Some interesting photos from the semi-official news agency Fars have appeared from Ahmadinejad's recent trip to northern Iran.
A young woman -- who would be characterized as "badly veiled" by Iranian officials because of her tight, short coat (seen in the photo) -- is pictured standing in front of the president's car. She doesn't seem to be saying hello.
Some people are pictured kissing the president's hands, while others are appealing for help with handwritten banners. One says "Help Me."
Another woman holds a banner saying, "I have cancer, why don't you respond?" Another: "Hello Mr. President, my rights have been violated, please look into it." The banner includes the person's telephone number, just in case the president would want to talk to him directly.
Ahmadinejad is known for making promises during his many trips to Iran's provinces. But the banners seem to be a reaction to the promises the he hasn't kept.
Interesting also, as this kind of public dissent is almost never shown on state television and rarely in newspapers -- I don't remember having seen anything like this before. People must be really fed up.
-- Golnaz Esfandiari
A young woman -- who would be characterized as "badly veiled" by Iranian officials because of her tight, short coat (seen in the photo) -- is pictured standing in front of the president's car. She doesn't seem to be saying hello.
Some people are pictured kissing the president's hands, while others are appealing for help with handwritten banners. One says "Help Me."
Another woman holds a banner saying, "I have cancer, why don't you respond?" Another: "Hello Mr. President, my rights have been violated, please look into it." The banner includes the person's telephone number, just in case the president would want to talk to him directly.
Ahmadinejad is known for making promises during his many trips to Iran's provinces. But the banners seem to be a reaction to the promises the he hasn't kept.
Interesting also, as this kind of public dissent is almost never shown on state television and rarely in newspapers -- I don't remember having seen anything like this before. People must be really fed up.
-- Golnaz Esfandiari