Hey Trav

yeah I check your blog from time to time. its not blocked (yet). that's a good thing to do we should spread the word as much as we can. right now that's the only thing we can do cos certainly we won't be able to do anymore demonstrations specially now that the guardian council has validated the results.

we should pass the real news to all the journalists that we know so they may make it to big corporations like ABC,CBS,CNN,etc....maybe that way they can change the public opinions although I know they already know there's been mass fraud but still maybe they'll make their governments put more pressure or maybe even not accepting the results. we're gonna have hard days in here. who knows what he'll do when he's in power again.






Also check out:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2009/jun/29/iran-election-dead-detained

Iran election: faces of the dead and detainedWe want to put a face to each of those
hundreds - possibly thousands - killed or arrested since the Iranian election.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was officially returned for a second ter

Iran's top electoral body, the Guardian Council, has confirmed the victory of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the presidential election after a partial recount.

News of the decision, which comes after a series of protests by the opposition against what it says was a rigged ballot, was announced by state TV.

The 12-strong council is the most influential body in Iran and is currently controlled by conservatives.

This just in from a friend on Tehran:

A clear evidence of fraud supported by the state TV. This is only one of thousands of evidences. Please pass it to the people who actually believe they can make a difference. Not the ones who are just sitting there and watching us being beaten and killed. And the only thing they can tell is that "they are concerned" We want action. We DO NOT recognize the result of the election.

http://www.iranian-heroes.org/#

http://iranbodycount.blogspot.com

A friend wrote to me today:
"I think that's the part you should focus on: trying to show the world the real image of us not the things they used to show on their tvs."

Then another friend sent me a link to this video. I think friend 2's link answers friend 1's suggestion

See for yourself.



One of the most powerful videos to come out of the turmoil in Iran is of a woman reciting a poem from the rooftops of Tehran at night. Recorded on the eve of the first wave of violent crackdowns against protesters, the poem gives voice to the inner turmoil of a people coping with a sudden and potentially violent revolution and struggling with a new conception of their homeland. Behind the poet's shaking speech--which seems more full of heartbreak than fear--you can hear cries of "Allah-o Akhbar" and feel the tension in the air.

Worshippers heard Khatami say on Friday that 'rioters' should be punished without mercy [AFP] A leading Iranian religious leader has called for the execution of "rioters" who have led a series of anti-government protests following the country's disputed June 12 presidential election. Ahmad Khatami, a member of Iran's Assembly of Experts, told worshippers during a sermon at Friday prayers that Iran's judiciary should charge such rioters as "mohareb", or one who wages war against God. "Anybody who fights against the Islamic system or the leader of Islamic society, fight him until complete destruction," Khatami said in the nationally broadcast sermon at Tehran University. "We ask that the judiciary confront the leaders of the protests, leaders of the violations, and those who are supported by the United States and Israel strongly, and without mercy to provide a lesson for all." Under Iranian law, the punishment for people convicted as mohareb is execution.

Mousavi Web site: 70 professors detained in Iran

A Web site affiliated with Iran's key opposition figure, Mir Hossein Mousavi, says 70 university professors were detained after meeting with him.

The Kalemeh Web site says the professors were taken into custody after a meeting with Mousavi late Wednesday. The report says it is not clear where the detainees were taken.

The detentions were another sign of the expanding crackdown by Iranian authorities on protesters challenging the results of the June 12 presidential elections.

19 Year Old Girl Killed in Protests 24th of June

Iran's Mousavi calls new protest

Thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets to protest against the election result [EPA] Iran's main opposition leader is urging his supporters to gather outside parliament in Tehran later on Wednesday, in defiance of government orders for protesters to stay off the streets. The call from Mir Hossein Mousavi comes as Iranian authorities have reportedly deployed more security to break-up any gatherings and quell further protests. On Tuesday authorities warned they would set up special courts to deal with detained protesters and "teach them a lesson". Mousavi's call for fresh protests in Tehran's main square at 1600 local time will be a key test of whether the government crackdown will keep protesters at home.

Mir Hossein Mousavi is still nominally the guiding force of the fury over Iran's disputed election. But there are ample signs his rebel stature is being eroded by his hesitation to shift from campaigner to street agitator as his supporters challenge security forces.

