A Unity Rally With Nuclear Divisions

Anniversary celebrations marking Iran’s Islamic Revolution on 11 February are normally a proud occasion, displaying the Iranian people’s unity and solidarity.

Today, the 35^th anniversary of the revolution, proved to be otherwise.

As President Hassan Rouhani addressed an audience in Tehran, demonstrators broke into two opposing camps. One group, carrying “Death To America” placards, shouted “God is Great!” and interrupted the president as he discussed the Geneva nuclear accord. The second group shouted back: “Up With Rouhani!”

Leaflets attacking the Geneva accord were distributed along the route of the demonstration, according to the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA), even though organizers had strongly advised demonstrators to refrain from divisive slogans or from outwardly opposing the nuclear negotiations.

“Do you know there is another secret agreement between the Foreign Ministry and the US and Europe?” asked one of the leaflets. “Why should foreign ministry negotiations be kept secret from the Iranian nation, interested institutions and even parliamentary representatives? Do you know that, according to the Geneva agreement, Iran must adhere to other Security Council resolutions, meaning American intervention in Iran’s missile program and ending support for Lebanon’s Hezbollah? Do you know that, if this does not happen, none of the sanctions will be repealed?”

Plainclothes Police And Rafsanjani

One of the slogans favored by opponents of the nuclear accord was “Death to America is an Iranian option on the table”. It featured on placards and signs across the city. “People must know that the foreign policy will be conducted in the framework of national interests,” said Rouhani in his speech, indirectly responding to his vocal opponents. “It is not a party or factional matter. We must go forward, hand in hand, under the banner of the Supreme Leader. We must know that we will defeat all conspiracies.”

The heads of the three branches of the government, secretary-general of the National Security Council, cabinet ministers and prominent ayatollahs were all present at the ceremonies. What stood out, however, was the presence of Hashemi Rafsanjani, former president and the current chairman of the Expediency Council. Rafsanjani is not particularly loved by reformists, but he is certainly reviled by hardliners. According to a report posted on Facebook, some of his supporters were arrested during the rally.

“When Ayatollah Rafsanjani joined the demonstrators,” reported the Facebook page of Dr Mehdi Khazali, “some demonstrators greeted him with the chant, ‘We salute Hashemi; we salute Rouhani!’, while some members of the security forces chanted ‘Death to the opponents of the Supreme Leader’. After Rafsanjani left, security forces surrounded some of the people who had welcomed Rafsanjani and arrested many of them.”

“Security forces arrested the young people on the flimsiest of excuses,” continued the page. “The presence of plainclothes men was considerable and anybody who wore a green shirt was hauled away.” In the disputed presidential elections of 2009 and the subsequent unrest, Mir Hossein Moussavi’s supporters dressed in green.

Khatami Missing?

In a live television interview, Rouhani asked all political parties and groups to participate in the anniversary rally. The newspaper Islamic Republic published an editorial stating that nobody has the right to prevent people from participating in the rally. “Such an approach is an aberration and must be dealt with,” it declared. Nevertheless, there have been no news reports or photographs to indicate that Mohammad Khatami, the former reformist president, was present at the rally. There were, however, hardliner posters portraying Khatami, Moussavi and others as the “Leaders of Sedition” – a reference to the 2009 uprising.

Other cities and provincial capitals held their own rallies to celebrate the anniversary.