While I fully support and stand in solidarity with the Iranian people, and their courageous attempts to take to the streets, despite the risks to their lives and freedom, and at every opportunity, to voice their demands for a free and secular Iran, I will not be participating in June 12th demonstrations because:
In Iran there is no such a thing as an election. Presidency candidates are handpicked by the Guardian Council and the Supreme Leader, and that is the way it has been for the past 31 years.
The main condition for passing the test to run for presidency is loyalty to the Islamic Regime. (That includes Mousavi and Karoubi who were both handpicked by the Supreme Leader to run for presidency.)
While the protests in Iran started with the pretext of dissatisfaction with the [s]election results, the movement became quite radical very quickly, and people started chanting “Mousavi is an excuse the entire Regime is targeted,” “death to the Islamic Regime” and “Independence, freedom, Iranian Republic.”
Today the issue at the forefront of Iranian politics is not the [s]election results, it is Regime Change.
The protests that are being organized internationally by “Committee for Solidarity with Iran” are generally “silent” protest that do not allow for chanting of anti-Regime slogans.
At a time when our compatriots in Iran are chanting “Independence, freedom, Iranian Republic”, those of us who live in free countries cannot remain silent and participate in silent protests.
Participating in tomorrow’s protests will be accepting the legitimacy of the election process under the Islamic Regime Rule.
Although no doubt many pro-democracy activists will join in the protests with the goal of protesting against the entirety of the Regime, unfortunately because of the way things have been organized internationally, any protest that takes place tomorrow will only serve to strengthen the reformist stand, rather than help the “Regime Change” cause.
I will however come out on June 20th the anniversary of the murder of Neda Agha Soltan by Regime Agents and commemorate her memory as well as thousands of other innocent and courageous Iranians who have lost their lives in a fight for a free, secular and democratic Iran.
Down with the Islamic Regime in Iran
Long Live Freedom in Iran