The questions over Mousavi's standing are part of a larger debate over the direction of the unprecedented assault on Iran's Islamic leadership.

The size of the demonstrations has fallen sharply since Mousavi led hundreds of thousands through Tehran last week over claims of vote rigging in the June 12 presidential election. At the same time, the growing threats and firepower from security forces leave little doubt that authorities are prepared to strike back hard.

A gathering of about 200 people on Monday was quickly broken up by tear gas and shots fired into the air. On Tuesday, protesters retreated to much milder methods: honking car horns, chanting from rooftops and holding up posters denouncing the crackdown and alleged vote fraud.

It gave the clear impression of authorities gaining the upper hand, at least for the moment. Crushing the protesters' spirits and ability to regroup would likely mean even greater rewards and power for Iran's Revolutionary Guard — the Islamic regime's main military muscle and backer of hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. And it could put reformists under relentless pressure for years to come.

But it's still far too early to declare the opposition forces doomed. Protest organizers are appealing for another major rally, perhaps Thursday, in hopes of recapturing momentum and projecting their resolve. They also appear to be moving beyond Mousavi's specific call for a new election and widening their rage against the entire Islamic power structure.

Come on guys!!!!!

By FARNAZ FASSIHI

TEHRAN—The family, clad in black, stood at the curb of the road sobbing. A middle-aged mother slapped her cheeks, letting out piercing wails. The father, a frail man who worked as a doorman at a clinic in central Tehran, wept quietly with his head bowed.

Minutes before, an ambulance had arrived from Tehran's morgue carrying the body of their only son, 19-year-old Kaveh Alipour.

On Saturday, amid the most violent clashes between security forces and protesters, Mr. Alipour was shot in the head as he stood at an intersection in downtown Tehran. He was returning from acting class and a week shy of becoming a groom, his family said.

The details of his death remain unclear. He had been alone. Neighbors and relatives think that he got trapped in the crossfire. He wasn't politically active and hadn't taken part in the turmoil that has rocked Iran for over a week, they said.

When Mr. Alipour didn't return home that night, his parents began to worry. All day, they had heard gunshots ringing in the distance. His father, Yousef, first called his fiancée and friends. No one had heard from him.

At the crack of dawn, his father began searching at police stations, then hospitals and then the morgue.

Upon learning of his son's death, the elder Mr. Alipour was told the family had to pay an equivalent of $3,000 as a "bullet fee"—a fee for the bullet used by security forces—before taking the body back, relatives said.

Mr. Alipour told officials that his entire possessions wouldn't amount to $3,000, arguing they should waive the fee because he is a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war. According to relatives, morgue officials finally agreed, but demanded that the family do no funeral or burial in Tehran. Kaveh Alipour's body was quietly transported to the city of Rasht, where there is family.

I was in Iran for the 2004 elections. Nothing happened, Ahmadinejad won and Iranians wondered what would be install for them. Of course I wanted to go to for this years elections, long before the elections started I had plans to be there. But circumstances made it hard for me to be there on time.

When I finally got back to Kabul and went to the Iranian embassy, I knew the answer before they even told me: NO. So I have been living vicariously through my friends and media contacts in Iran. Not only are they feeding me the material you have seen on my blog, but they are also giving me their personal feelings about what it is like to be caught inside this nightmare horror movie (see some comments below).

The other interesting development in this crisis is the clamp down on media coverage of the events. I know that even if I did get into Iran I probably would have been arrested and thrown out of the country. A horrible thought; being banned from returning to one of my favourite countries in the whole world.

Here are some links to some interesting articles about the media clampdown.

http://news.yahoo.com

http://english.aljazeera.net

http://news.bbc.co.uk

http://www.smh.com.au

Comments from my Iranian friends:

azizam!
I don't know what to say, I don't know if I want you to be here for your adventurous side or I don't want you here coz I want you alive !!!! This is really strange! I could never imagine myself in Vanak Sq. screaming for liberty! I would never ever picture myself running through gas tears in Tohid Sq !!! But I can simply picture YOU on a motorcycle wearing a Kafiye, taking pictures!!! You are more Irani than I am!!!!! Ha ha ha! I didn't take many pictures, I don't know why... but I will send you some .. I really do appreciate your support . I can't tell what is going to happen, I just wonder what is this "power" that you will kill your brother for it. "money and power" I just want to have them for a day to see if I will become a lier with bloody hands?!!! I just wonder....
I miss you SO MUCH, I can't tell how much
take care,
thank you again,
peace,

hi dude
thanx for your concern.im fine.
fine means alive, but no one is really fine here.
have u seen what those fuckers did to my people.
we know we're being watched, cause we don't exist in our own country. just take a look at our TV programs, papers, whatever!!!
we wont give up,
and we'll meet up soon in my beloved country.
sleep tight and take care of yourself.

