Change in Iran is near - Rally in London in support of the Brave people in Iran

 

In the past few days there we have received numerous reports from Iran saying despite attempts by the security forces to disperse people, the protesters eventually took over a large section of central Tehran, leaving the police watching from the sidelines. There are similar reports from across the country from our families and friends.

Jon Leyne, BBC News Tehran correspondent wrote “The opposition hoped for a massive day of demonstrations, and they have managed that beyond their expectations”.

Witnesses described how opposition supporters resisted the attacks by suppressive police with their bare hands, and the police eventually opened fire directly on the crowd.

The size of the demonstrations, and the death of a number of protesters, has dramatically change the nature and the intensity of the confrontation.

Without a clear strategy of what to do next, the government is still pretending there are just a handful of troublemakers causing civil unrest.

From day to day, it is not clear how the crisis will develop however, we could be certain about one thing, people will not be silent anymore and will not put up with the Islamic fanatics ruling the country. People have tasted the ecstasy of their power in unity and victory in standing up for their rights pushing violent suppressors back.

In solidarity with those brave men and women I would like to ask you to join us for a rally in front of the Iranian embassy to raise our voice urging them to end violent crackdown, arrest and torture of innocent people whose only crime is their desire to be free.

Rally is tomorrow;
Day:   Wednesday 30 December
Time: 11:30 – 13:30
Place: Opposite Iranian Embassy London
Address: 16 Prince’s Gate, London SW7 1PT
Closest Tube Station: High Street Kensington, Bus 52 from station will take directly to Rally place

Please tell other friends and ask them to join.


Latest update From Iran with Photos

Martial law declared in Najaf Abad
The clerical regime declared Martial law in Najaf Abad, birth place of late Ayatollah Montazeri, on Sunday evening according to the Social Headquarters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) inside the country. The suppressive forces used loudspeakers mounted on cars to warn local residents not to get out of their houses. The decision was made following extensive demonstrations on Ashura.

Suppressive forces kidnap wounded from hospitals in Tehran and Esfahan
People clashed with suppressive forces who were trying to kidnap the wounded from Farabi Hospital in Southern Karegar Street- Qazvin Street in Tehran.

In Esfahan, plainclothes and the State Security Forces (SSF) agents surrounded Alzahra Hospital in Darvazeh Shiraz and Sepahan Hospital and attempted to take away the wounded who were hospitalized.

The regime’s suppressive forces have been taking away the wounded of the uprisings from hospitals despite their critical states and transfer them to prisons and torture chambers.


Anti-regime protests on night of Ashura at Tehran’s Kaj Square
On Sunday, at around 20:30 local time, a large number of people in Tehran gathered at Kaj Square, northwest of Saadat Abad, and chanted anti-regime slogans. Drivers honked their horns in support of the people. Protestors chanted, “Muharram is the month of blood, Yazid will be overthrown,” comparing Yazid, the 7th century tyrant and caliph, to the clerical regime’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. They also chanted, “O, Hojjat Ibn al-Hassan, uproot the source of injustice,” “Death to Khamenei,” and other anti-Khamenei slogans

State Security Forces (SSF), the paramilitary Bassij Force, and plainclothes agents who had masked their faces, used knives and nunchucks to attack and strike at protestors. A number of the protestors were injured and at least one person was taken away. The Bassij agents also broke the windshield and windows of cars that honked their horns in support of the protestors.

Names of 4 victims of Ashura uprising
The Social Headquarters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) inside Iran has revealed the names of 4 victims of the uprising on the day of Ashura, who have been identified to date, as follows:

Mehdi Farhadirad, Mohammad Ali Rasekhi Nia, and Amir Arshadi were shot to death. Another martyr is Shahram Faraji, but it is not yet clear if he was shot to death or died as a result of blow to the head.

According to eyewitness reports, in the course of the uprising on Ashura, agents from the State Security Forces (SSF) and criminal members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired on protestors using sophisticated and new weapons. Many of the hospitals are overflowing with those suffering from bullet wounds.
 
Emergency session at Mohammad Rasulollah Corps Command Center
The head of the Command Center of Mohammad Rasulollah Corps, which is tasked with security in Tehran, has set up a meeting with all the commanders and forces reporting to him in Tehran to examine and analyze the status of today’s uprising by people as well as methods for continuing the suppression.

