Thousands Expected to Demonstrate for Iran Reform

Thousands of Iranian Americans are expected to protest in front of the Federal Building on Wilshire Boulevard from 6 to 9 p.m. tonight to commemorate the first anniversary of the mass student pro-reform demonstrations in Iran.

The action is one of several scheduled worldwide this weekend to show solidarity with the students, some of whom remain jailed in the Islamic republic.

One of the speakers at today’s protest, Cal State Fullerton engineering professor Fleur Tehrani, said the event, sponsored by media outlets for Iranian opposition groups, will not be geared toward any particular view other than support of the Iranian students.

“We will be protesting against the silence of Mr. [President Mohammad] Khatami’s government, everything that goes on in his government despite his nice words and smiles,” Tehrani said.

But others, including Cal State Northridge professor Nayereh Tohidi, who attended a similar rally last year, say they will stay away because of concerns that the demonstration will be dominated by extremists, as well as monarchists who favor a return of Reza Pahlavi II, the exiled Iranian crown prince and son of the late shah of Iran.

If the Islamic government perceives that to be the case, said Tohidi, the demonstration could in fact backfire and put the student protesters in Iran at risk.

Tehrani also said that if that any group plans to dominate the event, she and many other protesters will leave.