Hello Richard! Excellent Reporting as Always! This election in Iran has certainly fueled great controversy and the outcry by the citizens is amazing. They demand the election process is flawed and seem to want a brand new election. The Supreme Leader appears to be the one who will lead some sort of investigation into the legitimacy of the election results although one wonders if anything will change. I viewed your video and it was most interesting to understand the roles of the Supreme Leader and the President of Iran. You mentioned the Supreme Leader will make a statement at Friday prayers which usually doesn't happen so it will be interesting to hear what he says to the people. One hopes the people will get a just and peaceful resolution to this election. Time will tell. Excellent Reporting Always Richard! Keep up the Great Work! Wonderful to see You in New York!
Safe and Sound! Peace to You and to All!
Lisa

Who rules Iran? Are you kidding? Unless you've been on another planet for the past 30 years, everybody knows that it's the radical Islamist clerics who rule Iran. And they dominate with an iron fist. The post of president is largely ceremonial. All of the candidates in this week's election were hand picked by the mullahs. The president is merely the face and the voice that the totalitarian regime wants the people of Iran and the rest of the world to see and to hear. It's the Islamo-fascists, the guys with the guns, who are ruthlessly exporting terrorism, who are brutally oppressing the people of Iran, who are savagely stiffling dissent, and who are racing to acquire nuclear weapons to threaten and possibly incinerate other nations. The millions of Iranians who have risen up against the despots are courageously demanding freedom and democracy. They are facing the guns of the tyrants, protected only by their hope, their faith and their dreams.

Dear Richard,

Thanks for all of your analysis over the past few days.  I'm sorry I missed the live web chat on Monday...  I was just a little kid during the 1979 revolution - nearly 9 years old when the hostages were taken; barely 10 years old when they were released, during Ronald Reagan's first inauguration.  I was in school that day - fifth grade - and I remember the school librarian asking a student to volunteer to monitor the radio in her office, so that we might know the very moment the hostages had been freed.  That was such a dark period.  It made a deep impression on me, perhaps because I was a child.  It would seem that the civilian population has come a long way from all the "Great Satan" rhetoric, even if members of the government have not.  I'm losing my optimism, though.  Iran's history shows just how quickly things can turn on a dime.

Be well.

Laurel

it's absolutely silly that some of you find it unbelievable that Iran would pull a elect fraud stunt. So did Putin in Russia and that's exactly who mahmood went to see for directions on how to deal with the aftermath

These clowns are as goofy as the Democrats and Republicans. Money rules all and don't forget it. He that controls the debt controls the debtor. So therefore China rules the U.S. Who cares about Iran they are a fourth rate dictatorship with a fifth rate leader.

If the Supreme Cleric is the true ruler of Iran(Because of their religion), why do they even need a President. He has his Counsel and his own military -The Elite Revolutionary Guards. Get rid of the bum and let the Supreme Cleric meet with foreign dignitaries and such. Because the President is only a figure head. If the Supreme Cleric tells him how to rule, he has to obey him, because he has a direct line to their God. Big Crock of Phooey!!!! Who does the Supreme Cleric need below him? Answer: No-one.

Its the Revolutionary Guard who rules....its time for the people to rule rather than a totalitarian gov't.

The only people who rule Iran are power-hungry, insane men who defile the name of a beautiful religion by claiming they are honoring Islam!!  The "president" is just a puppet that they use to claim a facade of democracy.  

With regard to Iran, anyone can benefit by reading "Among the Believers" and "Beyond Belief" by V.S. Naipaul, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2001.  These are long books, so I'm only suggesting the chapters on Iran.  Mr. Naipaul's views (which are still timely) are worth the time.

With that said, one might take a long look at Islamic nations from Morocco to Indonesia (obviously to include Iran),and ask themselves how much that religion has done for the peoples that live there.  My point is, take a look at the United States with all of its problems, and then ask yourself why Iran and other Islamic countries cannot (in most cases) even provide its peoples with clean drinking water, muchless freedom of speech or anything else enjoyed here. And the corruption in these places is consistent and predictable with no change in sight.

Thank God (or whoever you want to thank) that the United States of America has separation of church and state, and is not ruled by a bunch of religious fanatics.  The only so called Muslim country that seems to understand this is Turkey.  But even Turkey cannot provide its people with clean drinking water.

I can travel from Maine to California, or Florida to Washington most of the time, and not get sick on the food or water, or arrested by the police because I could not afford a bribe or was not of the right religion, and anyone of a number of other things.  The roads here are still passable etc. etc.  Try that by driving from Morocco to Iran and beyond.  Go to Saudi Arabia etc. etc.

Once again, read Naipaul's books mentioned above, and then ask yourself how much hope really exists for Iran.  Do the protesters raising hell in Tehran really care about the dirt poor Iranians in the countryside, or is this just a bunch of Iranian elitists with money who want the freedom to watch porno and do whatever the hell they want?  Think about it.  What would they do if they got in power?  Would Iran become a better place?  Would it become a better place for all Iranians or just for the educated, urban snobs who live in Tehran?     