Intelligence commanders from various jurisdictions of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the paramilitary Bassij Force, including the Bassij unit from the Malek Ashtar region located on Khavaran Street, the Bassij unit of Meghdad region, the Bassij unit of northern Tehran region (Shemiranat), and the Bassij unit of southern region (Shahr-e Rey), as well as commanders of brigades commanded by Mohammad Rasulollah Corps, attended the meeting.

A young girl and a boy ran over by vehicles in Vali Asr Square
Suppressive forces are driving their vehicles into the crowd and running over protestors with high speed in order to create fear.

In Vali Asr, SSF vehicles run over a girl and a boy who were chanting slogans. The vehicles went over them twice to crush them under their wheels.

Leaders of Iranian regime and commanders of suppressive forces in fear of extent of Ashura uprising
Commanders of the suppressive forces are frightened of the extent and ferocity of the courageous uprising of people in Tehran, according to the Social Headquarters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) inside the country. Those on the scene keep expressing their anxiety on their wireless communications and call for more reinforcements. At around 12:00 noon all reserve forces were deployed to face the situation.

IRGC Brigadier General Najar, the regime’s Interior Minister, is on a hotline with the IRGC Brigadier General Ahmadi-Moqadam, commander of the State Security Forces (SSF), and is following up the situation closely. Najar is in direct contact with Jalili, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, and members of the Council are in full alert.

Abdullahi, Deputy Commander of security forces of the Interior Ministry accompanied with Tamadon, Tehran’s Governor, are monitoring the situation in the Capital at the camera control center in the Interior Ministry.

At 12:00 noon when the large crowd passed through Enqelab Square going towards Azadi Square, a number of commanders of the suppressive forces communicated that the situation is critical and risk is high and the crowd cannot be dispersed even by shooting at them.

Basij commanders expressed concerns about the possibility of youth attacking the Basij headquarters stationed at Meqdad area and declared high alert for their forces.

Special security measures were put in place for Khamanei’s residence by the IRGC and many layers of Guards have been deployed.

Over 20,000 Basij and Revolutionary Guards elements have been brought in at the Meqdad Basij headquarters under the pretext of mourning to be ready for emergency situations.

Iran: Three protesters killed, more wounded by bullet in central Tehran
Three young protesters were killed as the State Security Forces opened fire at Sunday's anti-regime protests in Tehran's College Intersection. A number of others were wounded. People severely clashed between people and members of Basij, IRGC and Special units. 

Another young man was killed in Vali Asr Street an hour earlier.
The heavy clashes continue in Imam Hossein Square. Regime's agents attacked people using batons, pepper gas and tear gas. Basij and plainclothes agents attacked people's houses who they suspect of giving refuge to the escaping protesters.

In Pol-e Choubi districts, SSF clashed with people. Anti-regime protesters responded by hurling stones.

In other areas of Tehran including Vesal-Shirazi and Nawab streets and Hor Square, angry crowds chant anti-regime slogans.

Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the Iranian Resistance, described Sunday's uprising as a clear signal of the inevitable and imminent downfall of the despicable clerical regime. 

Mrs. Rajavi paid homage to those killed by the suppressive forces today and called on all Iranians to honor the martyrs and demonstrate their solidarity and support for the families of the martyrs and political prisoners.

Mrs. Rajavi reminded the international community that the appeasement of the medieval regime are futile and will only embolden the mullahs in their suppression and killing of the Iranian people.

Young man killed by bullet in Tehran’s Vali Asr Street
Suppressive forces opened fire on peaceful demonstrators in Tehran’s Vali Asr Street. At around 10:00 am, at least one young man has been shot dead near Laleh Park. Angry people picked up his corpse and started chanting anti-Khamenei slogans while carrying the body. Agents of the State Security Forces (SSF) attacked the demonstrators, fired teargas and stole the body of the dead.

Young demonstrators blocked the way for the suppressive forces by setting fire to garbage containers.  

