I Was There: UPDATE
Jul 17th, 2009 by pedestrian
Who would have thought? These picture speak for themselves.
First hand accounts of today’s prayer. Thank you to mira cle and my other friends for the stories! 
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We were all on the bus, wondering if the person next to us was going to the prayer. I guess after a while, the tensions melted, we mustered enough courage to ask one another, and found out that we were all going to the same location.
When I got off the bus at Kargar St. [near the University of Tehran campus - the site of the Friday prayer] I decided to walk around and have a look. For one entire semester, I had classes every Friday [so I could see the Friday prayer upclose]. I wanted to do a little comparison.
The crowds were massive. But one other difference was that there were guards everywhere. It would definitely be harder now to speak up in unison.
I didn’t want to get beaten up, so I shut my mouth and went further to Taleghani St. It was the same story throughout. Hoards and hoards of security guards everywhere. I could make out voices, but the dominant voice all around was coming from Taghavi [the speaker who went to the podium before Rafsanjani]. As I was walking, one of the militias turned to me and said: “Hello!” And I was startled to see how everyone had changed today. I had only gone a few steps further when I suddenly heard people chanting loudly: zendaniyeh siyasi azad bayad gardad [Free the political prisoners]. Everyone was chanting this. I suddenly realized everyone there was on our side!
The more I kept walking, the more chants I would hear: Death to Russia, Death to China, Free Political Prisoners. So I had to get out my radio to hear the sermon.
I was walking down and listening to the sermon when I suddenly saw my aunt. I wanted to go say hello when I saw our neighbor in the row in front of her. And my old classmate!
And amidst all of this, Rasanjani was going on with an awesome sermon! We were riled up. We would only repeat the Allah o Akbar we were invited to chant. No one felt like saying Death to America or any of the other stuff.
After the sermon, we got up to pray. And we suddenly noticed how cozy everyone had become [Many leading clerics believe that men and women should not stand side to side when praying (Sane'i is amongst those who doesn't). But today, they were praying next to each other which is unprecedented].
After the prayer we got up to leave, but we were being instructed to chant Death to America. We would answer back with Death to Russia. He would want us to say the blood in our veins is a gift to our leader, but we would say the blood in our veins is a gift to our nation.
We were walking happily along until we reached 16th of Azar Street. And there we got to know what tear gas really means. And this is how our dear militia finally got into the game! Later on I heard from a friend who had been elsewhere that this had been going on from 12:30 in other locations [before the prayer]. There was a guy beside us, who kept instructing us to escape using the street routes. But we would insist that we wanted to go further. We could see armed men standing behind the gates of the University of Tehran. The guy beside us kept saying: “do you know what will happen if these guys are ordered to come out?” We finally agreed to let him take us out of the crowd. We were happily leaving when we saw a HUMONGOUS crowd run our way. People were scrambling to escape. When I spoke to one person later, when he had calmed down, he just kept saying: “whatever that was, it wasn’t tear gas. My entire body is burning.”
Once on the main street, we could see our dear militias on their motrocyles.
I just got on a bus and went home.
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From another friend:
There was violence today, but not as bad as the previous demonstrations. People were bruised and beaten, but not as many and not as severely.
We were getting up to leave the prayer, when we saw a truck coming our way from the distance. We could makae out a dozen or so militias in black uniforms in the back of the truck. Someone yelled: “don’t get up! sit!” We sat, frightened, as there were only 30 or 40 people and the truck was getting closer. Suddenly, people around us all ran to our side. They all sat down. We were at least a few hundred now. The truck backed up and left.
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Rafsanjani did not let us down today. Go back and carefully listen to everything he said. He spoke in an uncontroversial, fatherly tone and with words that could only serve the betterment of this crisis. He spoke of the prisoners and the dead. He gave us an “inside peek” into the talks that are going on behind the scenes that we were never sure of (it was reported today that Khatami met with Abdullah Nouri as well). There are many factions within the IRI that want this charade to come to a peaceful resolution. I certainly hope and pray for such an outcome.
