Iranians celebrated the New Year last month with reflections looking back at the progress, or lack thereof, made by their government over the previous twelve months. A month later, those same challenges still persist, among them: the nuclear crisis, economic problems and human rights issues. Officials celebrated a nuclear ceremony last week while more teachers were arrested. The Iranian blogosphere is dealing with all of these issues without forgeting the outcome of the UK sailors’ crisis.
Teachers between the classroom and prison
Teachers have begun a campaign of peaceful demonstrations in March and April for a salary raise in various cities including Tehran and Hamedan.
Thanks to Kosoof, a leading photo blogger, we can see several photos of one of the demonstrations in Tehran in March.
According to Gach o del [Fa] (“Chalk and Heart”), a blog covering issues related teachers, about 40 teachers were arrested in April, accused by authorities of preparing strikes and demonstrations. According to provincial authorities, most of have been liberated.
The blogger adds that three of the teachers who were arrested during a demonstration at Parliament were sent to Evin prison in Tehran.
The blogger was surprised that authorities said the arrested teachers in Hamadan did not deserve the title of teacher because they were planning a strike and organizing protests.
The Teachers’ Syndicate Blog [Fa] has published the names of arrested teachers, adding that the Minister of Education may be called to Iranian Parliament and face impeachment as a result of the episode.
ZaneIran [Fa] says on Sunday and Monday that many teachers refused to go to schools in Hamadan as a show of solidarity. According to the blogger, schools were half-closed on Monday.
Tears of president and real challenge(s)
Jomhour[Fa] asks how Ahmadinejad can weep with joy during a nuclear ceremony to announce the start of nuclear enrichment for industrial purposes.
He reminds readers that 45 teachers are presently imprisoned in Hamadan because they asked for better working conditions; women activists are in jail; and similar news is abundant. But, despite all this bad news, the president gets emotional from nuclear development.
Mohammad Ali Abtahi, former vice president, says
Negotiators had found a way to cooperate with the world in this regard after last year’s great celebration, the two resolutions against Iran had not been ratified; and if this year, after the nuclear celebration held again yesterday our cooperation becomes serious, the country will be saved from more forthcoming crises. After great victory celebrations which are signs of power, we should solve the country’s international problems instead of becoming proud. If this is done, then the happiness is distributed among all the Iranians who have to suffer from the problems of sanction, although the history of Iran is full of losing opportunities.
More on UK sailors
1984 [Fa] writes that the maritime crisis caused the price of oil to rise sharply, earning the Iranian government 167 million dollars. The most important outcome of this crisis is Iran’s influence and weight in the oil market. Many have doubts if sanctions can work out now or not.
Azarmeher says that Iranian political prisoners must endure much more than Britain's temporarily detained sailors.
Iranian dissidents who have been forced to make TV confessions in the last 28 years have been through hell before they got to that point. Iranian journalist, Siamak Pourzand, in his 70s, put up more resistance before making a TV appearance, than these supposedly young, fit trained marine fighters . Just the sheer sight of Pourzand's weight loss made it known to everyone what he had been through.
