Source:
June 13, 2010

In a recent cyber press conference—a first of its kind in Iran—Green Movement leaders Mahdi Karroubi and Mir Hossein Mousavi responded to questions raised by a number of representatives from Green Movement media including the Green Voice of Freedom.

At the beginning of the press conference, Mousavi acknowledged the importance of the conference while stating that “a year ago, we had no such facilities and this in itself is a sign of the transformation that has occurred in the media and information.” He called for a continuation of similar conferences and expressed hope that Green Movement leaders and Green media would have the opportunity to hold more talks and gatherings of such nature.

Reflecting on the results of last June’s presidential election, Mahdi Karroubi said that “perhaps, if either of us had won, we could not have carried out our current roles.”

When asked about the Green Movement’s strategies and future prospects, Mousavi said that the movement began with the slogan of “Where is my vote?” But, after the “suppressions, torture and killings,” the people found out that the country’s problems were far more widespread than previously thought and therefore other slogans were introduced. He argued that the campaign to raise awareness through the social networks in the country was “unprecedented” in the past hundred years.

Karroubi meanwhile stressed that the cause of the post-election turmoil were also rooted in earlier elections including the two most recent parliamentary elections as well as the 2005 presidential election which saw Ahmadinejad rise to power. “These were all the beginning of these incidents. The people were enthusiastic [about the election] and did not want those incidents to occur. Before, we always told the people that ‘fraud is limited to two or four million and you should come to the polling stations’ and when the people came in those numbers, everyone accepted that the turnout was around 85 % and when the results were announced, all these [grievances] accumulated and the explosion of the people occurred.”

“The people were belittled,” he said. “Unfortunately these men [authorities] thought that they could solve the problem with a single move, with fraud, oppressions and confrontation; and this didn’t happen.”

Mousavi noted that one of the success stories of the 2009 election was they people’s “sensitivity” towards information and the “explosion of information” that took place both before and after the election itself. “Information always exists among the public, yet the issue is seeing this information. The people gradually felt the need for moving towards analysing [the information] and to see things better and more clearly. The result was this [sudden] distribution of information. From the start it was anticipated that the state media would not allow this information to be conveyed to the people and for national interaction to occur, despite [the state media’s] obligations under the constitution.”

“If they had allowed the people to express themselves through the national media, many of the political issues and the crises would not have occurred … It has obstructed any form of discourse,” Mousavi said. “Those who said that we have a majority 64% [of the votes] have shown that it is not so. He who has this many votes should not be afraid of the people’s gathering.”

The former prime minister said that although cyber media had existed before the elections, their usage was “transformed” because of the Green Movement and has expanded since. He also called on students and those present in the online social networks to further adopt a national approach and to extend the sphere of their networks to workers and other sectors of society.

Speaking on the issue of media, Mousavi added that despite the potential of the internet in filling the gaps left behind by in the state media, “efforts must be made to establish international television channels outside the country.” He said that the media campaign for the Green Movement must become more organised and pervasive while stating, “those friends, who are thinking about this issue, must speed up their efforts for launching radio stations and television channels. It is the right of our nation to have channels of information.”

Regarding the support of academia and students for the Green Movement, Karroubi said that the government had suffered the most severe blows from the students which explained why so much pressure was being placed on the students in the country. “Most of the pressure has been on universities and students, but at the same time we see that the students are present everywhere and are active.” He maintained that the state’s current actions were not in accordance with the promises of the Islamic Revolution in 1979 and stressed the importance of elections and the people’s vote in the view of Imam Khomeini, while pointing out that even during the early crisis years of the revolution, elections were held regularly in Iran.

Mousavi said that in approving the current constitution, all efforts made at securing a division of authority so that even the judiciary would not be headed by a single person. “That constitution was designed to stand against dictatorship, tyranny and totalitarianism … There was a fear that that the judiciary would be at the service of the same tyranny.”

During the press conference, one of the reporters asked whether the men had any hope that the regime would submit to the people’s demands. Mousavi replied to this question by saying that the materialisation of these demands required the “strong presence of the people.” “If this presence is strengthened, it will lay the foundations for a transformation and change which will benefit the people, especially if the demands are righteous and pursue national interests and have the backing of the people.”

“If in certain countries there is freedom, it is because of strong media and people seeking their demands and the rulers are forced to surrender to their will. If the leaders commit the smallest mistake, they will fall and cannot remain in power, even if their errors are one thousandth of the errors taking place [in Iran].”

Referring to the current situation in Iran of Iran, the defeated 2009 presidential candidate said that “those in charge of affairs in our country think they are God’s special beings … and if they say something it must be turned into action for it is right. There is no trust in collective wisdom and if elections are held at their right time, it is just to say that ‘we have elections’, but it is just a show, and it has no substance.”

“When [parliamentary] elections are held, this means that the people choose their parliament [members], and send them to parliament. Those lawmakers must have the power to defend national interest and their wisdom must have authority.”

During the press conference, Mousavi said that the experiences of the past year demonstrated that the people must stand firm in making their demands, “but this needs time and like other countries. The Islamic Revolution occurred after much hardship it was not achieved with ease … but the outcome for our nation will be freedom and justice and our people’s presence in decision making and not just for show.”

Karroubi echoed similar sentiments and maintained that enduring the hardships was crucial for the Green Movement if it was to succeed. “If we move forward as we have done so until now, we will surely be victorious but with [facing] the hardships and pressure. For two reason: the first reason is the morale, awareness and information of the people and the second reason is the regime’s irrational actions and the restrictions it enforces.”

