At the eve of Iranian election, i have alot to say. About the american policy, Iran’s democracy, the narrow minded Western media and their somehow unfair reactions toward the election, the influence of Iran’s election on the world affairs and so on. But right now I prefer to show you photos and let you judge.
What i am witnessing’s something incredible in the history of Islamic Republic. We’ve never felt this much freedom to talk. During the previous governments, people were not allowed to express their feeling within the elections with such an excitement. They were never able to shout,dance, insult or praise as free as they can these days.The police had done a great job, controling the crowd but not interfering in their rallies.
This election has offered us something new. The events within and afterward will always remain as a nostalgia for all of us, the youth generation.
Is Iran a democratic country? Well, some might say there’s way to go. Yet i assume right now Iran is facing one of the most democratic atmosphere in the region and somehow the world.
Let’s hope for more. An Iran for all Iranians, despite different ideas, beliefs, religions and ethnicities.
That’s it, ‘Our‘ Iran..
June 11, 2009 at 6:07 pm
I absolutely LOVE this post which shows a completely different picture of Iran and the Iranian people than the Western media likes to portrait! I can virtually FEEL the excitement, hope, the pride of being Iranian … FASCINATING!! Thanks so much for posting that … would you mind if I’d cross-post that on my blog while linking back to yours of course?? I think more people should see that …
June 11, 2009 at 6:08 pm
Karin, Thank you so much. Of course you can cross post it
June 12, 2009 at 12:10 am
I won’t get into the democracy debate because we had it over at Homeyra’s
But I think, comparatively speaking at least, there is MUCH more variation across the spectrum of our four candidates than was existent between Obama and McCain.
June 12, 2009 at 3:56 am
I commend you and your people for the sense of freedom that you feel. Not all of us here in the states look at only one news source, I watch a channel that has Al Jazeera English. They have a much broader perceptive on world politics than the government one. I wish you a wonderful election and may it bring our two countries closer.
M
June 12, 2009 at 7:33 am
Pedestrian,
There were a variation of canidates in the US, at least at the start. There were many candidates running for president, too many.
June 12, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Pedestrian, Agree. I meant same thing.
Did you vote? What a question. I am sure you did
Metisty, Thank you for your comment. And thank you for your wishes for Iranian nation. Same to you
I think pedestrian is right about complicated american election. Bcs in the US, thecandidate must be whether democrate or republican and there’s no place for the third party. Those who want to run for presidency, have to spend alot money and find strong links to different lobbies just geting to debate.
And finally they’re not elected all by people, but just 2 or 3 of them come out, like this election that Clinton had a race with Obama and then Obama with McCain. In compare of Iran that 4 candidates came up with 4 different political and social views as well.
June 12, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Vaaay che poste ghashangee! Behem chills dadee!
I wish for social justice, better standards of living, security and in general a good life for all people of Iran no matter who is elected president. I’m sure better days are ahead
June 12, 2009 at 9:46 pm
[...] also: Election day in Iran ‘Our’ Iran Iranian elections: live More than 4 million votes were cast by midday, according to Iran’s [...]
June 13, 2009 at 7:55 am
Thanks Shahrzad for explaining. It’s interesting how Iranian politics work.
June 13, 2009 at 4:16 pm
good post
now the results are announced
is it the required result?
June 13, 2009 at 6:49 pm
“During the previous governments, people were not allowed to express their feeling within the elections with such an excitement. They were never able to shout,dance, insult or praise as free as they can these days.The police had done a great job, controling the crowd but not interfering in their rallies.”
I have noticed quite the same thing with regard the local elections that took place in my country yesterday. In fact, I was very much surprised at the degree of freedom that has been allowed on national radio, among other things.
June 13, 2009 at 7:23 pm
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb.cms?photoid=4653027&width=460&resizemode=4
June 13, 2009 at 8:52 pm
Here are more pictures, but sad to see only Mousavi is covered.
Anyway, the pics are incredible:
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/06/irans_presidential_election.html
June 14, 2009 at 3:04 am
I think Iran had a good democracy…better than many. India and Pakistan ( to some lesser extent) are the only other democratic nations in that region. I expected the same cry from the western media as they never liked President Ahmedinejad. Iranian should realize that they will destroy their own country if they go on the path the west want them to. As they say ” western democracy is like two wolves and a lamb voting to decide what to eat at lunch”
.
Mr. Mousavi should come to the front and accept the defeat open heartedly for the sake of Iran.