People hurl stones at Bassij paramilitary and set fire to their motorcycles in Tehran
At 10:30 this morning in Tehran, large crowds are reported moving from Pich Shemiran toward Vali Asr junction in Enqelab Street. Under the Hafez Bridge, demonstrators hurled stones at Bassij paramilitary forces and set fire to two of their motorcycles. Agents of the regime are seen to be throwing stones and teargas from over the bridge. Intense clashes are going on around Hafez Bridge and the agents of the State Security Forces are firing into air to disperse the crowd.

Thousands of people are marching toward Shohada Square and through Damavand, Nezam Abad and Enqelab streets and Imam Hossein Square to Azadi Square. People are chanting “Down with Khamenei,” “Khamenei is a murderer – his rule is illegitimate” and other slogans against the regime’s Supreme Leader.

People in buses are also seen chanting slogans and join the crowd when they get off.

In Ferdowsi Square people were chanting "Muharam is the month of blood - Khamenei will be overthrown." Agents of the regime turned loudspeakers up to prevent people’s slogans to be heard.

The commander of Tehran's State Security Forces, Brig. Gen. Azzizullah Rajabzadeh is stationed in Ferdowsi Square to command directly the clampdown of protests.

Security forces brutally attack rally by mothers of martyrs and political prisoners 
The Iranian regime's suppressive State Security Forces (SSF) on Saturday attacked the weekly gathering of mothers and members of families of those detained or killed during the nationwide uprising in the past few months.

The gathering was planned to be held around 17:00 local time, in Abnama Square within Tehran's Laleh Park in solidarity with protests by courageous youths and people of Iran and in memory of those killed and arrested during the anti-regime protests.

But as the SSF and plainclothes agents prevented the gathering to take place inside Laleh Park, mothers and family members gathered outside the park area and rallied on Fatemi and Karegar streets while they held up their fingers as V sign.

The agents brutally attacked mothers with batons. At least one of the mothers was wounded and many others were injured during the attack. Despite suppressive measures by the agents, the brave mothers continued their rally to the vicinity of Enqelab Square until around18:00 local time.

Demonstrations and clashes in north of Tehran
Protests and clashes in Tehran and other cities continue through this evening. Thousands of Tehran residents in streets of Niavaran, Yasser and Jamaran (Khomeini’s residence) have been chanting “Down with Khamenei” and “Down with Ahmadinejad.” The suppressive agents drove into the crowd with their motorcycles and ran over protesters. They also fired teargas to break up the crowd.

The suppressive forces called in reinforcements to help them in their attacks and to contain growing protest. This is while the Revolutionary Guards, agents of State Security Force (SSF), Bassij paramilitary, intelligence and plainclothes agents had been deployed to the area since this morning and were on alert.

While Mohammad Khatami, former president of the clerical regime, addressing a meeting suppressive forces clashed with people who were chanting anti-regime slogans. He had to stop his speech and the protesters went into streets.

Agents of the SSF Special Unit riding on their motorcycles attacked demonstrators in Fakhr Razi Street this afternoon. Some demonstrators sought refuge in the building of the State-run news agency ISNA. The security forces attacked the building and severely beat the defenseless people. Two of the correspondents of the news agency were badly beaten who were mistakenly thought to be among demonstrators.

Protests and clashes in central Tehran 
The second day of the religious ceremonies in Iran turned to scenes of nationwide uprising by Iranian people against the clerical regime on Sunday.

Around 10:30 a.m. local time, tens of thousands of people began to march toward Azadi Square in Tehran. They chanted "Free all political prisoners," "Muharam is the month of blood (ultimate struggle) - Khamenei will be overthrown," and "Down with dictator."

The State Security Forces attacked people. Regime's agents riding on motorcycles drove through the crowd to disperse them. The sounds of firing gun shots in the air were heard in the area.

In Imam Hossein Square people chanted "Down with dictator" and clashed with State Security Forces. The suppressive forces brutally beat the protesters,

People are shouting Allahu Akbar and anti-Khamenei slogans on rooftops  
Following series of demonstrations in various parts of Tehran throughout Saturday, people have gone on rooftops this evening shouting Allahu Akbar and chanting “Khamenei is killer – his rule is illegitimate,” “This is month of blood (ultimate struggle) – Yazid (reference to Khamenei) must go,” “Down with dictator” and other slogans against the regime’s Supreme Leader Khamenei.