his counterpart Ali Akbar Salehi to guarantee the well-being of Mousavi and Karroubi. White House spokesman Jay Carney and State Department spokesman P. J. Crowley have both condemned the arrest of the two leaders. *8:15 p.m.* From Isfahan, an eyewitness tells BBC Persian that the protest there was peaceful and people did not chant too much. Security forces also reportedly treated protesters better than on 1 Esfand/February 20. In Tehran, RAHANA reports <https://hra-news.org/00/7116-1.html> that at least 50 protesters have been arrested in Enghelab Square. *8:10 p.m.* According <http://www.rahana.org/archives/36837> to RAHANA, Ahmad Abad Street in Mashhad -- hometown of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei -- has become the scene of heavy clashes between the people and security forces. An eyewitness reports, "The clashes are severe. They're just short of firing mortar shells! The number of arrests is very high. I can say that there have been at least 150 arrests." A caller into BBC Persian says, "A lot of people were on the north side of Enghelab Street. Security forces shot tear gas at us when we reached a crossroads and corralled us into North Kargar Street. Once there, people started chanting. The sidewalks were filled with people." Other eyewitnesses add to the claims that security forces are breaking the windshields and mirrors of cars that are honking in support of the protesters in Tehran. *8:00 p.m.* A protester just ran into a residence off a Tehran street to direct message us via Twitter: "People are furious over M/K's arrest and fighting back." On BBC Persian's radio program *Nobateh Shoma (Your Turn),*an eyewitness called in the following report: Security did not know what to do. People were everywhere, chanting here and there. The Revolutionary Guards and Basijis started smashing car windows because they were at a loss about what to do. The people have to be thanked for coming out in their cars in such numbers. I'm going home now to freshen up, then go out again. *7:45 p.m.* Press TV, the English-language subsidiary of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, in a story on its website affirms<http://www.presstv.ir/detail/167554.html>the official denial that Mousavi and Karroubi have been arrested while at the same time advancing the odd claim that "steps" are being taken toward their eventual arrest -- apparently for their involvement in the events following the disputed presidential election over a year and a half ago: An official with the Iranian Judiciary has rejected reports that the heads of the sedition movement, Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, have been arrested. "These two are presently in their own homes and restrictions have been imposed on their contact with suspicious elements," Judiciary Spokesman Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei was quoted by Fars News Agency as saying on Monday. Mohseni-Ejei warned that if necessary, tougher measures would be taken against the "domestic counter-revolutionary movement." "Today, this movement has gone beyond sedition and turned into [a] counter-revolutionary [one]," he added. He pointed to limitations placed on social interaction and telephone contacts of the leaders of sedition and emphasized that further steps would be taken towards "their arrest and trial." The spokesman said all aspects surrounding the case have been identified, stressing that the role of foreigners have become obvious. *7:35 p.m.* According to BBC Persian, an eyewitness claims that protesters have taken control of Abiwardi Avenue in Tehran. The office of the president of the European Parliament, Poland's Jerzy Buzek, has posted<http://www.europarl.europa.eu/president/view/en/press/press_release/2011/2011-March/press_release-2011-March-1.html>the text of his statement concerning the arrests of Mousavi and Karroubi: I am deeply concerned by the arrest of the Iranian opposition leaders Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi yesterday night. Different reports concur that both candidates of the 2009 presidential election were taken by security forces to an unspecified location, together with their wives. I firmly condemn this attempt at the personal integrity of the highest representatives of the democratic opposition in Iran. Their arrest is unfounded and unjustified by all standards. This attempt at intimidation is a grave violation of the most basic principles of democracy and justice. In a republic, the peaceful expression of the people's aspirations should be self-evident. The heavy-handed crackdown on the democratic opposition shows once again the true face of the Iranian regime. The nervous reactions of the authorities are the best proof that the democratic movements in Egypt and Iran are driven by the same aspirations - freedom instead of authoritarian rule. No regime can afford to disregard the people's will in the long run. Opposition leaders should be allowed to act freely in representing the views of their supporters. Mir-Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karoubi and their families should be released unconditionally and the Iranian authorities should provide explanations regarding their arrest with full transparency. *7:25 p.m.