hey buddy,
thanks for your concern.thankfully I'm OK just a little bit hurt but safe and OK. I wouldn't advise you to come to Iran these days it won't do any good. keep safe in there.

my dear don't worry i am fine , yesterday was bloody but today is
quiet people are very upset and angry and its very depressing but at
least now they realized in which dictatorship we are living,
no you can not take any photos they told us we dont have to work but
i did some not in aggressive accidents
its very depressing mood,
thanks for your email

Dear Travis
thank you so much for being so concern about us :)
I'm fine , nearly didn't go out yesterday , and im about to leave for my mothers house right now, which i dont think its gonna cause me any trouble :D
the world should hear our voice cause there are more things to come up by these guys.
UN must act quicker i suppose. God ( if there is one !) bless us all
thank you again for your concern, will write you more late

All is fine on my family’s side.
I am still a bit anxious about my father who has received “preventive” visit of Interior Ministry asking them to remain silent. Which they are not.
My older aunt is also very anxious about his son, who is serving with the army in Tehran. She is afraid that they might be called to go in the streets and fire on people.
I hope all you other friends will have good news on their side.
Cheers

hi dear travis
as you know here is a mess and country is not spending good days.today is friday and there is no hope for watching how things are developing here. but anyway , thank you for your nice attention and hope to see you soon .





I just hope that next time I do try to go to Iran, my posting here don't effect my chances of getting a visa.......

KK

WARNING SOME OF THE CONTENT IN THESE LINKS AND VIDEO MAY BE CONSIDERED GRAPHIC TO SOME PERSONS.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8111352.stm

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/06/200962183455848331.html

http://news.yahoo.com/world

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8111242.stm

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/weekinreview/21cohenweb.html?_r=1&hp

Excuse the graphic matter. But a woman attending a protests is not really a mortal threat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNWgmciEbmU

here it is in black n white (well in colour, but you know what I mean)

I left my home in Tajrish along with my family at 3 p.m, at 4 and march toward Azadi Sq. (Freedom Sq.). On our way, near Jomhouri Sq. (Republic Sq.), I saw a group of about 20 militia with long beards and batons on motorbikes. My hand was out of the car window with a little green ribbon (the sign of reformists) around my finger. One of the militia told me to throw that ribbon away. I showed him a finger. All of a sudden, about 15 people attacked me inside the car. They beat me with their batons and wanted to pull me out. My wife and my daughter who were sitting in the back seat cried and hold me tight. I also hold myself tight on the chair. They wanted to shatter the car windows. The driver went out and explained that he is a taxi and we are his passengers and he has no fault. After about 5 minutes,they left. My elbow hurts severely. Then, a young man from their group came and kissed my elbow! I told him: You know, I don't hate you. I am like you with the only difference that I know more and you are ignorant. He apologized and left.

Read carefully:

What I saw today was the most elegant scene I had ever witnessed in my life. The huge number of people were marching hand in hand in full peace. Silence. Silence was everywhere. There was no slogan. No violence. Hands were up in victory sign with green ribbons. People carried placards which read: Silence. Old and young, man and woman of all social groups were marching cheerfully. This was a magnificent show of solidarity. The estimate is about 2 million people. I felt proud to find myself among such a huge number of passionate people who were showing the most reasonable act of protest. Frankly, I didn't expect such a political maturity from emotional Iranians who easily get excited. My family and I had put stickers on our mouths to represent the suppression. Placards that people carried were different; from poems by the national poet Ahmad Shamlu to light-hearted slogans against Ahmadinejad. Examples include: " To slaughter us/ why did you need to invite us / to such an elegant party" (Poem by Shamlu) , "Where is my vote?" , " Give me back my vote" and many other.