He held the authorities responsible if the people’s slogans moved towards radicalisation. “We believe that the authorities should move towards free press, free elections and respecting the people’s rights. But is happening now is the opposite.

Regarding the issue of party-oriented politics, Mousavi said that strong parties were important for a country’s political stability. He expressed his dismay over the recent ban on the activities of two of Iran’s most important reformist parties (Islamic Iran Participation Front and Mujahidin of the Islamic Revolution Organisation) and referred to the formation of parties as a “right of the people” under the Iranian constitution. In addition, Mousavi argued that the elimination of parties was the cause for the current “deadlocks” in the country which made a peaceful resolution more difficult. He said that it was a “necessity for the Green Movement” to protect different parties, factions and syndicates.

Mahdi Karroubi also recognised the importance of parties in the country and said that certain forces in the country were in essence, against the existence ad strengthening of political parties. “They have said many times that we have religious centres, clergymen and mosques and we do not want parties. On the other hand, another group interfere in the affairs of parties and obstruct the strengthening of parties, and this is unfortunate.”

“The existence of parties is necessary … Without parties, elections are not possible and if the countries pillars are to be formed based on the people’s votes, there is a need for parties. Those who do not want parties are reliant on the Basij and want the Basij to hold elections.”

Speaking about the post-election role of Shiite clerics in the past year, Karroubi said that Ahmadinejad lacked the support of the religious establishment and that clerics “had done a lot during this time.” “I don’t want to say that they have done everything [in their power], but they have done a lot and have not been prepared to take harsh positions against the people.”

Mousavi also praised the positions taken by clergy in the past year while acknowledging that “the expectations of the Movement might be more than this.” “In the past year, we saw how they supported the people with their statements and actions. The fate of the clerical scholars is closely linked with the fate of the people and is not something isolated. At times, we might expect them to take clearer and more transparent positions.”

“The religious seminaries are undergoing the same serious and deep changes that we are witnessing among the people. It is this transformation that will make the clerics more vocal and sensitive towards the country’s destiny. I don’t think that the situation in the seminaries is the same as last year, and this can be reflected in the clerics’ stance.”

Mir Hossein Mousavi said that the clergymen were being fed z false information regarding the Green Movement and its direction and were pressured, but the campaign of raising awareness among the clergy was improving.

Both men agreed during the press conference, that the main reason for the birth of the Green Movement was retrieving the people’s stolen vote back and respect for their vote. Mr Karroubi said, “the fate of our elections is at the hands of the Guardians Council, but not even at the hands of its twelve members, but in effect one, two or three individuals. Is this a republic? … But even with these actions they [authorities] are facing defeat.”

On the issue of the constitutional reform, Mousavi said that there was no question about the necessity for constitutional change, but the question was the timing for such a change. “If it is at a time of the people’s weakness and when state apparatus act on their own will and even the most ordinary laws are being disregarded, it is natural that changes in the constitution will most certainly not benefit the people.”

“But when the people are able to obtain their rights and to make their presence felt on a national scale, and everyone confesses to the significance of the women’s presence, the people’s intentions and demands become important and will have a decisive effect. Under such conditions, change can be beneficial, but otherwise, I don’t believe that it will yield much result, it might even have a destructive effect.”

Another topic discussed during the ninety minute press conference, was the recent controversy during the anniversary of the death of Imam Khomeini on 4 June. Mousavi said that the interruption of Hassan Khomeini (Imam Khomeini grandson) had the inverse effect of familiarising the Iranian people the “wide” figure.

Responding to a question by the Green Voice of Freedom about the different means of expression for the Green Movement, Mousavi said that the people’s movement must not be limited to their presence on the streets and the movement must continue its path with “creativity.” “My feeling is that raising awareness is the most important issue for this movement, the more this awareness becomes widespread and the more it includes other sectors of society, it will pave the way for change. Being present on the streets is only one way of raising awareness, and it must be taken advantage of, as soon as the conditions are set.”

Mousavi said that the only point of weakness for those seeking tyranny in the country was “expanding awareness.” “One of the most interesting activities in the past year has been carried by artists. This will preserve a legacy for this movement in the future. I believe that the people must help distribute these films, images, video clips caught on mobile phone cameras, these websites and posters. These are our best tools. They are like an army. When they place a security and military force against the people, our army and power is in the people who spread the word about our Movement. I call on this army not only to address the intellectuals, but also teachers, workers, farmers and all portions of the population must be addressed by this wisdom.”

In the end, the two men thanked the Iranian people for their sacrifice in the past year, especially those who had lost loved ones or were imprisoned, wounded or lost their jobs after the elections.

“I truly believe that this resistance and the [good] intentions will bear fruit … no one can forget what the people have endured,” Mousavi said. “There were reports about stripping people naked and whipping them. Some of the scenes we could not even bear to witness with the limited tools that exist. It has been said that there are thousands more films that have not been published and have not been seen due to considerations. The scene where a [police] vehicle runs over a person two times, how can one forget these scenes? This is an insult to the people. The nation have seen this, and have stood firm and their courage is more than before. I believe that with the people’s morale, they will present themselves during different times of struggle and will continue with their peaceful methods. We might gather [our forces] in one scene, but will continue with our presence in another, this is the future of our nation, our country, our people and our children.”

“We don’t want a certain group of people to rule and for the people to be considered as ‘nothing’,” Mousavi said. “We must all be prepared to pay the necessary price … We are in a better position now than we were a year ago.”

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