A few moments ago, author of Bitter Friends, Bosom Enemies: Iran, the U.S. and the Twisted Path to Confrontation and one of DC’s best Iran experts Barbara Slavin wrote to me through Facebook and said: steve, iran ceased being an islamic republic a week ago. now it’s just another military dictatorship. She is right.
Here is one of the best summations I have read of today’s events in Iran. A couple of key things are that the government is trying to isolate Mousavi and his ability to communicate. The government is arresting key Mousavi supporters in mass.
This appears to be quite bad news. The Assembly of Experts, headed by former President Rafsanjani, have expressed its full support of Ayatollah Khamenei’s statement on Friday. That means, I think, that those in the streets are being abandoned by many at the elite level of this struggle for Iran’s soul.
NOTE FROM STEVE CLEMONS: PLEASE NOTE THAT I HAVE RECEIVED INFORMATION DIRECTLY FROM THE BRITISH EMBASSY THAT THEY HAVE NOT TAKEN IN INJURED PROTESTERS. THERE IS SOME LEVEL OF MISINFORMATION FLOODING THROUGH TWITTER WITH REGARD TO THE EMBASSIES.
This hilarious video by Jibjab called “He’s Barack Obama” debuted in front of President Obama last night at the annual black tie Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner. Here are the lyrics: When darkness had descended all across the land A lone voice in the distance uttered Yes! We Can! He gave good speeches. Never Sweat….
This is a very disturbing, graphic video clip of the scenes in Iran today on June 20th. It gives a sense of the chaos and the massive involvement of regular citizens. This just in from a dependable source over twitter: Fatemiyeh Hospital Tehran: 30-40 dead as of 11pm; 200 injured. Police taking names of injured….
(photo credit: David Bass) International political consultant David Bass, CNN’s Edie Emery, Bloomberg’s uber connected PR diva Judith Czelusniak, Hollywood on the Potomac’s Janet Donovan, and Politico’s Mike Allen had a “recovery brunch” this morning in Georgetown following the pretty incredible MSNBC After Party festivities following the Radio and Television Correspondents Association dinner with Barack…
It’s a good thing when a President and Vice President have constructive, creative tension in their relationship and don’t see eye to eye on everything.
There are scattered reports being texted out of Iran that a massive police presence has blocked Mousavi-supporting protesters from entering the large square. Many reports of people shot — and many beatings. The basiji are using tear gas and reportedly gassed a crowd of 3000 people to make them disperse.
One of my colleagues at the New America Foundation’s Global Strategic Finance Initiative, Douglas Rediker, received this note from a friend abroad. It’s illuminating as to how a well-connected Iranian internationalist who has been in Tehran during much of the post-election unrest sees matters now.
