Courage against Tyranny

Opposition Goes from Strength to Strength

You murdered our people, you beat them savagely, you imprisoned them in your death camps and you killed them under torture. The result is the opposition grows stronger and stronger, more determined and more radical. The more you kill and the more you maim, the more people will make sure the blood of our martyrs will not be in vain. You have stained your hands with so much blood, your conscience will bring about your demise and the hell fire that you deserve.

Chanting: 'Thirty Years of Atrocities, in the Name of Religion'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PweGosJw0ZY

Ghanbarnezhad street, Tehran
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtXePpJC6X8

Silent protest in Rasht, but they couldn't even tolerate this and attacked the people:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgqGcP6tLf4

Valiasr, Tehran:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkQTz9oSZNs

Abbas Abad, Tehran:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HysXtdOtvtQ

Russia, death to your deceits, the blood of our youth drips from your claws
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyORhmDe-zM

Yussef Abad, Tehran night protests
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SHnXOUPtuU

Shiraz:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEVtlq0ET2Y

Tehran:
'Political Prisoners Must be Freed'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5pH6wY3erY

Isfahan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J9Km4djIBM

Behesht Zahra, to mourn the martyrs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdX0YX9LKmw

Independence, Freedom, an Iranian Republic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfEb7cydj68
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5ohqWqEleg

More Martyrs of Iran

How many more must fall before the tyrant falls?

Today reporters without borders confirmed the death of 29 year old Iranian journalist, Alireza Eftekhari. He died as a result of head injuries from truncheon blows. Alireza worked for the Abrar daily.

Amir Hossein Toofanpour, 31 years old, another martyr. He leaves a seven year old daughter. Amir Hossein was shot in the arm, side and back. His arm was broken and there was a large hole in his back which was filled with cotton. The authorities wanted his family to pay for the return of his body. Amir Hossein was alive for some time after he was shot. An unknown person next to him picked up his mobile and rang his mother saying he was shot in the arm and was being taken to Rasool hospital.

Hossein Akbari, only 16 years old. He was reported missing on 15th June. His family were notified two days ago. Hossein also died of repeated truncheon blows to the head. His body showed bruise marks where he had been hit.

But if you thought all this killing is weakening the resolve of the Iranian people, just listen to the roof top chants, Allah-o-Akbar, Down with the Dictator, Down with Russia:

Faces of our Fallen Heroes

It saddens me to put up more and more pictures of our fallen heroes, but they must not be forgotten. The criminals who took their lives must not be forgotten either, nor the collaborators and those who remained silent.

Martyr Hossein Akhtar Zand (32 Years Old)

What kind of beasts did this to you Hossein? What coward can see what they have done to you and remain silent Hossein?



















Hossein Akhtar Zand, died in Isfahan at the hands of Fascist Baseej Militia. The Baseej even tried to stop the people from taking him to Shariati hospital. One of the nurses at the hospital said, Hossein would have been paralysed had he lived, they had severed his spinal cord.

Hossein was the bread winner of his family and his mother and sisters were his dependents. His funeral was attended by Mr. Nekooyi from Moussavi's campaign team in Isfahan. Mourners were told by the authorities they must not chant Allah-o-Akbar.

Return the Bodies to their Families

More and more detained protesters are reported to have died from their injuries while incarcerated in the death camps run by Ahmdienjad's junta. Amidst all this misery and evil, families of the martyrs are further enraged when conditions are enforced upon them to collect the bodies of their loved ones.

In a meeting with Iran's teacher associations, Moussavi lashed out at the coup masters, Saham News reports.

Moussavi, Iran's Prime Minister during the eight year war against Saddam's invasion of Iran, condemned the recent atrocities and addressed those who are carrying out the felonies 'The minimum act of decency for you is to release the bodies of those you have killed to their families'

Moussavi mentioned Amir Javadi, the young Iranian student who was tortured and killed while detained after the protests and said 'What about those whose names have not been released? What about those from the provinces? Return their bodies to their families. Why do you put people through so much suffering? People have the right to know where their loved ones are buried.'

Moussavi referred to recent arrests and murders as a tragedy and said 'I remind those who are carrying out these crimes, remember what happened to those who acted aginst the people before the revolution and how people brought them to justice. People will not forget your crimes.'