* A fascinating piece appears near the top of the website of the semiofficial Fars news agency under the headline "Report: MKO behind False Report about Detention of Iran's Opposition Figures<http://english.farsnews.net/newstext.php?nn=8912101241>." It's worth excerpting at length to get a picture of how the government is portraying recent events: Reports about the detention of opposition leaders by the Iranian government are false and have been fabricated and released by the members of the terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) in a move to stir unrests in Iran, reliable sources said Tuesday. Jodashodegan website, a website affiliated to the defected members of the MKO, quoted sources privy to MKO headquarters in Paris as saying that the reports have been fabricated by the MKO's intelligence agents who have infiltrated into the overseas branch of the opposition movement led by Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi. The Karroubi and Mousavi-led unrests originally started after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected as the next president of the country with over 62% percent of the votes cast in Iran's 10th presidential election in 2009. Both Karroubi and Mousavi have been top officials of the Islamic Republic for year[s]. Yet, both opposition figures have repeatedly underlined their hatred and disapproval of the MKO since the group has no public support within Iran because of its role in helping Saddam Hussein in the Iraqi imposed war on Iran (1980-1988). The Jodashodegan website said that several MKO elements have also established a phone contact with the Persian-language Kalame website and tried to fool the website. Disguised as discontent[ed] officials of the Islamic Republic, the MKO agents claimed that the Tehran government has arrested both Karroubi and Mousavi. Minutes after the false report was released by Kalame website, an Iranian judicial official rejected the claim that Mousavi and Karroubi were moved to Tehran's Heshmatieh prison. The official told FNA that the two men are currently in their houses and Iranian authorities have restricted their contacts merely with some suspected elements. *7:20 p.m.* Regime-aligned website Raja News claims that people are out shopping for Nowruz, the Persian New Year, as usual. As we noted earlier, "shopping for New Year's" has apparently been adopted as a humorous code for protesting by supporters of the opposition. *7:15 p.m.* According to a Tehran source, conveyed via a friend's Facebook status update, "There's a great crowd on Jamalzadeh Avenue. There are a lot of clashes but people are fighting back too. A lot of people have turned up!" CNN's Reza Sayah tweets, "Tehran witness -- protesters disrobe cleric riding as passenger on motorbike near Azadi & Enghelab." Kalame reports<http://tinyurl.com/4k6euxa>protesters in Ferdowsi Square and on Behboudi and Navab streets. *7:05 p.m.* Eyewitnesses tell<http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,6455126,00.html>DW Persian that intense clashes have been taking place in Enghelab Square. BBC Persian has several reports that gunshots have been heard from Vanak Square. *6:55 p.m.* Per BBC Persian, a Tehran eyewitness claims Basij militia are "mercilessly attacking" protesters in the area around Vali Asr Square and Crossroads. Jaras reports <http://www.rahesabz.net/story/33541/> at least ten people arrested on Mashhad's Ahmad Abad Street, near Rahnamayi Crossroads. *6:45 p.m.* Kaleme now backs the claim<http://www.kaleme.com/1389/12/10/klm-49952/>that there have been clashes in front of Tehran University. Tear gas was reportedly used on protesters there. Agence France Presse reports clashes and the use of tear gas in various central Tehran locations. Homylafayette tells us that he hears the sounds of tear gas and/or shots being fired in the background as a caller speaks on ePersian radio from Azadi Avenue. He can also hear a chant of "Irani mimirad, zellat nemipazirad" (Iranians will die, but will not accept humiliation). BBC Persian says there are now reports of protests in Karaj and Tabriz, as well as Tehran. *6:30 p.m.