- Who gave it to you?
— Haji. He said beat them so they cannot get up. They are traitors.
- What do you think?
— That’s none of my business. I only get my money.
- So you’re paid to beat. Do you enjoy it?
— Yeah! They pay me to beat. Wouldn’t you do it too?
- How much do they pay?
— 200 Thousand Tomans. (His eyes lighten up.)
- That’s a lot. What do you want to do with it?
— I’ll get a wife. When I have this much money, I can even get two. Do you know how much it will become [in 10 days]? 2 million! Though I might not go back to Torbat-e Jaam. I might stay here. Haji said there will be more demonstrations. They will keep us employed.
He also mentions Arabs from Lebanon being part of the forces. There have been reports from the beginning of this that Hizbullah members from Lebanon were brought into Iran.
- There are also Arabs. No?
— Yes. But I’ve heard they are in a hotel. It’s said that they’re from Lebanon. When we were given Tuna cans for dinner last night, the guys were saying that Arabs get better food.
Here is an update from yesterday on the blog.
- Security forces were out in force today, due to the decision of the Guardian Council to support Ahmadinejad. Thousands of Basijis and security forces were occupying Tehran's public places, clashing with angry protesters who came out to protest the announcement. Protesters were unable to form large groups, hindered by the massive presence of government forces patrolling the streets. Some protesters tried to express their discontent by honking their horns, resulting in Basijis smashing their windscreens and slashing their tires.
- Protesters had planned to make a human chain, but they were prevented by security forces and Basijis to assemble. As the regime is making it nigh impossible to recreate the huge protests that followed the election, the dissidents once again took to the roofs shouting "Allahu Ackbar" to express their anger.
- The Guardian Council announced its verdict regarding the dispute over the elections. Unsurprisingly, they sided with the Supreme Leader and declared that they were legitimate, there was no fraud and that Ahmadinejad was the winner. In reaction, Mousavi declared that he refused to accept the results and the Guardian Council's decision. The government is also pressuring former President Khatami to intervene and help quell the protests. A fight erupted in the Majlis as a MP asked for clemency and tolerance toward protesters.
- Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State, refused to comment on the re-election of the Ahmadinejad, and refused to speculate on internal Iranian affairs. She declared that there was "a huge credibility gap" between the Iranian government and its population, and that this gap would not disappear after a limited recount. However, she harshly condemned the arrest of British embassy staff, qualifying it as "deplorable treatment" and that the United States Government was monitoring the situation with great concern.
- Following the arrest of the British embassy staff, the European Union announced that they were considering recalling their ambassadors from Iran until they are released. According to the French organization La Fédération Internationale des Droits Humain, at least two thousand protesters are still in prison, while thousands of others were arrested and then released. Reporters Sans Frontières came out with their own report, saying that Iran was the country with the most journalists in prisons worldwide.
- President Ahmadinejad asked a judge today to investigate the killing of Neda Agha-Soltan, and declared that he was searching for Neda's real killer. He declared that Soltan had been killed by agents who are enemies of the Islamic Republic, possibly foreigners. Supporters of Ahmadinejad, including MPs, are trying to pressure State Media to ban all appearances of Mousavi on the airwaves.
- Egypt has stopped all attempts at protests and rallies in support of Iranian dissenters.
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