Anonymous

TEHRAN — As the one- year anniversary of the June 12 election approaches, the feeling on the ground, at least in major cities, is that the current political and economic situation cannot continue. Although many people are disappointed that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad remains in power and that the groups behind the coup continue to try to increase their political and economic hold on the country, the general feeling is that “there is fire under the ash,” as we say in Persian. In other words, the popular rage and fury over the rigged election and the use of violence and rape and the popular demands for change remain. Any spark can set this off once again this fire. The coup government knows only too well, judging by its own actions. more»

Editor’s Note: The following is a series of interviews insideIRAN.org will be conducting with young people in Iran regarding the first anniversary of the disputed presidential election in 2009.

Q: Will you be going to the Saturday protest? Do you think your friends will be going? more»

Babak

TEHRAN–The tragic events that have occurred since the June 12 election last year have shown that, despite widespread efforts made by reformist groups, Iranian civil society is still in its infancy, particularly compared with democratic countries in the West and even some developing nations. Many analysts interpreted the heated debates between presidential candidates last year and the energetic presidential campaign prior to June 12 as evidence that Iran has begun a process of political tolerance at the highest levels and indicated a sense of political ripeness beyond the expectations of many Iranians. more»

Shadi Mokhtari

WASHINGTON—One year after Iran’s dubious presidential election, the achievements of the opposition Green Movement should not be overlooked. While its path remains long and arduous, the movement has already transformed the way human rights are conceived, talked about, and fought for in Iran. Some of the most significant gains of the movement’s momentous year are worth considering in more depth. more»

Arash Bahmani
Editor’s Note: This article is also being published on Foreign Policy

TEHRAN–As an Iranian journalist after last year’s election, I faced a grim future. I was sentenced to sixteen months in prison and my jail term was set to begin at any time. I had already been threatened with a much stiffer sentence – eight years in all – by the very same judge who now ordered me to begin my sentence. My interrogator at the Ministry of Intelligence and the presiding judge both believed that I was not “going to become a human being,” meaning that I would never get on the right political path. The interrogator said to me, “We keep giving you guys multiple chances and now it is enough. You guys are trying to overthrow the government.” As luck would have it, his detention order was not immediately carried out. After consulting with a number of friends, I decided to leave Iran. more»