* DW Persian conveys<http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,6455126,00.html>an eyewitnesses report of heavy clashes on Kargare Shomali Avenue. Eyewitnesses also tell DW Persian that people have gathered from Jamalzadeh Avenue to Enghelab Square and are chanting sporadically. Tear gas has been used several times in an attempt to disperse them -- nonetheless, it appears that the crowd is even larger than gathered in the area on 25 Bahman/February 14. There is a rumor -- entirely unconfirmed -- that Mousavi has suffered a heart attack. ePersian claims that as a result, people are moving toward Resalat Hospital, where Mousavi has supposedly been taken. The hospital is at the corner of Abozar Street and Resalat Freeway, a few hundred yards north of the Defense Ministry. The rain stopped in Tehran a few hours ago. The sun came out over parts of the city before it set about 40 minutes ago. In Shiraz, a source claims that the crowd that had gathered in Namazi Avenue is being dispersed by security forces. *6:25 p.m.* According to BBC Persian, eyewitnesses report that a large crowd has gathered in Enghelab Square and cars are honking their horns in protest. According to these reports, chants can be heard from Vesal Crossroads and "Ya Hossein, Mir Hossein" and "Ya Mehdi" can be heard quite clearly. Several eyewitnesses claim that the number of protesters is increasing. Madyar tweets that three people have been arrested on Rudaki Avenue. *6:20 p.m.* Iran Green Voice reports<http://www.irangreenvoice.com/article/2011/mar/01/11503>that Vali Asr Square and Behboodi Avenue are full of people. Reports suggest that people have gathered in Tohid Square as well and that there are people on many streets leading to Azadi Avenue. Kaleme, Mousavi's website, reports<http://www.kaleme.com/1389/12/10/klm-49937>a large number of people on Enghelab. Persianbanoo tweets that there have been reports of clashes in front of Tehran University, and of people there chanting "Ya Hossein, Mir Hossein." *6:10 p.m.* Eyewitnesses tell BBC Persian that people created an artificial traffic congestion in Resalat Avenue to halt the advance of riot police and Basij. Bardia on EPersian says he is at the intersection of Vali Asr and Enghelab and that tear gas has been fired there. Ferdowsi Square has been closed off by police. People have gotten out of their cars and are walking westward down Enghelab toward Azadi Square. According to Human Rights House of Iran (RAHANA), trash bins are being collected around the city by municipal workers to prevent protesters from setting fires in them. [image: GarbageCansCollected.jpg] *5:55 p.m.* A source in Shiraz claims that a lot of people have gathered in Mullah Sadra, but that no one is protesting yet. Nikahang Kowsar, a popular Iranian cartoonist and editor now based in Washington, D.C., says that his Khodnevis website is being subjected to a severe denial-of-service (DOS) attack. We just tried to call up the page, at www.khodnevis.org, and were unsuccessful. *5:45 p.m.* A protester tells Tehran Bureau: Police are everywhere. I'm about to head out toward the square now. Because it's so cold, I'm not sure how many will show up. It's raining, and it was snowing this morning. To tell you the truth, I am worried about people who want to start something violent in the name of the people and give an excuse for the government for more repression. Here and today, getting beaten up is OK but getting shot sucks. You can see the eyes of the person beating you up, but you cannot see the one who shoots. Despite the heavy presence of security personnel on the streets of Tehran, reports<http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/2011/02/110214_live_iran_25bahman.shtml>BBC Persian, cars are relentlessly honking their horns. Eyewitnesses say that shopkeepers in the center of the city, including those around Tehran University and Karim Khan Bridge, have been asked to close shop early today. One eyewitness claims that in a gathering of protesters in Imam Hossein Square, chants of "Marg bar Khamenei" (Death to Khamenei) could be heard. *5:05 p.m.* Eyewitnesses tell BBC Persian that shouts of "Marg bar dictator" (Death to the dictator) can be heard sporadically amid the honking of car horns in the streets of central Tehran. *4:55 p.m.* Madyar tweets that four people were just arrested in Keshavarz Boulevard in Tehran. *4:45 p.m.* An eyewitness tells<http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/2011/02/110214_live_iran_25bahman.shtml>BBC Persian that the first group of protesters has gathered near Karim Khan Bridge and Wesal Avenue even though there are many riot police and Basijis stationed there. Elsewhere, the prisoners at Rejaei Shahr in Karaj have pledged support for the protesters and opposition to the Iranian government. *4:30 p.m.* A source in Shiraz tweets that he's going to "buy supplies for Eid" from Mullah Sadra (a major thoroughfare) to Eram (the city's famous botanical garden, and the name of a street as well). "Eid" is a festival or festival day -- the literal reference in this case would be to Eid-e Nowruz, the celebration of the Persian New Year, March 20 this year. "Buying supplies for Eid" is apparently jocular code for protesting. *4:05 p.m.