It has become an extraordinary day, at the end of what has been an extraordinary election campaign.
As soon as polls opened in Iran, it became clear that the enthusiasm of the last few days has been translated into what is likely to be a huge turnout.
There were queues snaking round the block from many polling stations.
The crowds gathered outside, in segregated lines of men and women. Even as they waited to vote, they continued the spontaneous debate that has been sweeping Iran in the last week.
At one polling station I visited, some voters came up to me, nervous that the government might be trying to rig the election.
They were worried that a bus being used as a mobile polling station was not as well monitored as the main polling centre.
Other voters say the system under which a reference number has to be written by the candidates' name on the ballot paper is confusing.
Good humour
Much of the mobile phone text message system seems not to be working, a system the opposition had been hoping to use to send back reports from their monitors at polling stations and election counts.
The opposition has complained to the government.
Rumours are sweeping Tehran that some satellite TV stations may have been blocked.
But for the most part election day has continued the good humour of recent days.
One supporter of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a woman in the long black religious chador, made a point of shaking hands with another woman wearing the green colours of the opposition contender, Mir-Hossein Mousavi.
Many of the polling stations are in mosques or other religious buildings.
At the Hosseiniyat Ershad in north Tehran, the number of women, particularly young women, queuing to vote is most striking.
The young voters who have been turning out in force for Mr Mousavi say they want more personal freedom, more opportunities and better relations with the West.
Extended voting
Supporters of Mr Ahmadinejad have praised him for pushing forward the nuclear programme, and say he has earned more respect for Iran internationally.
By mid-morning, the interior ministry announced that already five million people had voted. Voting was extended by two hours, and may be extended longer.
Such a high turnout will make Iranians more confident of the outcome.
They will remember the election in 1997, in which President Khatami defeated a candidate heavily favoured by the establishment.
His victory was so overwhelming it soon became clear that it could not be overturned, even if there had been those trying to do so.
Results are expected to begin coming in during the night. Almost every Iranian you meet is eager for any idea about what is going to happen.
And as for the onewho fears standing in front of His Lord and restrainsthe soul from impure evil desires and lusts, verily, Paradise will be his abode [79:40-41]
I remember muslims cheering up for Nijad ... and now look what he's doing to the people
The Prophet pbuh said: "Whoever abuses my Companions, upon them is the curse of Allah, the Angles and all the people" (Saheeh, At-Tabaranee)
Abu Bakr As-sdeeq & Umar Ibn Al Kattab (RA) r the best of all muslims after the prophets PBU them all
^no one knows the future,,and the people voted for him, and there are laws. if a government is under threat, what should it do? should it let matters get out of control?
the protests got out of control, and were quelled, now it is over, they can-will- vote for the other guy in the next election, but Ahmadi nijad Did win this one, regardless of propaganda.
I remember muslims cheering up for Nijad ... and now look what he's doing to the people
and why are you so obssed with the Iranian leader, your an Egyption living in Egypt, if i was you i would be more worried and angry about your own leader who is the worst one i have seen out of all the puppet leaders. go do something about him before you want to fix Iran, a country you detest in the first place for being 'rafidah' which generally means you think its halal to even kill them.
Hes the real head - although the Guardian council theoratically can replace him.
Do you think the pious don't sin?
They merely:
Veiled themselves and didn't flaunt it
Sought forgiveness and didn't persist
Took ownership of it and don't justify it
And acted with excellence after they had erred - Ibn al-Qayyim
The Prophet pbuh said: "Whoever abuses my Companions, upon them is the curse of Allah, the Angles and all the people" (Saheeh, At-Tabaranee)
Abu Bakr As-sdeeq & Umar Ibn Al Kattab (RA) r the best of all muslims after the prophets PBU them all
I was looking at myself talking to myself and I realized this conversation...I was having with myself looking at myself was a conversation with myself that I needed to have with myself.
The Prophet pbuh said: "Whoever abuses my Companions, upon them is the curse of Allah, the Angles and all the people" (Saheeh, At-Tabaranee)
Abu Bakr As-sdeeq & Umar Ibn Al Kattab (RA) r the best of all muslims after the prophets PBU them all
who said all Iranians are supporters of him and the regime? did i say that? *looks around* nope, so your point is quite irrelevent to the point i made which is that i support ahmed and the system, and so do many others.
one thing is for sure though, there may be some groups calling for the end of the Islamic republic and death to khameni, but when it comes to your bloody government 99% of all Muslims call for their end and overthrow.
