By Syma Sayyah, Tehran

Note: Permission is hereby granted for use of the photos published in this article in other publications or web sites. Please indicate the source as Payvand Iran News.  See more photos here.

Payvand.com - Today, Thursday June 18, a few hundred people gathered in front of Tehran UN Office at on Sharzad Boulevard between 2-3 PM. They were there to express to the world, through UN, their discontent and opposition to Iran's recent election results.  People from many walks of life were present at this rally. They were there protesting together, quietly and determined.  Again police was present but only to preserve traffic flow and peace.

My days are so busy with managing to get up, getting to work, going to demonstrations, coming home, downloading the photos and writing and filing my pieces which is not an easy job with such a slow internet system at times and without any SMS messaging, and half the time no mobile service or hardly any.  Daily, I receive many e-mails and sometimes I send one off to my friends and within a few minutes I get it back from them- as I am on their list- it is amazing and this is truly a civil internet movement.  This is different from the 30 years ago but already I have been in many discussions and was in an disagreement with some who think people who go on the streets are silly, selfish or stupid and worst even demolishers and destroyers of public property and thugs!

There are many who are truly still unable to imagine that a government would meddle with results in a country where conspiracy theories run very high. However since they believe that those in charge are serving Islam and the people, if this group which is very large now starts to join the already dissatisfied forces silently or practically, a more fundamental issue will be at stake.

Already the dissatisfaction has spread into other parts of Iran.  Today on radio I heard that nobody in the whole of Iran is unaffected by the marches. But I wanted to add that those people living there often do not have any information except what they hear on national radio and television and we all know whose side they are on!
 

I often ask myself where Mr. Khatami is?  I have never been a fan of him and I wonder where he is now. He failed this nation during his presidency after all the affection and support he was given.  He should come out and speak for the demands of ordinarily resilient, political mature and wise Iranians.  People that despite the possible danger take the fear in their hearts and join others every day to show that they do deserve better than this!

What we want is a new election, this time with proper independent monitoring. The wishy washy idea of a partial recount in a system that has already lost its credibility is unacceptable.  We are off to Imam Khomeini Square and hope to bring you some more news later tonight.  Here are some photos for you form this afternoon.

Related Reports:

Photos and Report: Today I Felt Proud to be an Iranian - Today, after a long time I felt truly proud to be an Iranian. I was at yet another peaceful demonstration at Tehran's 7th Tir Square which lasted two and half hours. Again I witnessed thousands of Iranians calmly, peacefully and quietly walking together from 7th Tir Square along the path of Karimkhan-Zand to Kargar Avenue and then ending at Enghelab Square around 7:30 as many people wanted to leave before it got dark! -Syma Sayyah, Tehran

Photos: Election protests in Tehran on June 17 - Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators flooded Tehran on Wednesday in a fifth day of unauthorized protests demanding the annulment of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's disputed re-election. As a leading Iranian human rights group reported that 32 people had been killed in the protests so far, the government struck back by expelling foreign reporters

... Payvand News - 06/18/09 ... --

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