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Thank you Naj for translating Rafsanjani’s speech! GO AND READ IT
“People have to choose the “Khobregan” [Assembly of experts which selects the supreme leader], and Khobregan the leader; i.e. it has to be created from people’s vote. The president should be elected by people directly. The parliament should be elected by people directly. The city councils should be elected by people directly. And the people who are assigned to positions after that will be leaning on people’s vote. It means this would be a people’s government, this would be a religious government. The “Islamic Republic” is not a formal phrase, it [the government] is both Islamic and a Republic.”
I translated one part of his speech. More to come soon http://iranfacts.blogspot.com/2009/07/translated-transcript-of-part-6-of.html
Merci Naj. Vaghean dasteh shoma dard nakoneh
Thanks for the post. Full of energy and hope… it does wonders for those of us who are watching from distant shores… how I wish I could be alongside the brothers and sisters who are writing a most beautiful chapter in our country’s history, and of the people’s just fight for freedom..
Thank you.
Ehsan, I think many of us feel the way you do right now. For the first time I can bring to memory, I don’t think we are necessarily at an advantage to be a “comfortable distance” away. My daily thoughts, words, action, tasks … nothing I do now is free of thought and prayer for my countrymen.
Pedestrian (and Naj):
So what happens now?
Michael
Michael IMO:
First and foremost, I hope (and think that it is not totally wishful thinking to hope) that the prisoners will be released. And SOME normalcy returned to the atmosphere. One thing that we don’t hear much is the dire, extremely economic downturn of the past month. It’s not just speculations, things have been down and there’s so much danger involved.
Optimistically, we could think that more pragmatic forces are working behind the scenes to actually work towards a reelection. I doubt it. I think Rafsanjani’s speech was a pretty accurate description of what they are working towards: more freedom for the press, freedom of prisoners … this has past, Ahmadinejad will be the president. What is important that his mafia do not TAKE HOLD of everything forever. That is what we must work for in the next four years.
i loved the stories. Here’s translation of the last part of his speech.
http://iranfacts.blogspot.com/2009/07/translated-transcript-of-part-7-of.html
Michael,
I agree with pedestrian. I do have fears though. There is a group of cheer leaders whose voice is broadcast from abroad to the Iranian homes. these cheerleaders are trying to keep the anger levels up. They come up with gory rumors every chance they get. they want a total over throw of teh government! And that is NOT in the interest of IRan.
I personally think Ahmadinejad and Khamenei are under SO MUCH pressure now that this is a GREAT moment to be taken advantage of! I think the staying of Ahmadinejad can advance Iran;s cause faster and further.
He has appointed someone who promoted friendship between IRanians and Israelis as his first deputy.
He passed an article that allows the Azeri and Kurdish minorities right of education in their own languages.
And he WILL give more freedoms, I am sure.
But if he is dragged out of office by any form of back deal or revolutionary zeal, then we will have a dangerous group of terrorists breathing down people’s neck!
Nothing can cure Iran of fascism better than these fascists themselves.
Hashemi did a PERFECT job! I am very proud of him and I have forgiven all his past, all of it! This is the kind of politician Iran needs. He always aspired to be Iran’s Amir Kabir. He came VERY CLOSE to it yesterday! I will have him as a supreme leader any day!
I read somewhere that only four mullahs are allowed to give the Friday Prayer. Do they rotate? Will Rafsanjani speak again in four weeks?
Michael
and part 5 http://iranfacts.blogspot.com/2009/07/translated-transcript-of-part-5-of.html
Wow! Correct Sir! You do know your Friday prayers
Michael, they are called “temporary Imams” (Imam Jomeyeh Movaghat) – the only permanent Imam being the leader himself. And yes, they rotate.
They are: Jannati, Hashemi (Rafsanjani), the fascist Ahmad Khatami and Emami Kashani.
It does rotate but not on a very organized schedule. The leader can come whenever he wants.
Also, Emami Kashani who was always considered a hardliner spoke much better than Jannati and Khatami two weeks ago when he was the prayer leader.
