Iran students protest Ahmadinejads government

[democratic]

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-05-24T131906Z_01_OLI444507_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAN-STUDENTS.xml

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Stone-throwing Iranian students fought police and Islamic vigilantes on Wednesday in protest against restrictions imposed by the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, witnesses said.

Students who covered their faces with scarves lit fires outside dormitories through Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, photographs showed. By dawn the streets were littered with hundreds of stones they had thrown. Police spokesman Mohammad Tourang told the ISNA students news agency five policemen had been injured in the clashes and that the police made an unspecified number of arrests.

Other student witnesses said the crowd had chanted "Down with despotism" and hurled stones at police cars outside the dormitories, breaking their windows.

[ECH1969]

1. It looks like they have a death wish

May 24th Demonstration

[magellan]

12. This is their fight

We have our own. I hope all of us win. Viva la resistance!

[movonne]

2. Well, I believe that is us over there stirring up shit...

[democratic]

3. .

Well then you're living in space. What makes you think Iranians want to live under an oppressive dictatorship? They've been demonstrating since 1999.

[ECH1969]

7. I wondered when they started

[mortlefaucheur]

14. From the article:

"The main reason for the objections in recent days goes back to the limitations imposed on universities and political students after the new government came to power,"(senior student leader) Momeni said.

Religious conservative Ahmadinejad was inaugurated in August".
Also, "Iran's last major nationwide student demonstrations were in 2003, when hundreds of students were arrested".
I don't know what happened back in '99 as to why there would be demonstrations. Supposedly the government was considered more 'moderate' back then, compared to the current media and political apoplexia surrounding Ahmadinejad.
It's also entirely possible the US is fomenting disturbances.

[ronnie624]

18. I also believe

it is possible these protests are a part of U.S. meddling in Iran, but I do not believe Iranians want to live under an oppressive dictatorship. I can stand in solidarity with the Iranian people in their quest for democracy and at the same time acknowledge the reality of an intensive campaign against Iran from outside forces which includes propaganda, political and economic pressure, covert operations and perhaps in the not too distant future overt military action. Acknowledging this reality does not in any manner suggest that I support a theocratic dictatorship in Iran.

[LetsGoMurphys]

4. I love how supposed lefties stick up for facism in other countries

as long as they are our enemy. Pathetic.

[bananas]

6. "lefties"? I've only heard that term used by right-wing cranks.

Even moderates don't use that term.

[geek tragedy]

5. Why--because Iranians all must love theocracy? eom

[ronnie624]

17. Maybe because it has been reported

that the U.S. is conducting covert operations in Iran.

One government consultant told Hersh "The civilians in the Pentagon want to go into Iran and destroy as much of the military infrastructure as possible." The secret reconnaissance missions have been underway since at least last summer with aided by Pakistan as well as Israel.

<http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/01/18/1447252>

A former Iranian ambassador and Islamic Republic insider has provided intriguing details to Asia Times Online about US covert operations inside Iran aimed at destabilizing the country and toppling the regime - or preparing for an American attack.

"The Iranian government knows and is aware of such infiltration. It means that the Iranian government has identified them but for some reason does not want to show ," said the former diplomat on condition of anonymity.

Speaking in Tehran, the ex-Foreign Ministry official said the agents being used by the US "were originally Iranians and not Americans" possibly recruited in the United States or through US embassies in Dubai and Ankara. He also warned that such actions will engender "some reactions".

<http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HD25Ak02.html>

[slipslidingaway]

8. Kick. n/t

[ECH1969]

9. Iran: 15 Students Reported Missing After Clashes With Police

Fifteen Iranian students have disappeared after clashes with police at the University of Tehran, according to Ali Nikusebti, a leader of Iran's largest students' organisation, Tahkim Vahdat. "We have no news of our classmates since last night" when the clashes occurred, Nikusebti told Adnkronos International (AKI) on Wednesday.

"Officially no student has been arrested and we fear that the 15 are being held by the secret services or by fundamentalists acting under police protection," said the students' leader.

The clashes occurred after students - around 30 according to Iran's official IRNA news agency - protested in front of the dormitories of the University of Tehran against the new dean, Omid Zanjani.

The government has recently named the cleric as rector - a choice rejected by the students who are asking for his resignation.

http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Security&loid=8.0.302313833&par=0

[ShockediSay]

10. Students get restless in the Springtime

and bring down governments

[Leber tsohG]

11. ......

democracy will eventually prevail if the people fight for it. they already have elections and such, just a radically different style with Islam as the driving force.

they'll figure it out eventually.. let's just hope the U.S. doesnt "bomb democracy" into Iran like they did in Iraq.

[lumpy]

13. Couldn't agree more

v

[enigma000]

16. 2000 protesters? From a country with a 70 million population?

Big Deal. They will be violently crushed and those students that have "disappeared" will never be heard from again.

I also suspect the US won't be bombing democracy into Iran - it will be bombing Iran to rubble.

[TomClash]

15. I don't support war with Iran

but I support anyone who genuinely fights any flavor of theocracy. Go students go!

[denverbill]

19. As it always is.

Conservatives hate education, and liberals protest against conservative dogma.

Funny isn't it? Conservatives here claim to hate the conservative religious mullahs in Iran and praise the liberal students for protesting against them. OTOH, here in the US, they try to dismantle the separation between church and state, try to get liberal professors fired, attempt to destroy public education because they hate the 'liberal NEA', and call anyone who disagrees with their warmongering foreign policy a traitor.

Oddly enough, the mullahs also call their liberal opponents subversives, enemy agents, and traitors.