Iranians again in streets in millions

Today hundreds of thousands of people if not a few millions have joined the main Friday prayer in Tehran. As i wrote before it could have become a historical fridaz prayer, since Hashemi Rafsanjani a very influential critic of Ahmadinejad was going to lead the prayers for the first time after the election. Hashemi was mainly in silence after the election, although his children and his wife have been actively taking part in the demonstrations including the too huge mass rallies in Tehran. His elder daughter Faeze has also been arrested and released a day after during the demonstrations. One should know that his children are all active political figures, including Faeze who has been the record vote holder in parliamentary election once in Tehran.

There were rumors that Hashemi was engaged in behind the scenes political debates after the election to affect the idea of the clerics against the coup. There has been also rumors about him trying to convince the Assembly of Experts on the way the supreme leader should be treated due to his injustice, and probably making an strategy for past this supreme leader's term.

So people didn't know what they should expect him to say this week. He has been a target for Ahmadinejad during the past four years and specially during election campaigns in which Ahmadinejad has called him and his family corrupt billionaires.

Even the supreme leader has called him a close friend of 50 years, but he also said that he finds the ideas of Ahmadinejad closer to himself as the Hashemis'.

Another development was that most of the famous and well known Reformist politicians have declared that they will join Friday prayers lead by Hashemi this weekend. This is crucial knowing that they have all boycotted the Supreme Leader's Friday prayer just after the election. Friday prayers in Iran are not just religious ceremonies. They are a huge political signal. When one accepts to pray on Friday behind someone it means that he accepts him as a fair and worthy leader, and not doing so means not accepting the prayer leader as legitimate.

Interestingly it was the first prayer lead by a moderate politician closer to reformists.Friday prayers all the weeks after election have been lead by conservatives till now. Reports clearly state that Hashemi has strongly condemned what has happened after the election and during vote counting process. He indirectly questioned the authority and legitimacy of the Khameneyi the existing supreme leader, and has asked for freedom of all the arrested people. He has also stated the system must remain a republic and the trust of the people must be gained in any necessary way. Probably millions of people have joined the prayers today and has chanted against Ahmadinejad and the existing supreme leader. Direct reports from participants shows figures comparable with the 2 monster rallies just after results were announced.

After the prayers and Hashemi's speech were finished the people have demonstrated loudly in favor of Mousavi and against Ahmadinejad and Khameneyi. They have been again hit by policemen and anti rebel forces. But it seems that the people have made it in an interestingly successful way. Politically it has been the most important Friday prayer in Tehran in the past 30 years.

Translation of some the chants:

1. ya Hossein, Mir Hossein, Mir Hossein (referring to Mousavi)
2. You are a traitor if you stay silent (referring to Hashemi)
3. Iranians die, but won't forget their dignity.
4. Down with Russia (for recognition of Ahmadinejad as one of the first state who recognized him as the new President, for training anti rebellion forces, for suppressing it's religious minorities, and also against the normal chant of down with USA or down with Israel)
5. Down with dictator ( Khameneyi, Ahmadinejad)
etc...


I add some links to videos availabe on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXpz-a383IQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63rxIkO64Sg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k757G_X4RI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko3AqkBXcfo&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRx5zcmE-o0&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U4cwqeGliE&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvx7J9OZSyo&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYnqLOg1dIc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjHdD7Gk6nk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM6vLy6czfQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNsiaKYSy6U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecSj5l2LE-4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36d98mwyPFM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPUQHZ7e2EU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nua5MfIH-s