* Security forces have taken up positions in the main squares and along the major thoroughfares in the capital. There is a report of protesters chanting on Esteghlal Street. *3:50 p.m.* It's raining in Tehran right now, as it has been most of the time since last night -- good protection against tear gas, say those in the know. The temperature is 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Concerning the calls to demonstrate today, one of our correspondents writes: I am not pretending that I know what will happen, since I do not know. The events have become so unpredictable that no one can say what will come next. This we know: Mr. Mousavi and Mr. Karroubi and their wives are confined in a military prison called Heshmateyeh in the center of Tehran. They cannot be reached and their family members have not been able to visit them for days. An anonymous official in the ministry of intelligence has told Tabnak, a conservative outlet close to Mohsen Rezaei, former commander in chief of IRGC, that they have not been arrested but are being protected so counterrevolutionary elements will not take advantage of them. Officials appear most reluctant to admit publicly that they have arrested the wartime prime minister of Iran and the speaker of the Majles, the Iranian parliament, at the peak of revolutionary fervor. Nobody uses the "a" word. The officials' silence might be inspired by the fact that both men and their wives have impeccable revolutionary credentials. Both were close to Ayatollah Khomeini, the charismatic leader and the founder of the Islamic Republic. Their wives, Zahra Rahnavard and Fatemeh Karroubi, have played and play noteworthy roles in Iranian politics, sometimes independent of their husbands. More significantly, both men have acknowledged their wives' achievements. Their marriages appear to be genuine partnerships rather than traditional arrangements, in which the wife is subject to the husband. However their political background is not the only cause of the official silence regarding their condition. Caution demands it as well. It seems officials are genuinely interested in avoiding provoking the public, while they are determined to restrict the public access to the two couples. The officials are mindful of the fact that both Mr. Mousavi and Mr. Karroubi have a significant following among the veterans of war and revolution. Their reaction to the arrest of the two leaders and their wives at best would be unpredictable, and at worst could be violent. Having Mr. Mousavi and Mr. Karroubi confided in a military establishment in the center of Tehran alongside their influential wives appears to be midway solution, at least in the short run. Copyright © 2011 Tehran Bureau Read more: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2011/03/iran-live-blog-10-esfand-march-1.html#ixzz1FVfQR1e3 Fissures in the Revolutionary Guards' Officer Corps? by MUHAMMAD SAHIMI in Los Angeles 01 Mar 2011 01:2921 Comments<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2011/03/fissures-in-the-revolutionary-guards-officer-corps.html#disqus_thread> [image: General-Firouzabadi-with-Jafari.jpg]*Examining the tensions both within the corps and between the Guards and the regular armed forces.* *[ comment ]* The events since the June 12, 2009, presidential election in Iran have made it clear that the most important base of support for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its intelligence apparatus. The IRGC also controls the Basij militia, which it has been using to crack down on peaceful demonstrations. When huge protests broke out after the 2009 election, the Guards tried to quell them with brute force applied by Basijis, its own intelligence unit, and plainclothes officers. The last group belongs to a special brigade under the command of the Guard intelligence directorate. Ever since Mohammad Khatami was elected president by a landslide in May 1997 and the depth of Iranians' dissatisfaction with the hardliners became clear, the plainclothes officers have essentially been turned into a machine for suppressing and oppressing the people. But whereas the security/intelligence units of the IRGC succeeded in the past in quickly putting down demonstrations, they have not been so successful since the 2009 election. The reason is that, unlike what some Iranians -- both in the diaspora and in the regime -- liked to believe, the confrontation between the hardliners and the Green Movement is not a sprint, but a marathon. It is a war based not on shock and awe and quick results, but on attrition. Those who stand last will win the confrontation. As the experience in many countries, including the 1979 Revolution in Iran, has demonstrated, the security/intelligence apparatus can hardly win a war of