'If we remain silent, we will all go to hell. I am happy about the protests. Our people do not condone these atrocities, our people are not happy about a bunch of criminal thugs who attack them in their houses and destroy their cars, the protests show that our people are alive and the officials must realise this. You can not turn Iran into a prison for 70 million people' Moussavi added.

Moussavi then addressed the judiciary and mentioned another martyr, Mohsen Roohulamini son of one of Mohsen Rezaii's campaign advisors, who died of his injuries while detained. 'They say he contracted meningitis while in prison. Will the judiciary investigate why all his teeth were broken? did he trip and fall or were other things done to him? I mention him because everything about him is known, he was a pious and religious young man, witnesses say he was alive when he was arrested'

Moussavi also talked about the election campaign and said 'After the revolution, people were chanting 'In the spring of freedom, we miss our beloved martyrs', we are asking what happened to that freedom we fought for? What we were asking for during our campaign was what the people of Iran were asking for. That is why this green wave started and became so widespread.'

'They accuse us of destabilising the country, you only need to look at the way Neda, Sohrab or Roohulamini, were murdered and see who the destructive force is. This is not what we wanted in 1979! Did we want a regime where hired thugs would raid university dormitories and kill and beat our students? that they attack people's houses and destroy their cars? and then all the institutions of power, from the intelligence ministry to Baseej, claim they were nothing to do with them? So where are they from? Are they from the Mars planet? They always claim that their intelligence agencies are so strong, so why don't they find out and investigate who these hundreds of criminals who have killed and maimed our people are? who in their right mind believes them? Are they not making the whole system to look it is made of lies?'

At this point, Moussvai brought up the widespread posters and flyers across Iran which say 'No More Lies' and said 'There is a big lie behind what is going on in these events, they want to step on the constitution and all the ideals of the revolution, and now the rulers have no alternative but to go back and implement people's demands and if they don't, people will force them into. They thought after a few protests and demos, people would go back to their houses but for forty days, the widespread protests have proved that the people are willing to pay the price. They thought the protests are being organised by a few ring leaders, what they don't realise is that the protests don't have a pyramid structure but this is a widespread movement that has penetrated into every family in Iran and that is the reason for the survival of the movement. The power of this movement is as a result of the high awareness of our people and we should appreciate this'

Moussavi finished by saying 'Whether with a permit or without it, people will turn up for marking the 40th day ceremonies of our first martyrs. You can not fool people for ever. May God help us to get back to the path of Islam and the revolution'

Tehran Mayor's Bombshell on Ahmadinejad

Tehran mayor, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf is categorised as a 'principalist' within the spectrum of Iran's ruling elite. Principalists are referred to those who follow the Supreme Leader blindly, if the Supreme Leader says the day is night or otherwise they will accept it without question. Yet there are now serious divisions over Ahmadienjad within the principalists camp too.

Rokhdad News quotes Qalibaf in a meeting with a group of Islamic Consultative Assembly deputies, accusing Rahim Mashaei, father of Ahmadienjad's daughter-in-law and his original choice of first deputy, as being an MKO sympathiser. Qalibaf told the deputies, Mashaei's wife was a former MKO prisoner who had become a repenter in prison and Mashaei was her prison interrogator at the time who married her. MKO or otherwise known as the MeK is the Mojahedin Khalq Organisation, a rival Islamic group, who took up arms against the Shah and helped the revolution but when they felt there was no power sharing for them after the revolution, again they took up arms against the Islamic Republic in the early eighties. They were brutally crushed and fled to Iraq where they served Saddam even during the invasion of Iran.

Further to the above, Lahzeh news has obtained an audio file of Qalibaf who hurls further accusations at Ahmadienjad and his cabinet. Qalibaf is speaking to his campaign team seven months before the elections in the audio file.

In this audio file, Qalibaf makes the following points:

I do not consider Ahmadinejad as an honest and genuine person, he is not a revolutionary and he is a liar.

Ahmadinejad has no track record of having taken part in the revolution, he did not even receive a slap in the face, if he has done anything during the uprising against the Shah, why doesn't he share it with us?

