A Sleeping Lion

It is on the heads of innocent Iranis that, with some luck, a sleeping lion will arise. In the last week, two very significant student leaders have made the news. I will take a brief moment to point out that in Iran, student leaders are taken quite seriously, as it's largely due to students that the current regime finds itself in power. Given this condition, the regime is known for the hardline tactics it has taken against freedom-fighters.

Case in point, Akbar Mohammadi, died in Evin prison after he staged a protest via hunger strike as a result of being denied medical treatment. While official reports blame his death on the hunger strike, other Iranian news sources report that Mohammadi was, "tortured to death on Sunday, July 30th, 2006, by the regime's jailers."

Dr. Zin of RegimeChangeIran.com posted an article that stated: He gave his life for freedom and will forever live on in Iranian history as a national hero.

Replicating the sentiment, the Persian Journal writes: Mr. Mohammadi will live in my heart and the hearts of all freedom loving Iranians. He will never be forgotten and his death will not be in vein. As long as our country has brave and courageous people like him the Islamic Regime will never win.

Also in the news this week is Ahmad Batebi, another student protester who participated in the July 1999 demonstration, the same that condemned Mohammadi to his fate. Worldwide, Batebi is known as the face of that protest, due to a photo that was featured on The Economist and numerous other international publications (see above).

The press did him no good, as it was used by Iranianauthoritiess to identify andapprehendd the man. Batebi spent time in prison for his participation, but was released on furlough. This Saturday he was again arrested by the regime and has been placed back in prison. Calls for his safety have been ringing out around the world.

The Iran Press News warns that, "The Islamic Republic has now specifically announced that should their nuclear dossier be voted for referral by the United Nations Security Council for sanctions in the August round of voting, that all political prisoners, whether on furlough or in prison, will be summarily executed."

Their response to that threat:

As the Islamic regime kills off Iranian patriots and freedom-fighters who fight against their tyrannical and archaic religious rule, they dole out money that belongs to the people of Iran to their terrorist flunkies. The Mullah regime cares nothing for the lives of the people of Lebanon and they are wholly responsible for creating the chaos in that hostage-country. The only reason why they are sacrificing the people of Lebanon and our own innocent patriots who are their prisoners is to buy time for their nuclear dossier and nothing else.

Tomorrow is too late."

Hopefully the MSM will begin to report on the many injustices of the Islamic Regime, and world leaders will become more educated before making statements like the "Jackass French," as it was dubbed in this article which explains: "The French foreign minister, whose government is positioning itself to play a leading part in Mideast peace efforts, has described Iran's murderous mullahs as a respected country that plays a stabilizing role in the region."

Maybe with some help, those in Iran who want to create change will find the courage to do so. Or, maybe, the regime will take one step too far. Either way, a sleeping lion lies in the heart of that country. Let's all hope he wakes up soon.

Read the New York Times take on things here.