Mobile Iranians Look To Protests With Hope

Mobile Iran With protests over the Iranian election dying down locals from Iran hope this signals change.

by Chad Petri

Published: Sat, June 27, 2009 - 9:00 pm CST Last Updated: Sat, June 27, 2009 - 9:02 pm CST

“I love my country and don't like to see it under dictator leadership.”

That’s how an e-mail sent today from Iran ends. It was sent to Maryam in Mobile. She says she worries about the dozens of family and friends she still has in Iran.

“I'm afraid for my family and I'm afraid for the future of Iran,” says Maryam.

Maryam and friend Farzam have asked us not to use their last names over fears of persecution if they went back to Iran.

“From an economical standpoint to freedom itself there have been a lot of issues with Iran,” says Maryam. They say they hope one of the biggest things to come out of this protest are that American stereotypes are broken down.

“They do want freedom, they do want to express their freedoms,” says Farzam. For some, watching theses protests has been an intense and worrying experience

“Emotion of hope was going on for a little while during the election and it seems like after election and fear has kind of replaced that,” says Maryam.

These local Iranians say the protests weren't just about replacing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad with challenger Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

“Not everybody wants a regime change, they just want more civil liberties,” says Farzam.

Whether it happens remains to be seen. As Maryam's friend points out in e-mail, the media's attention is elsewhere.

“Mr. Jackson has died and the media is covering his death, sorry Iran,”

Local Iranians will hold a demonstration Tuesday at 11am at Memorial Park near the cannon.

Reporter’s Note: We are refraining from posting video of this story to the web. There is concern our interview subjects would be subjected to harassment from the Iranian government if they tried to return home.

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