Ahmadinejad never served in the fronts during the war, not even one day nor even one hour, if he had, he would have reminded us about it a thousand times a day.

He then refers to all the embezzlement in the city municipality when Ahmadinejad was the mayor and how his overnight millionaire cronies then became governors during his presidency.

Qalibaf said if the oil price drops to below $50 a barrel the country's economy Will simply cease. He then asks Mofidi, an energy expert, who is present in the meeting 'Mr. Mofidi, can you tell us how much electricity we produced when Ahmadinejad became the president?' Mofidi answers '36000 Mega Watts'. Qalibaf then continues 'Yet Ahmadinejad told the Supreme Leader that our electricity output has increased by 12000 mega watts since he became president. if we had 48000 Mega Watts electric output we wouldn't have electricity shortages now. I was there when Mr. Ahamdinejad was telling these things and could see his people whisper in each other's ears and laugh as he was saying these lies'

Qalibaf also attacked Ahmadinejad's ministers and advisors. Qalibaf claimed Hamid Molana had received his scholarship from the Pentagon itself. Even Kordan's wife and children didn't want to talk to him after it was revealed he had a criminal record for rape before the revolution. Without naming names he also said one of Ahmadinejad's ministers drinks alcohol and another one is married to a French woman.

Global Solidarity with the People of Iran

25th July, global day of action and solidarity with the people of Iran. Find out what is happening in the city near you from http://united4iran.org/

Message from Nobel Peace Laureate, Bishop Desmund Tutu asking people around the world to support the people of Iran in their fight for freedom.



Tomorrow we will be with you:

Faces of Our Martyrs

Nasser Amirnezhad, 26 Year old aero-space student at Azad university. Killed by a Baseej bullet









Mohsen Roohulamini, Computer Engineering student from Tehran's Tech University. Arrested and subsequently killed on 9th July, 2009.













Mostafa Ghanian, Engineering student killed during the savage raid on Tehran university dormitories, 14th June.



'It is not just a single leaf that falls,

They are turning our forests into barren lands' ... Fereydoon Moshiri


Scab celebrities, do you still want your 'precious' slot on Press TV?

Regime Officials in London

I am not sure when this pictures was taken but it shows Gholam Ali Haddad Adel, shopping in a women's department in London. Haddad Adel was the former speaker of Islamic Consultative Assembly, Majlis. In 2000 Adel received the lowest number of votes to enter the Majlis, but in 2004 when Ahamdinejad became the president, Adel also mysteriously received the most number of votes for the thirty Majlis deputies from Tehran.

Haddad Adel's daughter is married to Mojtaba Khameneii, Supreme Leader's son who is the string puller of the current coup to keep Ahmadinejad and his junta in power. Mojtaba wants to become the next Supreme Leader after his father.

I am also investigating reports that Ali Kordan visited Lonodn on 11th July this year. The source tells me Kordan's visit was to negotiate the release of Hossein Rassam, UK embassy in Tehran's employee who was detained after the 'election' protests. In return the source tells me the British government agreed to make BBC Persian programs give less coverage to the protests in Iran.

Britain has always been host to many repressive figures in the Islamic Republic. This one, Oroumieh's Friday Prayer Leader, Mollah Hassani, even snitched on his dissident Marxist son, which led to his arrest and subsequent execution. Molla Hassani writes about this with much pride in his memoirs.

Flowers v Bullets

Like I have always said, this is the battle of good against evil. Look at the awesome courage of protesters in Iran, going up to the riot guards, who are brainwashed to kill their own people, with nothing more than flowers and humanity.

Awesome!

The Faces of Our Martyrs

Pictures of two more of our bravehearts who fell in the path of freedom for Iran:


Massoud Hashemzadeh.
'Massoud was full of life, he was always such an optimist. They were putting us under pressure not to talk, even told us not to cry by his grave and we nearly gave in because our other son was also arrested, but then I thought, we owe it to him and we must talk' - Massoud's mother.









