Thanks to the great control over the media exercized by the Iranian authority, details as to the ongoing protests have been sketchy, though pictures and video
footage has leaked to western reporters and websites alike, giving the world a glimpse as to what was taking place in Tehran, the capital of Iran, in response
to the last election.
As most of you know by now, there is great criticism of the electoral process, and as such, the results of the latest election which, officially, have allowed Ahmadinejad to remain in power. Of course, elections are never an entirely democratic affair in countries that qualify as dictatorships, and the Persian population is voicing its discontent en masse. These are, arguably, the largest protests and manifestations to have ever taken place in Iran.
Some supporters of Ahmadinejad, it has been confirmed, have in fact fired at Mousavi supporters, and 7 are confirmed dead (though the death toll is believed to be much higher). Talks of a potential partial recount have done little to quiet the crowd.
Such volatile situations are rare in Iran - what does everyone think about this?
In my opinion, this election could simply be the trigger to something greater. Iran has a wonderful demographic (nearly 2/3 of the population being under the age of 35) and there have been past attempts to bring some level of Democracy. Mousavi, while more moderate on certain issues than Ahmadinejad, is not exactly a great reformer, and it seems much of the protest is not so much geared towards supporting Mousavi as it is aimed at the government and regime itself. Several signs carried by protesters are in english too, which tells me that some Iranians are also trying to send messages beyond their borders, and several thousand people are literally marching up to Tehran chanting "Death to the dictator."
I think this Iranian youth does have a desire for change, and this (rigged) election could be a catalyst for them to move forward with their demands.
A temporary situation, or could this be the beginning of a revolution?
It could, sadly, translate to greater violence and mean immense sacrifices, but I dare say that I hope this is, in fact, the early stages of a revolution.
As most of you know by now, there is great criticism of the electoral process, and as such, the results of the latest election which, officially, have allowed Ahmadinejad to remain in power. Of course, elections are never an entirely democratic affair in countries that qualify as dictatorships, and the Persian population is voicing its discontent en masse. These are, arguably, the largest protests and manifestations to have ever taken place in Iran.
Some supporters of Ahmadinejad, it has been confirmed, have in fact fired at Mousavi supporters, and 7 are confirmed dead (though the death toll is believed to be much higher). Talks of a potential partial recount have done little to quiet the crowd.
Such volatile situations are rare in Iran - what does everyone think about this?
In my opinion, this election could simply be the trigger to something greater. Iran has a wonderful demographic (nearly 2/3 of the population being under the age of 35) and there have been past attempts to bring some level of Democracy. Mousavi, while more moderate on certain issues than Ahmadinejad, is not exactly a great reformer, and it seems much of the protest is not so much geared towards supporting Mousavi as it is aimed at the government and regime itself. Several signs carried by protesters are in english too, which tells me that some Iranians are also trying to send messages beyond their borders, and several thousand people are literally marching up to Tehran chanting "Death to the dictator."
I think this Iranian youth does have a desire for change, and this (rigged) election could be a catalyst for them to move forward with their demands.
A temporary situation, or could this be the beginning of a revolution?
It could, sadly, translate to greater violence and mean immense sacrifices, but I dare say that I hope this is, in fact, the early stages of a revolution.
