Iranian authorities demand halt to protests

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iranian hardline authorities ordered their opponents on Thursday to cease anti-government protests and denied an opposition website report that troops were heading for Tehran ahead of a planned opposition rally.

The authorities have signaled they will tolerate no more protests after eight people were killed in fiery demonstrations on Sunday during the Shi’ite ritual of Ashura. A nephew of opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi was killed the same day.

State television showed a group of pro-government demonstrators wearing white shrouds and carrying placards that read: “We are ready to sacrifice our lives for the leader” — referring to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The Jaras opposition website said troops and armored vehicles were moving toward Tehran and that security forces had deployed in several city squares to foil the opposition rally. Read more at www.washingtonpost.com

Tehran leaders lose touch but protesters lack organisation

PARIS: Iran’s regime has lost touch with the aspirations of its people but it is still far from certain that the opposition protest movement is ready to seize power, experts say.

The street battles that rocked Tehran and other major cities over the Ashura holiday show the demonstrations have entered a new phase, with increased state repression and more violent incidents.

But unlike the 1979 revolution that overthrew the shah, Iran’s latest uprising is not led by a well-organised opposition in exile.

The largely spontaneous protest movement does not appear poised to take over. Former Iranian legislator Ahmad Salamatian said the civic revolt was “not organised and non-hierarchical” and warned that “it should not fall into the trap of violence, because it’s not clear that the middle classes would follow”. Read more at www.theaustralian.com.au

Iran regime drums up its own crowds to oppose Green Movement

On Wednesday, the Islamic Republic of Iran organized national demonstrations and struck out at reformist supporters of the Green Movement. On Sunday, protests against the government turned violent, killing at least 37 people during the key religious holiday of Ashura.

On Wednesday, the Islamic Republic of Iran reacted to last Sunday’s violent demonstrations by marshaling supporters in countrywide demonstrations and launching a media offensive against the opposition Green Movement.

At least 37 people were killed Sunday on the deadliest day of rioting since June’s disputed presidential election, which saw hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad returned to office amid widespread elections of fraud. For the first time, demonstrators switched from nonviolent tactics to engage the police with stones and batons. In response, the police fired tear-gas and bullets. Read more at www.csmonitor.com

Govt losing supporters, admits Khamenei

In a surprising admission, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that the country’s rulers have lost some supporters since the disputed presidential election in June.

Still, he blamed the pro-reform opposition leaders for Iran’s problems. “The reality in the society is that as some (supporters) dropped out, twice that number joined (us),” he said.

Tens of thousands of hard-line government supporters turned out for state-sponsored rallies on Wednesday, some of them calling for the execution of opposition leaders.

Pro-government rallies were staged in Shiraz, Arak, Qom and Tehran, among other cities. Demonstrators at a rally in Tehran chanted “Death to Moussavi,” a reference to opposition leader Mir Hussein Moussavi. The government gave all employees a day off to attend the rallies and organised buses to transport schoolchildren and supporters from outlying rural areas to the protests. Read more at www.indianexpress.com

Earth To Iran!

Ever since Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected last June the world has witnessed spontaneous protests by everyday Iranians against the regime, and now a website is asking for internet users around the world to post a video message of support to the Iranian protesters on its You Tube channel.

The website is called Planet Iran (http://www.planet-iran.com), its Iranian-American founder Banafsheh Zand-Bonazzi says she got the idea after being asked by people how they can help to do their bit for the “freedom fighters” in Iran.

Banafsheh Zand-Bonazzi whose father is a renowned Iranian Journalist and has been in and out of Iranian prisons for his dissident action says the YouTube channel will annoy the regime greatly. She says the site is a “perpetual demonstration with indelible faces, voices, nationalities, accents and each and every voice is being heard at no risk.”

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