I hope some day western media ( and govts) will also accept the right of other nation to elect their own government.
June 14, 2009 at 10:39 am
Zios, Thank you so much for your comment and your support for Iranian nation. you’re absolutely right. Some iranian politicians can not accept the lose and respect Iranians’ choice.
June 14, 2009 at 10:04 pm
Shahrzad,
What’s your take on the current situation in Iran? Why is this happening?
Perhaps everyone is waiting for your perspective. It would be great to have someone fluent in English, who voted for Ahmadinejad, express her opinions on the elections that the typical English-language media is painting as rigged, without citing any reliable evidence.
June 15, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Shahrzad! Congrats from the heart
all are cheering Alhamdlilaah!
But… I keep checking the news, and the outlook is not that good on the streets! What do you say about the current situation?
God bless Iran, God bless the the muslim world from all evil.
June 15, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Salaams Shahrazad:
We are all thinking of you. Stay well.
June 16, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Dear Sharazad,
let me first say, that I’m a big critic of western mainstream media, whereever possible, I try to turn turn to more reliable sources for information.
Now, what has been in the media over here about what has happened in your country after the election is somewhat terrible. I know it is bound to be exegerated, but it cannot be made up out of thin air completely, because there are videos, there are pictures.
I was wondering how much the people in Iran know at all about these things. How “free” are your news agencys, how independent are your television stations and newspapers? Can you freely reach everything on the internet? How do you experience the situation after the election?
Best wishes, vivi
June 16, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Sis,
Do you have any updates from ground on the protests? I heard its in millions.
What is happening? And if Mousavi comes after re-count, what would really change?
June 16, 2009 at 10:02 pm
I just wanted to tell that i am fine and things are OK with me. I was all updated these days on Twitter and you can follow my twitts to know more details about events. Things are getting clear little by little.
I can not catch the facebook but i’ve received your kind emails and thank you all that were so kind and supportive.
Hopefully, Iranians have many friends around the globe, but sadly they have many enemies too. It’s not the first time that we’re tested these ways. We will solve this mess and inshallah will proudly get out of it.
With Love from Iran
June 17, 2009 at 10:06 pm
[...] quotes Shahrzad, a blogger supporting Ahmadinejad: “What I am witnessing is something incredible in the [...]
June 18, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Hi,
I am writing an article for Huffington Post on recent Iran elections. I have few questions. Can you please email me at sarikamona1@gmail.com?
Thanks
June 19, 2009 at 8:07 am
Hi, I thought you might be interested to take a look at this post “America’s Iranian Twitter Revolution”
http://openanthropology.wordpress.com/2009/06/17/americas-iranian-twitter-revolution/
June 19, 2009 at 8:57 am
Mona, i emailed you.
Sara, thanks so much for the link. Very interesting article. I shared on my twitter for others to read.
June 19, 2009 at 9:25 am
Thanks for sharing it via twitter. I sent you some RT @Shahrzad do not if you received them or not?
June 19, 2009 at 10:05 am
Sara, my twitter ID is @shahrzadmo
RT on that if you want. Thank you again
June 21, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Greetings from Canada.
I just want you to know that some of us in the west do not automatically believe events as they are portrayed in the mainstream media.
From the beginning, I felt there was something fishy going on in Tehran. The “green protests” are eerily similar to the so-called, staged orange revolution in the Ukraine and other marketed uprisings elsewhere.
Anyone with a brain knows who was behind those events.
If the Iranian election was so badly rigged, why aren’t we being provided with details on how this was accomplished?
It is also disturbing that we in the west are only presented with one side of this story and our media accepts certain statements from our talking heads as gospel.
I find it ironic that much of the criticism of the current Iranian government is coming from the U.S., a country which has demonstrated it certainly knows how to fix elections and can fool most of its citizens most of the time.
Even more shameful to me is the fact that our Canadian politicians will not take an independent stance and only echo the stance of their American masters.
June 21, 2009 at 9:09 pm
پر بودم و سیر بودم و سیراب
و لذتم تنها این که …
آری کارم سخت است و دردم سخت
و از هر چه شیرینی و شادی و بازی محروم
اما …
این بس که می فهمم !
خوب است …
احمق نیستم .
معلم شهید شریعتی
June 27, 2009 at 12:55 pm
@Shahrzad: Check this URL
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124571901245939581.html
Here a quote of it:
“Nobody gives us advice—we’re the ones who give advice” to the government, he says indignantly. “We know the Iranian psychology, and can tell exactly what’s happened there and what the news means.”