What a Summer!

What a summer was this summer of 2009! I spent its 3 months back home with my family after a long absence. It was indeed great to be back home, to be united with those loved ones whom one cares most about. And yet the Providence had something else in mind.
The election turned a page in history that proved to be the end of an old chapter and the beginning of a new one. And indeed this was an end, the Tehran of my childhood was long gone. Even in Mehrshahr that lovely suburb 40 km out of Tehran old villas were replaced by buildings and apartment complexes. The new generation only a few years younger than your correspondent, is more arrogant, confident, fearless and in the same time more pragmatic and realistic. To see them walking hands in hands in street of Tehran crowding the streets, the cafes, the malls and every else was to see a new wave getting ready to hit the shore.
And yet for me the end of old era was magnified by a personal loss. On July 23rd I lost my father in an air crash in Mashhad. He went like he wanted; flying, taking care of his crew and passengers. I should write more about him soon, the shock still is there, the loss still is too fresh. I miss him, we all do.
So here is one update after few months, i doubt if ever in history of our time we had such an eventful summer. The world is not the same any more.

Election Day in Tehran

Today temperature in Tehran rise to 90 F (32'C), warmer than all days before, and yet people were and are standing long lines in shade and under blazing sun. It is an odd image of Tehran: quiet streets, deserted shopping centers and yet crowded mosques, high schools, schools and colleges. It is election day. An unprecedented number of voters are casting their vote today.
I went to stations in Vanak and Yousef Abad, both in North of Center and North parts of Tehran, where fixed income middle class families mingle with high income households. The stations were and are packed with lines coming out of the building and going around the corner. The individuals waiting in them are from all walks of life, there are Chador wearing women, young ladies wearing the latest fashion and make up, there are old people walking with cane and there are young students with their notes and textbooks in their hands, it is a long wait. One voted told me he and his sister waited for 2 hours and half to cast their votes. There is an air of a united people present that makes one feel romantic.
I voted in Al-Zahra University station in Vanak Village, it took me 45 minutes waiting time. Most people around me were voting for Mr. Mousavi. They were chatting politics while their kids and children were playing in compound. Many were waiting in shade, since the sunshine was rather strong. Some were worried, since there was no representative of Mr. Mousavi campaign present there, the only representative present was from Mr. Ahmadinejad's campaign. This upset many, a young lady in a black chador was calling a friend to say that she would rather go to Bahaerstan, a location south of central Tehran in Old Tehran to cast her vote. But many chose to stay, the representative's presence is significant in counting the vote.
I gave my birthcertificate to the officer at the desk, wrote down the name of the candidate with his code from the ministry of interior information sheet and cast my vote. Leaving the station I noticed more people are arriving to vote. I just noticed there was no separate line for men and women, we all voted together.
The outcome is not certain yet, but it is certain that last week marches and debates have increased the participation to a new level. On Facebook, most of my friends are voting and they are on their way to vote. Some people are complaining that why more than a few are voting for Mousavi and not for Karroubi, although they approve of him. Those who did so, argue that winning in the first round is way more important than going to an uncertain second round. Although with number present today, one wonders if this is going to be a landslide. That is not unlikely.

Election Time

It does feel different. Walking through Vali-Asr square close to downtown Tehran, I had to pinch myself; "have we turned democratic and I missed it?" on the left side of the square there were dozens of Mousavi's supporters and on the right side dozens of Ahmadinejad's fans were shouting their slogans. Mousavi's supporters were waving green flags and holding posters, and so were Ahmadinejad's fans. On a corner people were arguing. A young kid was using his utmost energy to yell at someone: "how much was the price of an apartment when Khatami was the president? now it is so and so" the other guy, a bit shorter and with a beard was shaking his head and hands trying to say that Ahmadinejad was good to the economy.

Scores of young people, bikers and cars, marching and cruising through Tehran supporting this or that candidate. Green is Mousavi's color, White ribbons for Karroubi and blue for Rezaie, Ahmadinejad's fans are using national colors of green, red and white as their symbol and march to the song of Ey-Iran (Oh Iran) the unofficial national song, not very popular with the establishment. Debates are lively and sleeping is impossible, presidential candidates begin their debates 10:30 PM, after which people take to streets to dance and to blow their cars horns.

Girls are waving their hands and dance inside their cars, everything is loosened up, police officers and the elite squads standing by watching, but they do not interfere. A boy tells his worrisome girlfriend: "it is election time, they do not care if you are naked"

Well I have not seen anyone naked, but I have seen girls standing in streets to distribute leaflets, i have seen kids wearing green, white and tricolors ribbons running the streets, i have seen glimpse of hope and hope is such a rare thing, it is a good thing.

