The Iranian regime’s hostility toward Chaharshanbe Souri is nothing new. For years after the revolution, as we were growing up in Tehran, we held the celebrations in fear. As we set our tumbleweeds on fire in our street and threw some firecrackers around, we expected the Basij or the Komiteh – security forces who patrolled [...]
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If anyone had told me a year ago that by this time I would be spending my days in front of Evin waiting for the release of a friend who had been arrested on the anniversary of the revolution for having a green wristband in his pocket, I would have kindly asked them to go [...]
Have you ever walked among an army of Wargs, Easterlings, Goblins, Trolls, Orcs and their kin, the Uruk-Hai? That is how the battle of 22 Bahman played out for us. We spent a short time walking quietly past legions of government goons as they growled, grunted and drooled, until they took one of us in [...]
I don’t remember being as freaked out as I am now before any other demonstration. Caffeine and Nicotine are my best friends these days. Part of the reason is the unpredictability of 22 Bahman, in terms of turnout on both sides, the regime’s reaction, and the outcome. I have a small window for talking about [...]
“May your hands not ache [Iranian expression meaning “thank you”] for the executions of these two people, and to appease God, you should be men and continue to stand your ground.” – Ahmad Jannati, Tehran Friday Prayers, January 29,2010.
“Bodies of the executed should be publicly exhibited on the streets of Tehran.” – Gholam-Reza Hassani, Urumiyeh [...]