We arrived in Azadi Square where the entire square was full of population. It is said that around 500,000 people can be accommodated in this huge square and it was full. Suddenly we saw smoke from Jenah Freeway and heard the gunshot. People were scared at first but then went forward. I just heard the gunshots but my sister who had been on the scene at that part told me later that she saw 4 militia came out from a house and shot a girl. Then they shot a young boy in his eye and the bullet came out of his ear. She said that 4 people were shot. At least one person dead has been confirmed. People arrested one of the Baseeji militia but the three others ran away when they ran out of bullets. At around 8 we went back on foot. On the way back people were still in the street and were chanting Allah Akbar (God is Great).



I came home. Tomorrow, people will gather again in Valiasr Square for another peaceful march toward the IRIB building which controls all the media and which spreads filthy lies. All their internet sites are filtered as well as social networks such as facebook. Text messaging and mobile communication was also cut off during the demonstration. Since yesterday, the Iranian TV was announcing that there is no license for any gathering and riot police will severely punish anybody who may demonstrates. Ahmadinejad called the opposition as a bunch of insignificant dirt who try to make the taste of victory bitter to the nation. He also called the western leaders as a bunch of "filthy homosexuals". All these disgusting remarks was today answered by that largest demonstration ever. Older people compared the demonstration of today with the Ashura Demonstration of 1979 which marks the downfall of the Shah regime and even said that it outnumbered that event.

The militia burnt a house themselves to find the excuse to commit violence. People neutralized their tactic to a large degree by their solidarity, their wisdom and their denial to enage in any violent act.

I feel sad for the loss of those young girls and boys. It is said that they also killed 3 students last night in their attack at Tehran University residence halls. I heard that a number of professors of Sharif University and AmirKabir University (Tehran Polytechnic) have resigned.

Democracy is a long way ahead. I may not be alive to see that day. With eyes full of tear in these early hours of Tuesday 16th June 2009, I glorify the courage and bravery of those martyrs and I hope that their blood will make every one of us more committed to freedom, to democracy and to human rights.

Viva Freedom, Viva Democracy, Viva Iran

What The US be like now, if the American public had of stood up to voting fraud in 2000 election (when Al Gore lost to Bush) like the people of Iran are doing today....

http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=3876

Must see images


http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/06/irans_disputed_election.html

And another angle not expected

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jun/17/obama-iran-twitter

The Europeans are behind the underdog

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7fiBxU8wEU

Thanks again to all that sent the latest links. Keep them coming.

KK

Fraud elections and demand for new elections in Iran

It seems obvious that the last Iranian election seems to be a big fraud. Evidence for this are that the results of the elections, and therefore the winner was certain and known before the end of the voting time. Also, some of the election urns are said to have been full before the end of the voting time. And in several cases, voters were not allowed to give their vote.

The protests of all the people in Tehran and other places inside Iran become wider. From the beginning, the Iranian government answered with hard and violent. Many people are being imprisoned. Several people were injured and some are known to be dead. But the European government, as nearly all other foreign governments do not intervene. They announce to watch and criticise the conflict. But no action follows.

The United Nations does not help either. On their internet homepage they praise themselves to stand for peace, fairness, and democracy. But there is no performance in that direction for the people in Iran, for people, whose country is even a member of the United Nations. On the UN-Homepage it says:

“The work of the United Nations reaches every corner of the globe. Although best known for peacekeeping, peace building, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance, there are many other ways the United Nations … affect our lives and make the world a better place. The Organization works on a broad range of fundamental issues, from sustainable development, … disarmament and non-proliferation, to promoting democracy, human rights, governance, economic and social development … and more, in order to achieve its goals and coordinate efforts for a safer world for this and future generations.”



Butt these are only words. You cannot talk of fairness and good governance in a country where human rights are being beaten down and democracy becomes a foreign word.

It does not even seem be of interest of the general secretary of the United Nations Ban Ki Moon. He does not seem to stand behind the people of Iran. There is no mentioning about the happenings over the last couple of days in Iran on his homepage (see http://www.un.org/sg/).

What can be done?

No government on this earth should accept the last elections in Iran. Instead, new and fair elections should be demanded, and must be supervised and controlled by the United Nations. Ban Ki Moon, the general secretary of the United Nations should travel to Iran immediately to act on that.