Mohammad Kamrani. According to the witnesses he died in hospital on the 16th of July after 3 hours. He died of his wounds inflicted by torture

Yesterday's Protests at Haft-Tir Square

and the nightly chants that they just can not stop despite all their intimidation

Spirit of a Co-operation During a Revolution

Watch this video to the end. It shows how protesters help each other who have been overcome with tear gas. Also chants against the Supreme Leader specifically mentioning him by name are clearly heard:

How I Wasted 4 Hours of my Precious Time on Saturday

I was so annoyed, I was cursing myself for having wasted 4 hours of my valuable time on Saturday. Some of the young people who are active in organising the demos outside the Iranian embassy, asked me to go along to a meeting at SOAS where a mixture panel of old Iranians were speaking. The main speaker was the Iranian philosopher, Abdolkarim Soroush, one of the former theoreticians of the 'Cultural Revolution' that took place soon after the 1979 revolution. 'Cultural Revolution' meant closure of Iranian universities for two years, sacking most of the secular students and academics and re-writing the courses to conform with the Islamic revolution. It was the turning point in my life when I unwillingly started getting involved in politics.

The young people who asked me to go along said they wanted to go and debate with the panel, but I knew from previous experience that this sort of show is no opportunity for a debate. Nevertheless, I reluctantly agreed to go for their sake only.

When I arrived, the only spare seat turned out to be near the front, to the left of the panel, and guess who I was sitting behind? Elaheh Rostami and Mehri Honarbin, two of the prolific promoters of the Islamic Republic as a popular and anti-imperialist regime and regular guests of SWP meetings on Iran! How these turncoats quickly change sides when the winds of fortune change is beyond me. It was only a few weeks ago they were performing their boot licking for Ahmadinejad's 'working class cabinet' in front of Press TV cameras, at another lecture hall in the same university. This time they were more camera shy however. They kept asking people who were taking photos not to include them. Presumably they still want to be able to go back and forward to Iran if the current protests don't come to fruition.

I have no desire to open up old wounds if the likes of Elaheh Rostami and Mehri Honarbin put their hands up and say we were wrong, now we want to make up for our mistakes, I would not have a problem but these people never admit their mistakes, they want to remain close to whoever has the upper hand and even have the audacity to give instructions as to how the movement should proceed. Apparently they were trying to hand out leaflets but for some reason they abandoned that plan.

Coming face to face with Soroush was interesting. To think this was one of the culprits in motivating the illiterate thugs who had attacked the universities and caused so many deaths and injuries of young Iranians who wanted nothing more than a free Iran, was not easy. Once again I felt the pain of those blows I had received from the thugs in those three terrible days we naively thought we could defend the universities against the gangs of cut throats on the loose, but I am a forgiving person. I am told Soroush has come a long way since those idealistic days. Idealistic in the sense that any crime could have been justified for the sake of ideologies that were held above everything else even human life.

Soroush talked about the depressing literature of defeat in the aftermath of the 1953 coup. One of the verses he quoted, I have forgotten who it was from, said 'There is no sign of Kaveh [Iran's mythical hero], perhaps there will be an Alexander [Macedonian invader of Iran] to save us!'.

The next speaker from the panel was Farrokh Negahdar, former Marxist-Leninist Fedayeen leader who was at the forefront of the split in the Fedayeen to Majority[Bolsheviks] and Minority [Mensheviks] factions. The root cause of the split was this discovery of Lenin's statement by part of the Fedayeen leadership that 'petty-bourgeiosie is the natural ally of the working classes in the class struggle'. Poor old Lenin had not defined what class the Shiite clergy fall into but Farrokh Negahdar and his friends in the Fedayeen leadership then assumed that the Shiite clergy who had seized all centres of power after the 1979 revolution, were also petty bourgeoise and therefore natural ally of the working classes. Cut the long story short, for the sake of the working class struggle, Negahdar promoted the idea that Fedayeen should back the clergy in power and also become Soviet puppets like the Tudeh Party, Iran's pro-Soviet Union Communist Party, and concentrate on the anti-American struggle. The repression and the curtailing of the freedoms was just a bourgeoise grumble and did not matter in the greater struggle against American imperialism.

I remember how I used to laugh at my class mates who were Fedayeen supporters and had bought this new 'intellectual' theory. They would remind me that the likes of Farrokh Negahdar have read lots of books by Marx and Lenin and I would say, even if you read a million books and come up with something as outrageous as this shit, you are talking out of your arse.