Since it is now harder to get news directly from Iran I read reports and don't know to what degree they are trustworthy, but if they are I find this report distrubing Iranian Cleric: Some In Unrest Should Be Executed
Khatami's call for harsh penalties and even death for those who are found to have defied the Islamic system.
"Anyone who takes up arms to fight with the people, they are worthy of execution," Ayatollah Ahmed Khatami, a ranking cleric, said in a nationally broadcast sermon at Tehran University.
If Khatami really believes that the foreign media is distorting what is going on in Iran, all Iran has to do is open up media access once again so that what comes out is not just those who want to present a single view point sneak out, but that observers from around the world can each independently and freely report on what they see and let the people of the world make up their own minds up based on the broad picture that would then be available rather than being forced to use the narrow one that slips out now.
It's important not to confuse two different things, I think. If the 'Islamic Republic' is identified solely with the current regime it seems perfectly reasonable that those who, rightly or wrongly, consider that regime to be guilty of rigging elections and persecuting and even murdering its opponents will be opposed to it. That does not amount to a rejection of the principle, just of the people responsible for behaving in what is, after all, a most un-islamic manner.
and why are you so obssed with the Iranian leader, your an Egyption living in Egypt, if i was you i would be more worried and angry about your own leader who is the worst one i have seen out of all the puppet leaders. go do something about him before you want to fix Iran, a country you detest in the first place for being 'rafidah' which generally means you think its halal to even kill them.
An Israeli Newsletter,26.6.09 gives the answer
Second top-level Israel-Egyptian strategic parley in five weeks focuses on Iran
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report
21 June: Israel's defense minister Ehud Barak said his talks in Cairo Sunday, June 21, with President Hosni Mubarak, Egyptian defense minister Gen. Tantawi and intelligence minister Gen. Suleiman were interesting and wide-ranging.
DEBKAfile's political sources report: The Cairo conference further solidified the understanding forged between Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia six months ago, which none of the parties acknowledge formally.
One of its aspects is Israel's willingness to take its Arab partners' interests into account in its military policy. This consideration guided Israel in ending its Gaza offensive in January short of wiping out the Palestinian extremist Hamas.
The three neighbors are bound by the common objective of halting Iran's Middle East expansion and curtailing its nuclear aspirations by means of diplomatic, military and intelligence cooperation, or alternatively, to minimize the menace posed to the region from Tehran. The three partners work together quietly and ad hoc.
The Saudis use Gen. Suleiman as their letterbox with Israel to avoid direct contacts.
No further comment required.
It's important not to confuse two different things, I think. If the 'Islamic Republic' is identified solely with the current regime it seems perfectly reasonable that those who, rightly or wrongly, consider that regime to be guilty of rigging elections and persecuting and even murdering its opponents will be opposed to it. That does not amount to a rejection of the principle, just of the people responsible for behaving in what is, after all, a most un-islamic manner.
Oh I see. Thanks for the clarification. I just meant, if the public are not happy, they should be given what they want as long as it is reasonable.
I was looking at myself talking to myself and I realized this conversation...I was having with myself looking at myself was a conversation with myself that I needed to have with myself.
Second top-level Israel-Egyptian strategic parley in five weeks focuses on Iran
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report
21 June: Israel's defense minister Ehud Barak said his talks in Cairo Sunday, June 21, with President Hosni Mubarak, Egyptian defense minister Gen. Tantawi and intelligence minister Gen. Suleiman were interesting and wide-ranging.
DEBKAfile's political sources report: The Cairo conference further solidified the understanding forged between Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia six months ago, which none of the parties acknowledge formally.
One of its aspects is Israel's willingness to take its Arab partners' interests into account in its military policy. This consideration guided Israel in ending its Gaza offensive in January short of wiping out the Palestinian extremist Hamas.
The three neighbors are bound by the common objective of halting Iran's Middle East expansion and curtailing its nuclear aspirations by means of diplomatic, military and intelligence cooperation, or alternatively, to minimize the menace posed to the region from Tehran. The three partners work together quietly and ad hoc.
The Saudis use Gen. Suleiman as their letterbox with Israel to avoid direct contacts.
No further comment required.
Man... It's so sad to see Muslims betraying Muslims.
indeed, its the worst of the worst. whats more worst is when Muslims ignore it, and want to look and blame others such as in this case Iran. how do Muslims want to shout and complain about Iran when in their own country their government is the worst of the worst, and they dont do anything about it!!!!!!!!!!!
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