Iran's Greens in solidarity with Egypt
Issandr El Amrani | #jan25 Egypt Iran Solidarity protest in Tehran on 14 February — may the Green movement get a second wind from Egypt and Tunisia!
To disgruntled Iranians, though, the sight of the Iranian government cheering on the Egyptian protesters is seen as deeply ironic. In 2009, when Iranians themselves launched massive protests against the government here, Iran's leaders labeled them "Western-backed rioters" and sent paramilitary forces wielding batons and tear gas to quash their revolt.
Still, opposition leaders are hoping to use the events in Egypt as a new catalyst, and are seeking permission from the government to launch a demonstration next Monday in the center of Tehran.
Former presidential challengers Mir Hussein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi said they wanted to invite people to march "to express solidarity with . . . the freedom-seeking revolts of the people of Tunis and Egypt against despotic regimes," Karroubi's Web site, Sahamnews, said on Sunday.
From Iran's opposition leaders hope to draw from protests in Egypt
Reader Comments (2)
Great, so now that both the Iranian regime and the Green movement support the Egyptian pro-democracy movement, everyone agrees! I guess there'll be democracy in Iran immediately. :)
I'm older, but when I was a young man first in grauate school, I met young men and women from Iran going to school in New England, and very much enjoyed our youthful friendships. This was during the time of the Shah. My casual friendship of those days forever shaped within me a positive image in me of the people of Iran. The young women were always escorted by older women or me, which being young and not very understanding of Persian culture of the time, I did no tfully understand, but cultural constraints did not prevent the development of friendships. I was very saddened when the promotion of hatred by Iranians for America, and hatred by Americans for Iran, came between our two countries.
As an older persons who finds nothing but sadness in the ignorance, fear and pain that tyranny and political opportunism has created between our two countries, I certainly wish the youth and more tolerant political opposition well against their new- and from my rememberance of things- even more fearful and intolerant Shah of the 21st century. Good frotune to you!