Iranians' Cry For FreedomAn Iranian dissident tells the inside story of what’s happening in the streets of his homeland.

By Jamie Glazov

FrontPage Interview’s guest today is Roozbeh Farahanipour, an Iranian journalist, democracy activist, former political prisoner in Iran and head of Marze Por Gohar Party (MPG), an Iranian opposition party seeking the establishment of an secular republic in Iran. He was a student leader in the 1999 uprising, just one year after creating MPG.

FP: Roozbeh Farahanipour, welcome to Frontpage Interview.

Tell us about the latest developments in your homeland.

Farahanipour: Thank you Jamie.

The movement has grown, as the world has witnessed, beyond the capital and to other cities - Shiraz, Isfahan, Tabriz, Ahvaz, etc. - and the people's demands are more clear: freedom and changes to the current constitution.

FP: So this isn’t really a Mousavi vs. Ahmadinejad battle, or a battle over the election, as much of the media is portraying it as, right? Can you talk a bit about what the media and our literary culture is missing in what is really happening?

Farahanipour: This movement is quickly surpassing the Mousavi issue and raising various demands of the people in the streets. Mousavi is much too slow and much too reluctant to lead this forward since it will jeopardize his behind the scenes negotiations and even challenge the whole system. Perhaps one reason that Obama is reluctant to openly support this movement is that it has gone beyond the predicted and simplistic victory of the “elections” process.

FP: So what freedom do Iranians want? What changes to the constitution do they want?

Farahanipour: Discrimination against women in the constitution and laws which institutionalize control and exclusion in all levels of Iranian elections such as the powers of the Guardian Council and the Supreme Leader have always been criticized and even openly challenged by periodical movements within Iran.

FP: What is happening, exactly, with Hossein Mousavi?

Farahanipour: The Interior Ministry denied Mousavi’s supporters their demonstration permit for Monday’s demonstration, again with the world’s eyes upon them, and Mousavi asked the people to postpone it.

When his message was publicized, people turned on him. Slogans on the street were: “Mousavi, for shame, for shame, we asked you for support, you betrayed us all the same,” and “Mousavi, we want our votes back!”

After Mousavi said he'd boycott the demonstrations, people ignored his gesture and went ahead on their own. Other candidates - Karrubi, Karbaschi, and Rezai - said they'd participate; Mousavi, not wanting to be left behind, changed his mind and joined in.

He asked people to remain calm and not agitate the situation – not create incidents. People ignored it and did not heed his advice and continued pushing on. Read more ...

Source: FPM