War in Lebanon and Privatization  · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

The Lebanon war is still hot news in Iran and Iranian bloggers talk about it. By reading some blogs we discover a very original approach to protesting against war, taking place in Tehran.
Demonstrating with George Habash photo
Nasle Farda writes about an original demonstration in Tehran against war. The blogger writes 70 to 80 people demonstrated in Park Vali Asr in Tehran against war in Middle East and all over the world [Fa]. Most of these people wore red T shirts with Bread, Peace, and Freedom slogan on them. They did not chant death to this or that country .The blogger says
بر روي اين پارچه سرخ به زبان فارسی و همچنین انگلیسی  نوشته شده بود كه جنگ بر ضد انسانيت را متوقف كنيد نكته ديگران  كه عكس هايي از كشتار مردم و  ويراني هاي جنگ در میان تجمع كنندگان ديده مي شد همچنين عكس هايي از جرج حبش و ديگر رهبران چپ گرايي فلسطيني در ميان تجمع كنندگان به چشم مي خورد. در این تجمع ضشعاري سرداده نشد و تنها پلاكاردهايي با اين مضامين :
كارگران تل آويو با اعتصاب خود ماشین جنگي اسرائيل را فلج كنيد
دستان هاي امپرياليسم از خاورمينه كوتاه. نان صلح آزادی.
The blogger says after 50 mintues the demonstrators ended their protest by singing the Internationale.
Arousak Kooki talks about some reactions to this demonstration. One person said it is not our problem but it is an Arab problem [Fa]. Another one asked which war you are talking about. Another guy who looks like a Hezbollah guy says we should not expect peace. We should strike back when somebody attacks us. The blogger says it was a peaceful demonstration but when they sang Internationale a couple of policemen appeared and asked us to go home.
Lessons for Iran
Zharf says Iran and Iranians can learn lessons from the Lebanon conflict. The blogger thinks what happened to Lebanon can also happen to Iran in a USA invasion [Fa]. The blogger says
The blogger adds like Hezbollah the Iranian state is isolated and looks at events through an ideological window.
Abbas Abdi, a reformist politician, considers Hezbollah after this conflict or a cease fire can not be as strong as it was before. The blogger says public opinion, wrong or right, will consider Hezbollah responsible for all the damage in Lebanon. Hezbollah can not operate anymore in a favourable political environment [Fa].
Beyond international events several bloggers have discussed the Iranian Leader's decision concerning privatization of a very important part of Iranian economy.
Privatization: why now?
The Iranian Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, ordered that 80% of State run economy  should be privatized according to the Constitution. Several bloggers talked about this surprising decision and each look at this privatization issue from a different angle.
Hanif says Ahmadinejad used to give slogans against privatization and had made obstacles for third development project for Iran. But the leader now gave an order for massive privatization. The blogger says now we should wait to see how Iranian President will react [Fa]. Will he offer this privatization to revolutionary guards and Basij, an islamic paramilitary force, as usual? Several industries and enterprises such as huge Steel factories, banks, and insurance companies will be privatised .
Sibestan says it was unexpected decision and he does not understand why it was taken at this time. He asks if any friends who are economists could explain the political consequences of such privatization  [Fa].
Privatization: Who pulls the strings?
Aljenab Sorkhpoush thinks that Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani is behind this decision. The blogger says the Iranian President used to talk against privatisation and even promised to bring back some privatized industries to Iranian nation (government) [Fa]. He concludes “I will bet after this day Ahmadinejad will praise privatization and how is related to justice”.