Revolution in Iran?

[Evanauto]

Pro-clergy militants on motorcycles chased down protesters and beat them with clubs early Friday, the third night of anti-government demonstrations in Tehran, witnesses said.

The student-led protests were aimed at Iran's hard-line clerics, who control the security forces and are locked in a power struggle with reformist President Mohammad Khatami.

Hundreds of young Iranians, many in their teens, took to the streets around Tehran University and the Laleh hotel, formerly called the Intercontinental, about a mile away, witnesses said. The protesters denounced the country's supreme leader, hard-liner Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

"Khamenei, the traitor, must be hanged!" they chanted, according to witnesses. Criticism of Khamenei is usually punished by imprisonment, and public calls for his death had been unheard of until this week.

In some parts of Tehran, activists who support the clergy-led regime circled knots of student protesters, gunning their motorcycle engines and, according to some witnesses, using cattle prods. Some of the demonstrators fought back, punching the attackers and setting their motorcycles on fire.

At times, riot police prevented the government supporters from confronting the protesters and did not respond to stone throwing, witnesses said. At other times, police rushed the protesters, sending them fleeing into the darkness.

The pro-Khamenei activists chanted: "Oh, exalted leader, we are ready to follow your instructions!"

Khamenei warned of a major crackdown in a speech broadcast on state television and radio Thursday.

He referred to violence in 1999, when security forces and extremist supporters of hard-line clerics attacked pro-democracy demonstrators after a student hostel was stormed. The raid on the hostel led to the death of at least one student and generated the worst street battles since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

"It should not be allowed that a group of people contaminate society and universities with riots and insecurity, and then attribute it to the pious youth," he said.

While the overnight protests seemed to be disorganized, with no clear leaders, some demonstrators vowed to keep up the pressure until next month's anniversary of the 1999 protests.

This week's demonstrators have also called for the resignation of President Khatami, accusing him of not pushing hard enough for democratic reforms.

Support the Protesters in Iran! Viva la Revolution! Viva!

[JudgeDredd]

At 6/13/03 11:41 AM, Evanauto wrote:
This week's demonstrators have also called for the resignation of President Khatami, accusing him of not pushing hard enough for democratic reforms.

Support the Protesters in Iran! Viva la Revolution! Viva!

forces for change by youth in Iran are great, but it's a civil social problem leading to an economic bind.

Moral Restraint vs Market Libralization.

[karasz]

iran will be within 5 years, as i have stated bout a dozen times already, going through a civil war led by students... thats right the same kind of people that turned iran into the hard line fundamentalist government it is today... its called IRONY...

the new government will be pro-west... but NOT very pro west, just enough so the young-uns can get their american culture on... and live in a freer society...

why is it that in every other fucking nation young people care about politics????

[misterx2000]

At 6/13/03 11:19 PM, karasz wrote:
why is it that in every other fucking nation young people care about politics????

Because not everyone in the world is pampered, like some Americans.

[mysecondstar]

this reminds me of the political strife in postwar Korea. after the Korean War there was virtual dictatorship until Kim Yong Sam almost 40 years later. there were student protests that got very violent. thousands of young people were killed or were thrown into prison during this span of time. yet the change into a true democracy was without conflict. the only difference between the situation in Iran and Korea is US presence in Korea as opposed to virtually no American exposure in Iran. perhaps that may be the difference.