ePolitical.org

The story sounds oddly familiar.  An incumbent, unpopular, hard-line, right wing leader spawned a youth movement dedicated to changing the image of the country in the eyes of the world, challenging social and religious conservative mores, and improving the economy.  The outcome in Iran, however, is devastatingly different.

On Saturday, Iran erupted into protest over election results that showed incumbent president Ahmadinejad won with 62.63% of the vote, an overwhelming margin.  Even considering the irregularities prior to and during the election, itself, it is highly unlikely that Ahmadinejad won at all, let alone with such a substantial margin.  Opposition candidate Mousavi has already denounced the results and called for them to be canceled and even a powerful religious leader called for new elections in the face of this blatant fraud on the Iranian people.

The government’s response to the protests was swift and brutal.   Text messaging, phone systems, and certain Internet services (like Facebook, Twitter, etc.) used by the opposition to organize their supporters were completely blocked by authorities in Tehran.  Even satellite signals from the BBC were jammed in violation of International treaties.  Riot police intimidated and beat protestors.  Mousavi was placed under house arrest and leaders of the reformist movement were arrested.

Today (Sunday), a couple of leading Iranian Universities have staged protests and there is a report that 120 faculty members of Sharif University have resigned to protest the elections.

Only time will tell whether the post-election protests will be remembered as Iran’s Tiananmen Square or whether the combination of popular protests and dissent within the government, itself, will force a new election.  Either way, US hopes for improved relations with Iran are stalled.  The US can neither be seen as trying to influence the outcome of an election or recognizing a dictator clinging to power by a perversion of the democratic process.

NOTE: Some mainstream news outlets are barely covering the events in Iran.  Meanwhile, the Internet is atwitter.  The Huffington Post, Daily Dish, and even the Drudge Report recognize that this is a top story in dire need of reporting.

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Filed under: elections, foriegn policy, national security