Please send this mail to your foreign ministry, your head of government, and/or to the United Nations. Please ask them to not accept the last elections in Iran and instead to demand new and fair elections, which will be supervised and controlled by the United Nations.
Please send this email also to your friends and colleagues and ask them for help, too.

Thank you.
For all Iranians.

I sent out a email to all my Iranian friends telling them to send me their messages, pics, links and I would post them on my blog:

Travis,
Thank you for opening up your blog for people show the world what is going on in Iran. I know the government is censoring and cutting off communication. I wonder if any of your friends have even received your email? The blogosphere, twitter, facebook, everyone is talking about Iran right now. The momentum needs to be kept up. There is a lot of misinformation out there as well. I am glad the world can see not all Iranians voted for a puppet leader. Let the world know Iranians want change. We want to go forward not backwards...

thanks travis for your protection
hail to you dear
i'll let you know the rest of any news about recent movement in iran
thanks again

Thank you man.
Please distribute these links widely to your Iranian friends.
Due to severe blockage of communication means, it is of utmost importance to multiply information’s sources available to compatriots in Iran.

Yes, I have been glued to the internet. I wen to a rally in SF last night and plan on going to more. My mother hasn't been able to get through to Tehran in the past few days. She is worried. I haven't even let her see some of the youtube videos that I have seen. I broke down last night, some of it was so graphic. I was going to go in a month for my cousin's engagement party. It's been 9 years and I miss my family. I am holding off on anything now. Part of me really wants to go anyways, the other part doesn't want my mother even more so worried. Have you received any news? It seems that some kind of change will happen now. This is too big to just be swept under the rug.

“One medical student said he and his roommate blocked their door with furniture and hid in the closet when they heard the militia’s motorcycles approaching. He heard the militia breaking down doors, and then screams of anguish as students were dragged from their beds and beaten violently.

When he came out after the militia had left, friends and classmates lay unconscious in dorm rooms and hallways, many with chest wounds from being stabbed or bloody faces from blows to their heads, he said. The staff of the hospital where the wounded students were taken, Hazrat Rasoul Hospital, was so shocked that they went on strike for two hours, standing silently outside the gate in their white medical uniforms.”

after injuring my family member and damaging my car with the anti riots police officers
who could be fine?
who is fine here?
I will return Tehran on Sunday and cintinue joining other brother and sisters there in Tehran
demonstrations..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zktmKVjItA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcHT8-ps64w

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8101098.stm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzBf-5nnofw&feature=related

http://25khordad.wordpress.com/

http://vigilantejournalist.com/blog/archives/506

For Persian Speakers:

http://www.ghalamnews.ir/news-21127.aspx

http://sos3246.wordpress.com/


If you have any links with good material please email me and I will post the link.
(argusphoto@gmail.com)

KK

Again another friend sent me this:

"Mr.Obama, Mr.Sarkozy, Mrs.Merckel, Mr.Brown, Mr.Medviedev, Mr.Berlusconi and...........................

Shame on you, Shame on you, Shame on you.

You are nothing but liars. You all know the truth about the Iranian election but you all want Ahmadi nejhad to win cos that will make it easier for you about the nuclear issue. You are dealing with our FREEDOM. You are executing our souls.

If you accept the result of this fraud election that means you don't and have NEVER believed in democracy and freedom.

Shame on you and shame on those who believe your words

All the way from Tehran"

A friend of mine (shooter) sent me his latest images from Tehran.

The peoples revolution of '79 worked. Maybe it can work again..........

Location: Herat Province, Guzara District, Mir Daoud area, Herat-Kandahar Ring Road

Incident type: AOG material support

Date/Time: 2 June 2009, 1600 hrs

Report Source: OTHER

Information: ANP searched a bus that had arrived in the abovementioned area from Kandahar and reportedly discovered the following items hidden between a large amount of religious books:

1) 40 antipersonnel mines

2) 10 RCIEDs

3) 48 detonators

4) 2 boxes of AOG stamps

5) 29 ICOM radios

I'm back in Melbourne for a quick visit and my brothers band is playing a gig on Sunday night. Roxy Moron's all new line up has invited me to play along with them on a few songs. So come down, catch up, support independent music and have a drink.