And so yes, Rafsanjani will speak again! (I hope!)
Naj, I agree with you. Just a few things I am worried about from the inside:
Ahmadinejad giving more concessions to the east and west to buy non-native legitimacy for his government. Even to the U.S. in order to negotiate with them!
The very, very dangerous fascist wing of Ahmadinejad rooting themselves even more strongly within the structures of the IRI. Now, especially with Rafsanjani’s speech, I am less worried knowing that there are many inside the establishment working to stop this. But I don’t know which side is going to come out the winner. Especially that Rafsanjani is 75! What if he is suicided? (Death and unexpected occurrences aside, there’s always the danger that the moderates won’t be strong enough to keep the fascists from more control)
Pedestrian, thank you for the compliment. There are actually some of us in the west who do not think of Iran as “another of them there Arab countries”
And on your reply #2 to Naj, all I could recognize was “thanks” and “you”. Like I said before, it’s been a while.
Pedestrian and Naj, I have not made (I think) any statements about what the Iranian youth should do – that is not my place. I do have my opinions and they do drive my questioning to you.
Which brings me to this: It seems there is a pretty deep split in the mullah community that goes byond just this election. If true, and if Rafsanjani’s requests are granted (free those detained and free press) can the current system survive?
Michael
Michael, most especially if the more moderate factions within the IRI are able to gather support from within the establishment and free the prisoners, bring a level of normalcy and hope to the people … I don’t see why not. More so because, at least thus far, the opposition to the hardliners has not defined itself outside the system it self.
Because the other point is that, (again, thus far, we are certainly worried for the future) there are no viable competitors that the general public in Iran accepts. Prince murderation? I think he has more followers outside Iran than inside. MKO? I don’t know of anyone who would not think it an absolute nightmare if they were to rule Iran.
I really think that if the moderates win, they are only buying more legitimacy and more support for their continued rule over Iran.
Of course, then we’ll go back to the critiques we’ve always had of them – but I think they have matured considerably and Rafsanjani’s sermon was a good proof of this.
Michael and Pedestrian,
i think my guess of the future encompasses a response to both of your questions.
I personally think the cracks are already too wide open, and that the fascist wing is already clipped! Noone other than Ahmadinejad himself had done us this favour. His selection of the Deputy being heavily criticized by the conservatives is creating the bifurcation needed in their camp! This, actually puts Ahmadinejad on the side of the “greens” as the fundamentalists who oppose his selection are those who have tried to stop Ahmadinejad’s more progressive moves such as allowing women participation in sport stadiums, post-modern adaptation of Koran in art, merging the expensive Hadj organization with Tourism, and expressing friendship to the PEOPLE of Israel.
This is all very interesting to watch.
If I were strategizing for the greens, I would indeed let Ahmadinejad have his way because he is doing a great job in eroding the conservatives. This will buy the greens time to consolidate their movement and start fresh on the ruins of the conservative ground. Otherwise, they will have to fit themselves in a shaky institution which is NOT attainable. Mousavi CANNOT/WILL NOT fix Iran’s current problems in economy, judiciary, media and what not. He better sit back and come back either in 4 years or as soon as Ahmadinejad’s impeached. I see that very near and I am totally optimistic. The parallels between Iran and US election are plenty!
Naj, I’m a pessimist. So I can’t be as optimistic as you on what Ahmadinejad is doing.
Aren’t Ahmadinejad and Masahie in-laws? If he actually keeps Mashaie, then I will concur with your analysis. But if he resigns or is sacked in the next few days … then I’ll still shamefully stand on the pillars of my own pessimism.
But right now, Aleph and Raja News, are writing that he’s going to be sacked.
I feel both Ramosh and AN will be sacked. But again, I was wrong last time as I didn”t think they will be so “courageous” in commiting “crime in broad day light”. So maybe i can use a bit of your pessimism!
But i am a full-half-of-glass looker, it’s a disease!
It’s a blessing! And if it’s a disease, throw me some of your germs! PLEASE!
Naj, Tabnak wrote a few hours ago that Mashaie will be sacked 100%.