attrition. There are several reasons why this is so. First, ever since the 2009 election, even the most minor issue has been viewed by the hardliners as a security problem. This has meant that the Guard high command has had to keep its personnel on high alert all the time, which is tiring and demoralizing. Second, as the war of attrition continues, more violence is bound to happen that, on the one hand, radicalizes a certain portion of the protestors and, on the other hand, begins to create doubts in the minds of some of the security/intelligence personnel about the legitimacy of what they are doing to the people. Third, as the February 14 marches indicated, in addition to Tehran, the demonstrations may now occur in other cities around the country. This means that each city needs its own security forces to be on alert, and the plainclothes security agents cannot be easily and quickly transferred from one city to another, and in particular to Tehran. Therefore, the question may no longer be how to control Tehran, rather how to control multiple cities. One of the most interesting aspects of what is happening in Iran and the response of the security/intelligence apparatus is the fact that the regular army has been almost completely silent. In contrast to many of the hardline officers in the IRGC high command, who have been speaking regularly about the need for a harsh crackdown on the Green Movement and its leaders, very few generals in the regular army have spoken about the crisis that the nation faces. One main exception has been the chief of staff of the armed forces, Major General Hassan Firouzabadi. He has frequently spoken against the Green Movement. Born in 1951 in Mashhad, he had no background as an officer either in the regular army or the IRGC before being made a general -- he was actually trained as a veterinarian. He was a member of the Basij however. During the war with Iraq, Firouzabadi worked at the Khatam ol-Anbiya headquarters, which was set up by Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani in the basement of the Majles building (it was later moved). Firouzabadi was Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mousavi's representative at the headquarters, in which role he worked with the armed forces. Back in June 1981, after President Abolhassan Bani Sadr was impeached, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini had transferred his authority as commander-in-chief of the armed forces to Rafsanjani. When the war ended in 1988, a council of professional military officers conferred the rank of major general on Firouzabadi. After Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was named Supreme Leader in 1989, he appointed Firouzabadi to his present position. The friendship between the two men goes back to the prerevolutionary era. This, in fact, is in line with what has been happening in Iran more broadly since the end of the war. After the conflict, the army returned to its barracks and has essentially been silent over the past two decades. Some of the Guard officers raised their voices<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2009/09/irgcs-deeply-rooted-animosity-for-reformists.html>in 1999, after the uprising<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2009/10/power-behind-the-scene-khoeiniha.html>by students in the dormitories of the University of Tehran, which shook the foundations of the Islamic Republic. In response to the uprising, 24 top IRGC commanders, including then Brigadier General Mohammad Ali Jafari -- now the top Guard commander and a major general -- wrote a letter to Khatami threatening that if he did not stop the pursuit of his reformist agenda, they would be forced to take strong action. It read, in part, Your Excellency, Mr. Khatami, look at the international media and radio broadcasts. Does the sound of their merriment not reach your ear? Dear Mr. President, if you do not make a revolutionary decision today, and fail to fulfill your Islamic and national duty, tomorrow will be too late and the damage will be more irreversible than can be imagined.... With all due respect, we inform you that our patience is at an end, and we do not think it is possible to tolerate any more if [the issue is] not addressed. There were credible reports at that time that, in reaction to that letter, another letter to Khatami was signed by a large number of army commanders and former Guard commanders, in which they expressed their support for him, although that letter was not widely circulated. There is increasing evidence that cracks have begun to emerge in the security/intelligence apparatus, including fissures in the Guards' officer corps. The first signs actually emerged in June 2009. It took the IRGC more than a week to issue a statement declaring its position regarding the huge demonstrations on June 25. That was