The consequences of this petty-bourgeoisie theory was very grave. It made the new ruling clergy even more brazen, first they went for the Fedayeen Minority and then they even went for the Fedayeen Majority. All that support for the 'anti-imperialist' struggle did not even save their own skin. Negahdar had to run away to Afghanistan, while many of his comrades were left behind and executed in Iran. When the Marxist Afghan government started looking shaky, Negahdar then went to Soviet Union and when they started looking shaky, he fled to England, where he has enjoyed the benefits of 'bourgeoisie' democracy for years.

Perhaps the biggest failure of Negahdar and his ilk is that they couldn't even pass their experiences to the Left in Europe and tell them how wrong they were in assuming the same things the European Left assume today about supporting harsh dictatorships that appear to be against the West.

In the meeting, Farrokh Negahdar said we should identify those responsible for the murders of Neda and Sohrab and try to bring them to justice, but didn't give any ideas as to how?! He also kept mentioning the figure of 35 dead and I wondered if he has read the Le Figaro report of what the doctors at just one Tehran hospital had witnessed?!

Next speaker was Massoud Behnoud, the BBC Persian's employee. Now this guy is a fantastic story teller and even a better liar. If there was ever an olympiad of liars, this guy would be a very serious contender for the gold medal. May be even a new platinum medal would be created just for him. Behnood as usual recited some anecdotes, quotes and jokes from the past political figures in Iran and made the audience laugh. After a previous meeting before the 'elections', I had witnessed Behnoud say to people who were talking to him outside, 'The majority is with Ahmadienjad supporters, people who want change amount to 5% at the most'!!

To sum up the meeting, all these old Iranians in the panel could offer was the usual poetry, jokes and anecdotes from the past and more wrong conclusions. There were no solutions, no suggestions as what we as ex-pats outside Iran could do to make sure the coup masters pay a price for the crimes that are being committed against the people in Iran. I asked myself the question, how could a panel comprised of people who have repeatedly been wrong and made disastrous political decisions still have so many as their audience. But perhaps we shouldn't blame the audience, after all the only ones they see on their Persian program TV stations and in the Persian media are these very people. Its not just the elite in the Islamic Republic who have cliques of 'insiders' and 'outsiders', those who present themselves as the Iranian political figures outside Iran also look after their own and are careful not to promote anyone else.

Here in UK, the way I have understood the system and the life span of political players is that the likes of Chamberlain who make disastrous mistakes are never relevant after their political flops. If Michael Foot leads Labour to a disastrous defeat, then thats the end of his political life. Only us Iranians repeatedly become audiences for political figures who have shown repeatedly to be wrong and out of touch.

Outside the meeting, I asked those who had asked me to turn up what they thought?
One response was 'If we had just caught up with some sleep, we would have been better off'. Another one said it was like coming to a Hadi Khorsandi stand up comedy show, but without having to pay for tickets, we laughed and we were entertained for free. Except that apparently the organisers had tried to ask for entrance fees but were told that they were not allowed.

Protesters Outside the Interior Ministry

Look at the courage of these protesters in Iran. They are marching past the interior ministry building and they are chanting against Sadegh Mahsouli, Ahmadinejad's millionaire friend and trustee and the man who organised the vote rigging. You can see scores of riot guards on motorbikes inside the building who could mount a vicious attack on protesters any minute:



In this building there is a macabre floor known as the -4th floor. Here there is no natural light, no toilets, no washing facility, you are given food in your hands to eat and just the stench of the place overwhelms you.

This is the account of some of the protesters who were released from there after their families were forced to sign papers which blamed Moussavi for provoking the protests. It was published on the Amirkabir university students website.

Several hundred injured protesters from the university dormitory raid were captured and huddled into vans. Metal boxes were put over their heads and they were repeatedly hit while on their way to the -4th floor death chambers. They were given no food or water for 12 hours, until a warden with a jug of water came and started pouring the water onto the floor. The prisoners were told to get under the jug and try to catch some of the water as it was being poured on to the floor. In the morning a piece of dry brittle bread with a small piece of cheese was placed in their hand. Most were beaten again for dropping the crumbs as they were eating. In the evening some pasta noodles were given to them, again they were beaten if they dropped any on the floor.
It is impossible to tolerate the conditions for more than 3 to 4 days. The whole purpose is to humiliate and put the fear of God into the prisoners, so they never dare to protest again.


