The Jerusalem Post, July 10, 2009
At night, cries of dissent like “Allahu akbar!” and “Death to the dictator!” rise from the rooftops of Tehran. The protesters’ calls are punctuated by shattering glass as Basiji smash car windows in retribution on the streets below. But the people persist, turning their voices to the sky, an Iranian-American in Tehran, who asked to be called Reza, reports to The Jerusalem Post.
“The scare tactics, like killing protesters, have worked,” Reza says, “When there were thousands of people out, [the protesters] felt safe. But because the crowds have thinned, it’s not like it was before.”
But in many ways, Iran is as it was before—for this now-simmering resistance was a long time coming. And many, like Reza, anticipate that there is still more to come.
Despite the fact that the protests were focused on the election results, Reza is certain that the election was merely the spark in the powder box, igniting years of frustration and disillusionment. “Last time I was here, in 2007, literally everyone—from taxi drivers to my family—was very angry and was openly cursing the president and the government, mostly because of the economic situation.” Reza explains that though Iranians readily aired their discontent to one another, no one did so in public and never in the streets.