Iranians cold to the 25th Anniversary of Islamic Revolution

[democratic]

http://www.iran-press-service.com/articles_2004/Feb_04/25_anniversary_11204.htm

PARIS, 11 Feb. (IPS) The Islamic Republic marked on Wednesday the 25th anniversary of its foundation by Grand Ayatollah Roohollah Khomeini amidst general indifference in Iran and anti-regime demonstrations by the Iranian Diaspora in several American and European cities.

Contrary to the Iranian media, mostly the official and the semi-officials that hailed "the mass participation" of Iranians in the celebrations, independent journalists observed the "quasi indifference" of the public for the ceremonies, preferring to use the extended week end holiday to go to sunny and warm cities on the Persian Gulf or the popular Caspian Sea’s resorts.

"I refused to go to the ceremonies because I realise that all the promises made by this regime from the start up until today came to be a big lie", the brother of a martyr killed on the battlefront of the bloody War against Iraq told "The Irish Times" of Dublin.

"This activist of the reformist press who now heads the Association for the Defence of the Rights of Journalists knows what he talks about: He has just been again called by a tribunal to give some accounts for "spreading of untrue information". The man, who knew the jail during eighteen months says, "After this painful experience that was the Revolution, the Iranian society is reaching its maturity", Le Figaro said.

But, according to Mr. Qasem Sho’leh Sa’di, a former Member of the Majles, "from reforms as promised by Mr. Khatami, Iranians are now demanding radical changes".