People have been taking to the streets en masse in Tehran today. They are burning police cars and stations and calling for freedom in Tehran. Today is the Day of Ashura in the Muslim World. It is a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the prophet Muhammad. While it is a religious day of mourning, it is also a day that has taken on greater political significance over time.
The people of Tehran have turned the day of Ashura into a day of protest against the Khamenei regime. The regime has struck back and brutally attacked protesters. Hundreds have been arrested, many have been injured and about 8-10 people have been killed in clashes with security forces, including opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi's nephew. The Obama administration has condemned the 'unjust suppression' of protesters.
It's easy enough to recognize these protests are not insignificant, but it's hard to tell where this is all leading to. This is an unusual place for the Khamenei regime to be. They are not used to such sustained and widespread opposition. If nothing else, today's actions show incredible desperation on the part of the regime. But will these protests culminate in a '79 style regime change in Iran? Or is that too western-centric a hope?
Either way, the footage coming out of Tehran has been heartbreaking and inspiring. The courage of the protesters, in the face of such brutality and violence, is nothing short of awe-inspiring. My heart goes out to all of the families of someone slain today.
Also I've found Andrew Sullivan at the Daily Dish is one of the best places to follow this. If you're not checking in regularly, you should be.
Thanks for sharing. Where would we be w/o Sully?
ReplyDelete