President Ahmadinejad in the Lion's Den
When President Ahmadinejad gave a speech in Amir Kabir University, he was standing on what should have been hostile ground. The Amir Kabir University student's association is heavily linked with the reformist movement, yet the reformist President Khatami received a hostile reception during his last speech there. His movement, would therefore have expected president Ahmadinejad to receive an even more hostile reception.
However this was not to be, much to the consternation of the reformist movement, there were only a few dozen protestors, with placards saying "Down with Dictators", to which President Ahmadinejad responded, "Given the scars inflicted on the Iranian nation by agents of the US and British dictatorship, no one will ever dare to initiate the rise of a dictator."
And when some students burned his photo he stated, “Everyone should know that Ahmadinejad is prepared to be burned in the path of defending freedom and truth.”
Commenting on the Western funding of anti-Iranian terrorist groups, president Ahmadinejad said:
"My response to the opponents of our ruling system is that the nation is aware of their tricks and will not be deceived by them. Iranians will never give up their ideals".
His speech received a rapturous reception from most of the students, who began chanting his name.
The implications for the reformist movement cannot be overstated. Their hatred of Ahmadinejad is greater than their hatred of Rafsanjani. Yet even in Amir Kabir - what was their ideological heartland - there much touted demonstration amounted to less than 50 protestors. During the presidential elections the reformist had the bloggers; Ahmadinejad had the street. They underestimated then and they underestimated him now - the Basij Student Organisation is by far the most prominent student organisation in Iran. The reformist movement is dead.
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President Ahmadinejad:
"In the Name of Almighty God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate
In Amir Kabir University gathering - when a small number of individuals in the presence of the absolute majority of the university students and associates and the president of the country – with an absolute total freedom – without being worried – insulted the elected president of the people, I had a feeling of joy. Unintentionally, it reminded me the circumstances of those days and years that I was a university student; the days before revolution such as Dec 7, 1953 *. The black years of 1977 and 1978 that one could not breathe politically and criticize the secular government which was supported and protected by the west. The cost of criticizing the government was a death penalty or prison and torture. And now - in contrast - the situation is somehow that a small limited minority would disturb the peace of a meeting of a majority by insulting and even burning. But the majority – the university students and revolutionary professors – would tolerate it with dignity and benevolence – without engaging in a reprisal.
As a 1975 university student that I repeatedly experienced clashing and escaping from shah’s hostile police forces and also remembered that the cost of a small critic in regard to the ruling government was so heavy – in contrast – yesterday, when I witnessed such an impressive effect of the freedom and liberty – not only as Mahmood Ahmadi Nejad – I did not have a bad feeling in my heart concerning any one, but as a person who serves the nation, a president and a political chief executive of the country, I proudly admired our great liberator revolution and praised Almighty God.
This pride is plenty good enough for us that in a contrast with almost all other governments of the world that would implement dictatorship against their adversaries, in our country, a small limited individuals with a full confident and comfort, would apply authoritarianism against the government - which has come to the office by the overwhelming votes of the people – and also against the majority of the people in that gathering – altogether simultaneously. Instead of talking and listening with a calm manner and a logical reasoning in peaceful atmosphere – the estate and stature of the university students and associates - they try to disturb the peace of the meeting.
This freedom and liberty is the outgrowth of the blood of our martyr brothers and sisters. Our Reputation and all of our entities be immolated for this freedom and liberty.
* The day that 3 Tehran University students - by the names Azar Shariat Razavi, Ahmad Ghandchi and Mustafa Bozorgnia - were slaughtered in order to welcome Richard Nixon – the ex-president of U.S.
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