Tag: Rafsanjani

Boycott the vetted election, not the mass protests!

The Islamic republic is bitterly divided at the top and subject to crippling international sanctions. Yassamine Mather analyses the political situation in the run-up to the June 14 presidential poll (First published in the Weekly Worker) On the last available day, ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani arrived at the ministry of the interior to register himself as… Continue reading Boycott the vetted election, not the mass protests!

Show trials and apologetics

Just as Iranian ex-leftwingers in the west call for reconciliation between the two wings of the Islamic regime, the ruling faction clamps down on its rivals. Yassamine Mather reports The Stalinist show trial of Saturday August 1 – when a number of prominent ‘reformists’ appeared on Iranian state TV to ‘thank their interrogators’ before repenting… Continue reading Show trials and apologetics

Rafsanjani’s Full Speech

From the LA Times As far as the occasions of the week are concerned, the most important occasion was the death anniversary Imam Kazem, our seventh [Shiite] imam, who was one of our most oppressed imams who experienced much hardship. His excellency became an imam when he was 20 years old and during his whole… Continue reading Rafsanjani’s Full Speech

Protest at Tehran University

Defying the stringent security measures taken by the regime, large crowds gathered outside Tehran Uni today. From what we can gather, Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani’s ‘Friday Prayers’ speech sought to avoid controversy as much as possible, but he did keep referring to the ‘crisis’ in Iran and the need to save the ‘Islamic State’. Moreover, he… Continue reading Protest at Tehran University

Moussavi to attend Friday prayers

From Reuters India: TEHRAN (Reuters) – Iran’s opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi will attend Friday prayers this week in his first official public appearance since last month’s disputed election, a statement on his website said. Mousavi’s statement, posted late on Wednesday, confirmed a media report earlier this week that he would attend the prayers at Tehran… Continue reading Moussavi to attend Friday prayers

Mass protests in Iran: Death to the Islamic Republic! Victory to the Iranian people!

Yassamine Mather, Hopi chair, looks at the social upheaval englufing Iran and the tasks of internationalists The election campaign of the four presidential candidates was largely ignored by the majority of the population until early June, when a series of televised debates triggered street demonstrations and public meetings. Ironically it was Mahmood Ahmadinejad’s fear of… Continue reading Mass protests in Iran: Death to the Islamic Republic! Victory to the Iranian people!