already a tantalizing indication that the Guard officers are not as united as many had assumed. Then, in July it was reported that a group of regular army officers were arrested when IRGC intelligence was alerted about their plan to attend former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's sermon during Friday Prayers at the University of Tehran on July 17. The officers had decided to attend the service in full military uniform as a symbol of their support for the people. Then there is the case of Brigadier General Ali Fazli. Until fall 2009, he commanded the Sayyed ol-Shohada Corps, which is responsible for the security of Tehran province. Due to his bravery, Fazli, who lost his left eye in the Iran-Iraq War, was one of the most popular Guard commanders during the conflict. On June 21, 2009, the *Guardian* reported<http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/blog/2009/jun/21/iran-unrest-live>that he had been arrested. The report turned out to be incorrect, and Fazli did make some statements against the Green Movement. But as a former student of mine who served under him during his mandatory military service told me, "Fazli is very tough, but also very fair." A few days before 16 Azar (December 7), 2009, Iran's student day<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2010/12/the-spirit-of-16-azar-irans-student-day.html>, Fazli said that the Guards would greet the students who planned to protest on that day with flowers. That apparently angered the hardliners, because he was quietly removed from his command position at the Sayyed ol-Shohada Corps and transferred to the Basij militia. In winter 2010, another statement supposedly issued by some officers of the regular army was reported by several websites. The statement warned the IRGC about its harsh treatment of the people. Many wondered whether the statement was authentic. A friend with good sources in Iran told me that it appears that the statement was fabricated, not by the opposition, but by the hardliners themselves. According to him, the hardliners do not trust the regular army. They still remember the letter of support sent by army officers to Khatami in 1999, as well as the fact that when the clerics were trying to oust Bani Sadr, the Islamic Republic's first president, in 1981, many in the army had supported him. In addition, internal polls indicated that more than 70 percent of the armed forces supported Mousavi in the 2009 election (polls indicated similar backing for Khatami in 1997). According to this analysis, the statement was thus meant to be used against the command structure of the army, as part of an effort that could lead to the replacement of its top commanders by Guard officers. If true, this is an indication of major friction between the two branches of the armed forces. Indeed, there have been rumors that Firouzabadi will soon retire and be replaced by Jafari. Another interesting incident happened in December 2009. After the hardliners did not allow a memorial<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2009/12/grand-ayatollah-hossein-ali-montazeri-1922-2009.html>for Grand Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri in Qom, Ayatollah Asadollah Bayat Zanjani, a supporter of the Green Movement, invited people to participate in a memorial in Zanjan, about 185 miles (300 kilometers) west of Tehran. The hardliners closed the mosque in an attempt to end the memorial. But the large crowd that had gathered held the ceremony out on the streets around the mosque. It was reported that a number of Guard and army commanders who were veterans of the war with Iraq participated in the memorial. In March 2010, Mohammad Hossein Safar Harandi, a Guard officer, Jafari adviser, and former minister of culture and Islamic guidance, publicly acknowledged the existence of dissidents in the IRGC. Speaking to a group of Guard commanders in Qom, he spoke of "disobedience of some forces in the Sepah [IRGC]." Referring to the declarations made by Mousavi and Karroubi] calling for major reforms in the political system, he observed, "There are people who say that such statements are made by the people who were with the Imam [Khomeini], or are relatives of his, or were educated by him. How can they be viewed as seditionists?" The most revealing evidence of fissures in the Guards' officer corps was provided by Jafari himself. In a press conference in July 2010, he acknowledged<http://www.roozonline.com/persian/news/newsitem/archive/2010/december/06/article/-be025620c9.html>that there have been many cases of dissent against the harsh treatment of the people by Guard forces in the aftermath of the 2009 election. He said that the IRGC could convince the dissidents of the wisdom of its course of action through debates and reeducation. But there were then reports that at least 250 Guard officers