Tehran Protesters Follow Their Egyptian Brothers

The Egyptian citizen force that overturned Hosni Mubarak’s regime is bearing fruit.

The streets of Tehran are full of protesters. These Iranian freedom fighters are truly risking their lives to try to bring down the regime of the Ayatollahs and their chosen political leader, President Ahmadjinabad. There are demonstrations in Yemen and Bahrain as well.

Azadi (Freedom) Square in Tehran was the site of what has been reported as a demonstration of more than 100,000 people Monday. They are led by the same Green Movement that tried in vain to overthrow Ahmadjinabad in 2009. There was bloodshed and many jailings then, and we have to expect that the same thing will happen again. But, perhaps this time the Iranian freedom fighters will be bolstered by the Egyptian success and stay on the streets long enough to win.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has spoken positively about the Tehran marchers, saying that the White House “very clearly and directly supports the aspirations” of the marchers. She also said that Iran should open up and allow dissenting voices to be heard, noting that Iran should give its citizens the same rights that the Iranian government praised as a "new Islamic revolution" in Egypt.  A Green Movement protester said, "We are here for Iran,...What they did in Egypt, we have been trying since 2009. If the government supports them, why are we not allowed to protest on our streets?"

Mid Hossein Mousavi, the 2009 dissident candidate who stood against Ahmadjinabad, called for the protest to begin yesterday. He has now been placed under house arrest, along with Mehdi Karroubi, former Iranian parliament speaker who is also an opposition leader.

At least one person has been killed in Tehran, according to the semi-official Fars News Agency. There have also been violent clashes in Iranian cities outside Tehran.
Last night, the pro-Ahmadjinabad Basij militia motorcycle brigades were out on Tehran streets, attacking protesters with their clubs, in a move reminiscent of the 2009 uprising.

Mr. Amhadjinabad may not realize it, but the "Islamic revolution" now in progress in Iran, Bahrain and Yemen is not moving toward more religious dictatorship but toward freedom for all people.

Keep these courageous people in your thought and prayers, and do whatever you can to help.