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Turtle to Ahmadinejad: If you hop on board too, the entire world would then really appreciate Iran’s aerospace accomplishments. Cartoon by: Nikahang Kosar
* * Below: A video message from the Green Movement to the armed forces of Iran: JOIN US
* * Ahmadinejad raps Marxism for promoting gender equality. “Thank God, Marxism has now been buried forever. But the gender equality policy of this ideology and other materialistic schools of thought has inflicted great damage on women’s rights”
Shahrzad News writes: For years, government-sponsored women’s rights groups have tried to promote certain female personages from the early years of Islam as role models for Iranian women, using such stereotypes to advance women’s interests. However, the gender inequality and discrimination that is a feature, not just of Islam but of every religion, has now become so obvious to Iranian women that no religious interpretation will convince them that Sharia law can safeguard their rights.
This has not prevented government officials and their female supporters from persisting with their national and international campaign to derail the struggle of Iranian women and hold them to political ransom. One such futile attempt occurred last week when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad used ‘A Meeting With The Female Scholars of the Islamic World,’ to attack Marxist ideology for its belief in the equality of men and women under a secular, democratic government.
Needless to say Ahmadinejad was not attacking Marxism from an ideological standpoint, but because of the ever-increasing popularity of secularist and democratic values that Iranian women see increasingly as the only route to achieving their rights. These government-subsidised women’s groups would do more for Iranian women by distributing funds among the most deprived, thereby helping them to survive the unbearable economic hardship that has gripped the country under the current regime. Instead their so-called educational programs, this ‘official feminism’ that soaks up millions of dollars of public money, focuses on the number of visits women should make to their local mosque, how better to obey their husbands, and all they need to know about polygamy.
The Islamic regime and its ideologues are facing a major challenge in Iran today. They have to face millions of Iranian women whose cry for freedom and equality will not be stifled by the introduction of backward-looking laws, laws which deny some of the most basic human rights to half the people in the nation.
* * Below: Regime replacing all trashcans, dumpsters and tips around Tehran in order to prevent protesters from using them as barricades and setting them on fire.
* * Azarmehr blog: Islamic Republic Cultural Attaché Dinner Party (with video below the text)
There is an inconspicuous building next to a council state in 55-57 Banner Street, EC1Y 8PX, London, which is used by the Iranian regime’s ‘cultural’ attaché for hosting dinner parties, meetings etc. Fortunately the Green Movement supporters in London are getting more and more adept at being able to organise a protest even at a very short notice. Last Friday evening, the Green Movement supporters were alerted about a dinner party in this building and quickly gathered a team to picket outside the building while the guests attended. I went along to see what was going on as well.
* * United Arab Emirates police arrests an Iranian man in Dubai for shipping a noticeably large container filled with batons, tear gas, pepper gas, tasers and other items for the Iranian regime’s security forces. Javan website, a media arm of the revolutionary guards however claimed that the items in the container had been purchased to be distributed among the Green protesters.
* * For the first time ever and Iranian woman skier will be attending the Vancouver winter Olympics. Marjan Kalhor (pictured) who as a woman must observe the Islamic regime’s mandated hijab, will be competing in the Slalom and the Grand Slalom events. Other than Kalhor, three Iranian men skiers will also be attending.
* * Below: Banner hung on Komeil Bridge, Navvab Street in Tehran
* * Iranian regime bans garments bearing verses from Koran. A range of garments bearing verses from the Koran, and described by both official and semi-official media as ‘vile,’ are currently on sale in Iran, prompting a new cultural backlash from the authorities. The government has instructed customs offices to confiscate them, and told police to arrest those who distribute or wear them.* * Below: 2 videos of Iranian residents of France and their supporters march peacefully in Paris in support of the Green movement on February 7th.
…and Iranian journalist and blogger Babak Daad who recently fled Iran and is now in Paris speaks at the Place de la Republique for Iranian protesters.
* * Below: Video of Regime agents installing speaker systems throughout Tehran (and throughout Iran)
* * Below: Iranian residents of Brisbane, Australia organize a car rally to rupport the green movement…GO GREEN!
* * Hassan Khomeini, eldest grandson of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, lashed out at Seda va Sima, the Iranian regime’s broadcasting system. In a letter to the managing director of the network, Ezatollah Zarghami, Khomeini accused the network of misrepresentatng his grandfather in a documentary entitled “Prominent”, produced by the network on the occasion of the 31st anniversary of the ‘79 revolution.
The documentary which has been airing five times a day from different TV channels focuses on comments made by the late Ayatollah Khomeini regarding organizing demonstrations without official permits. This segment, which according to Hassan Khomeini is “shortened and distorted,” shows Ayatollah Khomeini opposing demonstrations without permits, calling on security forces and the people to confront those demonstrators.
Hassan Khomeini, a supporter of Green movement and the reformist camp, maintains that the National Television has portrayed his grandfather “maliciously and depicted a figure that is miles away from the true Imam Khomeini”. He accuses Seda-va Sima of taking things out of context and drawing irrelevant historical parallels. He also adds that to get a more truthful account, they should call on the Imam’s nearest and dearest to properly expound on his statements and parts of his life that have not been as detailed as others.
Reacting to Hassan Khomeini’s attack on the broadcasting network however, 180 conservative members of the Iranian Parliament (Majles) have lauded the documentary and congratulated Ezatollah Zarghami for his programming.
* * Below: Video of the Azadi Square (formerly known as Shahyad Square). This area has been one of the main areas of protests since 1979 but now the regime has fenced the entire square off in preparation for Thursday’s protests in order to prevent protesters to gather and crowd control.