were either forced to retire or simply expelled. Not long afterward, cleric Ali Saeedi, Khamenei's representative to the IRGC, also indicated that there are dissidents in the corps. He said, "Our problem today is that some people are deceived by fake leaders. For example, they believe that a man [Mousavi] who had legitimacy in the past is still a leader." Major General Ataollah Salehi, the commander of the regular army -- and the only senior officer who actually received his military training before the 1979 Revolution -- also provided evidence that Mousavi and Karroubi have considerable support within the regular army. He said<http://aftabnews.ir/vdcizwazyt1azq2.cbct.html>that in his visits to military bases he had seen pictures of the leaders of the "sedition" (the name given to the Green Movement by Khamenei) in soldiers' rooms. Last July, Khamenei abruptly removed the cleric Mahmoud Alavi, his representative to the regular armed forces and head of its ideological division, and appointed another cleric, Mohammad Ali Al-e Hashem, to the post. The ostensible reason was Alavi's election to the Assembly of Experts. However, the ayatollah's chief of staff, his son-in-law Mohammad Mohammadi Golpayegani, criticized Alavi after he lost his post and said, "The army must try harder to gain the satisfaction of the Supreme Leader. The work that has been done by the ideological division of the army is valuable, but not enough." (A week and half ago, the *Telegraph* of London reported<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/8331625/Irans-Revolutionary-Guard-pledges-to-hold-fire.html>that it has received a copy of a letter by some IRGC officers pledging that they would not open fire on demonstrators. The letter, reportedly addressed to Jafari, argued that it is against Islamic principles to use violence to quell dissent. While the *Telegraph's* Con Coughlin declares<http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/concoughlin/100076944/irans-revolutionary-guards-appeal-for-restraint-against-demonstrators/>that the letter's "authentication has been verified to me by a trustworthy diplomatic source," Iran observer Scott Lucas has cast doubt<http://www.enduringamerica.com/home/2011/2/19/the-latest-from-iran-19-february-is-that-all-there-is.html>on the report's validity. I too have concerns <http://to.pbs.org/e4XoM9> about Coughlin's reporting on Iran.) Similar to what occurred in the immediate aftermath of the June 2009 election, for several days after the 25 Bahman/February 14 demonstrations, senior Guard commanders kept silent and did not comment on the developments. In fact, the day after the demonstrations, Minister of Defense Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi criticized the silence of the "vanguards of jihad and martyrdom about the actions of the leaders of sedition." Was the silence another indication of fissures in the ranks of the IRGC? We do not know for sure. But the fact that, after the silence, three hardline senior Guard officers suddenly began speaking against Mousavi and Karroubi is highly suggestive that such fissures do exist. The three are Brigadier General Hossein Salaami, deputy to General Jafari; Major General Yahya Rahimi Safavi, former top IRGC commander and current military advisor to Ayatollah Khamenei, and Brigadier General Yadollah Javani, head of the IRGC political directorate. That many in the rank and file of the IRGC and the regular armed forces may be opposed to what the hardliners are doing to the Iranian people is plausible and understandable. The rank and file of the military must wrestle with the same problems as the rest of the people, namely, high inflation, a stagnant economy, and severe social and political restrictions. In addition, their children go to the same schools and universities and are therefore subject to the same cultural influences as everyone else. As I discussed in my articles about the uprisings in Tunisia<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2011/01/tunisias-revolution-lessons-for-iran.html>and Egypt<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2011/01/egypts-political-unrest-more-lessons-for-iran.html>, it is crucial for the Green Movement to gain the support of the rank and file of the IRGC to the extent that they would be unwilling to open fire on peaceful, unarmed demonstrators. *Photo: Maj Gen. Firouzabadi (hennaed hair), Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, and IRGC Chief Jafari at a joint conference in Oct. 2009.* Read more: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2011/03/fissures-in-the-revolutionary-guards-officer-corps.html#ixzz1FVigVEA5 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help: <mailto:[email protected]?subject=laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! 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