'The Source of our Shame, Our Interior Minister'
'Mahsooli, Shame on You, Let Go of the Ministry'

Latest Footage from Today's Protests

'The blood that is in our veins is our gift for our country'

and constant chants of 'Down with Russia', our historic enemy that has backed Ahmadinejad's messianic junta

Friday Prayers Today

For the first time in 30 years, Friday Prayers in Iran became a focal point for protests against the government.

Protesters chanting, 'Russia Shame on You, Leave my Country Alone':





Crowds outside the Sermon area chanting 'Down with the Dictator':

Hypocrisy Beyond Belief

The callous murder of Marwa Al-Sherbini, the Egyptian Muslim woman who was three month old pregnant, in a German court in Dresden, shocked and sickened every human being who heard the news. The fact that this happened in front of her three year old son and husband who was also hurt when he tried to defend his wife, further magnified the dreadfulness of the hideous act by the Russian neo-nazi scum. I tremble at the thought of what Marwa Al-Sherbini's husband and her three year old son went through and are going through right now.

If there is any silver lining in this gross tragedy, it is that the assailant will be sentenced to life imprisonment and German newspapers have and will cover the story and Marwa will have a decent funeral and her family will be able to grieve for the loss of their loved one. The German city of Dresden has also publicly honoured Marwa. German officials and statesmen as well as the people of Dressden attended the funeral and laid white roses on Marwa's grave. Not much in the face of such dreadful tragedy but lets compare it with what is happening to the protest victims in Iran.

Ahmadinejad, typical to his opportunism in twisting things for his own agenda as ever, has called for the UN to place sanctions on Germany because of the murder. Lets examine some facts:

- The callous murderer was a Russian neo-Nazi and who do neo-Nazis support? Yes, Mahmooooooooooood Ahmadinejad! See: http://azarmehr.blogspot.com/2009/06/german-neo-nazis-hail-ahmadinejad.html

- Racist attacks on Muslims is a routine occurence in Russia. Does Ahmadinejad ever condemn his Russian friends?

- Pregnant women have been executed in Iran.

- Families of protest victims in Iran are put under pressure not to hold funerals for their loved ones.

- Families of protest victims in Iran are told to sign papers that their loved ones have died as a result of accidents and natural death.

- There is no investigation as to who is responsible for their murders.

- Yesterday it was reported that Taraneh's burned body was found in the outskirts of Tehran. Will there be any press coverage for Taraneh in Iran? Will her family be allowed to grieve for her and have a proper funeral for her? Will there be an investigation to the terrible ordeal she went through?

This is what makes sick, the hypocrisy of Ahmadinejad and his supporters. The hypcrisy of people who are not consistent in condemning human rights abuses but have their own agenda. By the way, did Press TV say anything about Taraneh??

Iran Plane Crash Today

It seems there is nothing but news of death and suffering coming out of Iran. Today another defective Russian aeroplane has crashed causing the death of 168 passengers and crew. Amongst the passengers on this tragic flight were Iran's teenage judo team, all of whom are reported dead.

Mir Hossein Moussavi and Zahra Rahnavard Visit Sohrab's Family

A heartwarming gesture by Mir Hossein Moussavi and his wife, Zahra Rahnavard, who paid a visit to Sohrab's family today.


This is how leaders truly win people over, not by force not by brutality but by kindness, care and compassion:



Don't ever let these ultimate sacrifices by the people of Iran be wasted. Victory to the noble people of Iran in their battle against the savage beasts.

The music which is played, as Moussavi enters Sohrab's house is 'sar oomad zemestoon', 'Winter Has Come to an End':



Winter has come to an end
Spring has burst open
The red bloom of sun has risen again
and the night has become a fugitive
the mountains are carpetted with tulips
the tulips are awake
and they are planting the Sun all over the mountains
......