Jahanshah Rashidian

In (18 Tir), 10, 07, 1999, a semi-official body IRI militias (plain-clothes Basiji) attacked peaceful demonstrations organised by students in Tehran and Tabriz.They were protesiting the strain imposed on medias, particularly the closure of Salam, a newspaper close to a reformist faction of the regime. Student dormitories were occupied and students were beaten up and some of them thrown out of windows. A student was killed and a number injured, what  turned into a nationwide- six- day  demonstrations in which at least three more people were killed and more than 200 injured.

This year, the commemoration coincides with the beginning of a revolutionary atmosphere which statred in and out of Iran after the recent controvesial election. This simple election  became an occasion of a long-oppressed people to raise their fists against the plague of the IRI. The popular movement now turns to be a freedom movement with a grandious perspective to free Iran from the bloody clutches of Mullahs.

Despite all dreadful risk, people in Iran now cry radical slogans like “Marg Bar Diktator!” (Death to the dictator!), hinting at Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader. This is a clear signal of targeting the whole regime. It is under such circumstances a national duty of Iranians abroad to reflect the freedom desire of in Iranians. Let’s all freedom-loving Iranians abroad massively commemoratethe 18-Tir by demonstrating and crying slogans targeting at the whole totalitarain IRI at this day.