The election time is sure different and this one is very different than other ones.

Green is the New Fashion in Tehran

Driving in Tehran a sizable number of cars are carrying green ribbons tied to their antennas, there are buildings with green drapes falling from roof to the ground and there are young boys and girls wearing green scarves. Green is all the rage in Tehran, it is the color of MirHussein Mousavi the last individual to hold the premier office and the Prime Minister of wartime Iran. His hair has turned grey, but the youth, who mostly were infants in his days are wearing his color.
Of course Mr. Mousavi's economic policies are an old version of structuralist economic ideas and he speaks of "morality economics". Both are discomforting to those who advocate a rational and fact oriented approach to economy in Iran. However it seems that he does offer a progressive social agenda that would be an step forward. He has promised to stop morality patrols and to give more freedom to the youth. No wonder green is the fashion of Tehran's fashionable.

Obama's 100 Days in Iranian TV

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is2jitFaeX4

This link is a 10 minutes clip from a debate between Dr. Zibakalam and a few other experts in Iranian TV about the first 100 days of Obama administration. It is most interesting, I wish someone to do an English translation. Dr. Zibakalam, Mr. Amir Mohebian, Dr. HajBabayi and Dr. Ashtari were debating. Dr. Zibakalam is saying that Obama administration has implemented changes in its first 100 days, which are significant. He says that shutting down prisons in Guantanamo Bay, focusing on Afghanistan and planning to withdraw from Iraq are most important. In response Dr. HajBabayi says that these are not important since these are new strategic moves to ensure that the United States will be in a better position to control India and Pakistan and to checkmate China. Dr. Zibakalam then asks that what Mr. Obama could have done to persuade Dr. HajBabayi that he is sincere about changes. Dr. HajBabayi answers that he should release Iranian funds blockaded in American banks. To this Dr. Zibakalam answers: "But we do not have any money left in America!".
The significance of this debate is in the single fact that it emphasizes how some groups need a hostile USA in Iran as much as some in DC need a hostile Iran! It is amazing how they actions and words actually reinforce each other's position. On the other hand it is a significant change to have this debate on Iranian TV, so a political scientist, in this case Dr. Zibakalam, can say what he actually thinks about the Iran-USA relations....well this also is qualified as a "change".

Election and Video Clips

Presidential candidates in Iran are using internet and its venue as much as they can to publish their ideas and their campaign material. One of the most recent ones is titled: "From the past to the future". You can see it here:

http://mowj.ir/ShowNews.php?6458

The 16 minutes clip suggests Mr. MirHussein Mousavi's candidacy is the next step in Iranian people's 100 years long struggle for democracy. The clip begins with snapshots from constitutional revolution era then continues with clips from oil nationalization movement and Dr. Mossadeq, during which the music is playing "Ey Iran", unofficially considered to be the national anthem in Iran, then it shows the coup against him and his exile and then it moves forward to clips and photos from Imam Khomeini, then offers speeches by Mr. Bazargan, the first primier of Islamic Republic, and by Dr. Shariati, who is considered to be the ideologist of revolution . It covers revolution with movies and photos from 1978-1980 and songs from this era. It broadcasts a speech from Ayatollah Taleghani. Then there is war, reform movement and at the end a few minutes talks, clips and photos focused on Mr. MirHussein Mousavi himself. The clip is a beautiful one and could be considered as a musical history of the past 100 years.
However one has to take some parts of it with a grain of salt; Mr. Mousavi's government banned Mr. Bazargan's supporters' main party; Nehzat e Azadi ye Iran, and his minister of interior, Mr. Mohtashami, turned down their requests for permits for political activities several times and disqualified their candidates for parliamentary elections. Overall many might argue that this clip claims affiliations that one hardly knew anything about them when Mr. Mousavi was the prime minister... although this might be a too simplistic view of history, and main street people are not used to complicated analysis of historical events, which might justify such claims. However one must admit that he remains the man of hour, receiving support from students, intellectuals and old reformists.

An Iranian Artist and Her Blog

Golrokh Nafisi was born in 1981, or 1360 according to Iranian calendar; 3 years after revolution and in the second year of war with Iraq. She probably went to the first grade in the first year after war. In her sketches she covers daily events, her errands, her activities and the politics of Iranian society. Her realism and use of colors make her sketches to stand out among the best of her generation.

This is one of her works about coming elections. You can see more of her works on her blog: Was Born in 1981...