November 4 is known in Iran as “the day of the student” and is important in contemporary Iranian history from various aspects.
November 4, 1978: At the height of the anti- monarchic uprising, the high school students who had shut down their schools walked toward Tehran University. Thousands of university and high school students and other groups of people gathered at Tehran University, which the agents of the Shah's regime surrounded. As the crowd was trying to open the main gate of the University and enter the main avenue, the Shah's Army started firing at the crowd. As a result, dozens of protestors were killed and wounded. That day turned into one of the turning points of the public uprising that led to the Shah's downfall.
November 4, 1979: On that day, pro-Khomeini students known as "Students of the Line of Imam" stormed the US Embassy in Tehran and took 52 American diplomats and embassy employees hostage for 444 days. After a few days of silence, Khamenei expressed his support for the US Embassy takeover and the hostage-taking. He described this as a revolution bigger than the first revolution. Every year since, the clerical regime has staged a government-organized anti-American demonstration in front of the US Embassy on that day.
November 4, 1986: Irangate was exposed: At the demonstration on the anniversary of the US Embassy takeover, Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani (then the Speaker of the Parliament) revealed the secret US-Iran dealings known as the Iran-Contra affair. This was one day after November 4 due to the clerical regime's factional feuding; this was leaked to Arab press by the other faction.
Difference between this year's November 4 anniversary and the previous 30 years
This year’s anniversary is taking place in a completely difference situation.
Until last year, November 4 was a day of state-controlled demonstration in which the clerical regime pursued its political objectives. Subsequent to the anti-government uprising that began in June, the political landscape in Iran has completely changed.
Due to the people's active and dynamic adaptation, the popular uprising has continued in different ways during the past five months. People's demands and slogans have continuously radicalized and now target the regime in its entirety. On the other hand despite all the suppression and internal purges, Ali Khamenei, the regime’s supreme leader, has not been able to stop the ever-increasing rift at the top. To the contrary, the rift has exacerbated and, as such, the regime is faced with a completely new situation.
It is noteworthy that demarcation with the regime and with the absolute rule of the supreme religious leader (i.e. Ali Khamenei) has gone as deep as the families of the regime's top officials. A case in point was Mohsen Rohalamini, the son of Abdolhossein Rohalamini, a senior member of Mohasen Rezaeei’s campaign during the recent presidential election. Mohsen Rohalamini was tortured and killed.
Another case is Narges Kalhor, the daughter of Mehdi Kalhor, an advisor to Ahmadinejad. Narges defected to Germany a few weeks ago. As to the reason for her defection, she has been quoted as saying, “now it is not a matter of reclaiming our vote, we want to get our life back.” She emphasized that hers is not the only case.
Continuation of the use of popular social networks and popular disseminating methods:
Tweeter, Facebook, Internet and blogs still are the means and methods the people and popular networks use to inform each other and to organize rallies and protests.
Despite all the suppressive measures adopted by the regime – such as the shutdown of the web sites and weblogs, and arrest of the individuals who are involved in them, selling the state owned Telecommunication Company to the Revolutionary Guards Corps in order to control and monitor the communication network, and slowing down the Internet communication lines, the regime has not been able to stop its spread.
Reopening of Universities:
The reopening of the universities has played an important role in the continuation of the popular uprising.
Since the beginning of the academic year (21 September), the regime has tried to suppress and silence the uprising through hundreds of arrests and expulsions, and imposing restrictions on the university students – as the main driving force behind the uprising.
Despite all these measures and extensive suppression, anti-government protests, rallies, and strikes in universities and other educational institutions on a nationwide scale has continued on daily basis.
Regime's attempts to prevent formation of anti-government demonstration on Nov. 4
Unlike previous years, the regime has been trying to make this year's event into an apolitical one and, as such, to prevent it from being turned into an anti-government rally. Scores of the regime's top officials have entered the foray in recent weeks to make the case apolitical so it should not be turned into an uncontrollable popular demonstration. (Please find some of their statements to this effect below).
At the same time, the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) has been trying to spread diversionary slogans to distract the public's focus and attention on the regime. As such, some of the MOIS networks have tried to promote the slogan of “Death to no one” as the slogan of that day. (The clerical regime has tried to advocate this slogan in order to neutralize the slogan of “Down with the dictator,” “Down with Khamenei,” and “Down with Ahamadinejad,” which are widely chanted by people).
Resistance network and people’s initiatives and plans to counter the regime’s ploys
One of the most creative ways adopted by the people is to use the opportunity of state-sponsored demonstrations and rallies and to turn them into an anti-government rally.
This formation of a massive rally and turning the slogans in support of the popular uprising was a clever initiative that was used successfully on 18 September (the Qods Day).
According to the internal acknowledgments of top officials of regime, following the mass participation of the people, the popular uprising surfaced once again.
The distinction between the 4 November rally and the Qods Day rally is that this one is nationwide and all the schools and universities are open – and given the regime’s call for people’s participation in the government organized rally, there is more opportunity for people to take part in the rallies.
To this effect, dozens of posters and flyers by various groups of people encourage others to participate in the anti-government rallies. The common message of hundreds of web sites and weblogs is participation and turning the rally into an anti-government one.
During the recent days, most of Tehran’s streets have been covered with anti-government slogans and calls for participation in the rallies. The slogans can be seen on the walls, telephone kiosks, pedestrian bridges and ….
The slogans such as “Down with the Dictator,” “We will come on 4 November,” and victory signs are quite visible.
Some of slogans which are widely used by the people are:
• Independence, Freedom, Iranian Republic
• Worker, Teacher, Student, congratulation for your solidarity
• Down with the dictator
• Solution of this crisis, Referendum on this regime
• Political prisoners must be freed
• When we are united, we shouldn’t be afraid
• When we are united, what is to be afraid of.
• Torture and rape, have no effect anymore
• Confession and torture have no effect
• I will die, I will die, and I will retake Iran
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Ayatollah Ahmad Janati, Secretary of the Guardians Council, Tehran's Friday prayers; October 16, 2009
“Some, who are agents, have conspiracies just as they did have on the Qods day and the opening of the schools, but their plots will be foiled. This is very important and our security services and the judiciary have to act more than ever in this regard.
Some, who are the agents of the world arrogance have their plots that is constantly neutralized. Just as they did on the Qods Day, surely they are not without plans for November 4.”
State controlled Fars News agency, October 27, 2009:
IRGC Brigadier General Ali Fazli, the Commander of Seyedalshohada Corps in Tehran, while referring to the unlawful post election events said: "The center of mischief has announced that it will create mischief on November 4 and we should be vigilant.”
IRGC Brigadier General Mohammad Jokar, Commander of Basij of Students and Teachers, October 27, 2009, while referring to November 4 rally said: "We know that some who have been deceived are trying to use the opportunity and the scared times. Our nation’s clinched fist has always been pointing at the world arrogance on this day. Thus, the enemy wants to use this opportunity but our people with their insight will neutralize their conspiracy."
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