Events in Iran are dominating the news agenda. People say the events unfolding are similar to those that occured in the 1979 revolution but are we getting the real story?

For all the talk of Twitter helping reformists communicate amidst the media shutdown by the government- Ahmadinejad does have his supporters. Ahmadinejad's supporters are not the technology savy Iranians who are communicating via the internet, is their story being told fairly?

As for Mousavi, he is being hailed as the voice of liberalisation but he has his own shady past. Is he really the force for good that the West is hoping?

These are the questions that everyone is asking- Global FM is uniquely positioned to answer these questions. With our network or experts in the region we can get answers to the BIG questions.

my dear friends have already told many things about the true ruler in iran but I think I can complete their words because I am the one living in iran.
yes.the leader has an unlimited power on each and every thing in my country.
yes.the president is hand picked by mullah's counsel and must work under the supervision of the leader.
yes.the revolutionary guard is a personal army of the leader.besides,the leader controls the army and intelligence services too.
but those who have unlimited powers have been frightened by people who just walk silently in the streets.can you tell me why?
I can.because the real power comes not from army,weapon or media.it comes from people and the leader,revolutionary guards and their supporters know that better than anybody else.during these 30 years,they pretend to have the support of the people.but what about now?
maybe the government is a fourth rate dictatorship.maybe the leader is a fifth rate dictator but don't even think that the people are equal to them.I am so proud of all of those who have been killed in the streets to free their country.they were all my countrymen.I knew some of them and I will follow them to where ever it takes.with all respects,you my dear unknown friends can't even imagine that.

In the Iranian Constitution the Assembly of Experts (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assembly_of_Experts) is empowered to remove the Supreme Leader. Stealing an election is certainly impeaceable. Iran has removed people from power before and we could see a revolution of sorts. Its obvious their was fraud.  

Mankind was inspired by God to be free in whatever activity he/she chose to undertake.  This inspiration to be free is being played out in Iran now.  The rulers of Iran are on the wrong side of history only because they falsly believe that they have all the answers and believe they know what is best for their citizens and the Arabs as well; they could not be more wrong.  By supressing the natural desire of the Iranians to be free will only further fracture Iran.  Iran is forever broken, broken by the heavy handed rule of misguided and ignorant lunatics.  Mark my wordsm, these fools will ultimately fail because they rule in defiance of God's laws and the will of the people.  

The women are covered from head to toe in black, the men are sheep being led to the slaughter, is this ignorance or is it just plain  stupitidy or is it the best the Iranians have to offer.  So much for Imans and religous nuts,  Bring back the Empress, she had more sense than the whole nation.

One Iranian journalist disagrees.  He believes in this case that the president has been wooing the Revolutionary Guards and the army over the last four years.  There are other clerics who oppose the Supreme Leader as to his not being as qualitfied as they for the position he holds. The power isn't rock solid. Perhaps the Supreme Leader feels on shaky ground and needs the president to keep order.  Why else would he take the risk he has in engaging in voter fraud to keep the current president?

We all know who truely rules in Iran.  And it is not the elected President, or should I say puppet.  To my family and myself thats all he is just a puppet on a string!!  He never had any power and nor will he ever attain it as long as the old staunchy, Senile clericks are allowed to rule the Country.  I feel so sorry for Iran, the are longing for a taste of freedom and democracy and it is just out of their reach.

hello to every body that read this cm.i`m an iranian girl that lives in tehran,i wanna sy to the world that in my opinion, no body knows that who rules in iran,but IF IRANIAN PEOPLE WANTS TO RULE THEMSELVES,SURE THEY CAN DO IT.we are more clever than every force can judge us.if our goverment wants to obey all the rules,I,myself,&and all of my family object that.
Be proud iran.

The Iranian people struggling for fredom is truelt inspiring, the courage and strength of character they show, day after day truely shows that fredom is not free. I hope they will continue and they have my full support.

how did every one really think that these Fanatic
Mullas just came into power in the first place and
did Khomeini manage to overthrow powerfull former
Shah of Iran who picked up the dictator name from
east and west counrty and intrenal opposition. he
gave up finally since he did not want more blood shed
on his hand bu the knew exactly who were behind the 1979 revolution and what would happen to his nation after htier take over.I was only 20 of age when I left home but had witnessed many fake killings and stories by these Mullahs and their phony promises to some of uneducated class of people to just get them out and support them but it did not take very long after revolution when their true identity of the worst religous butchers of the century came to light as finally they made a big mistake to show their true face as they have forced this tayrrany system uppon
the people of Iran as the power mongor sunni sectors after prophet Mohammad forced this religon uppon the throat of Iranian nation and not through peaceful and or invitation but brutal attack and destrution and  force and you can not deny the history and even these mullahs knows it but Islam is not a violent religon but the head ruling has bee placed into wrong hands
for certian interest of groups to profit from! long live a free Iran and down with its true enemy!      

Christ shed his blood to prove to the people of the world he loves them. Now a 16 year old girl has been murdered by thugs of this regime. Her blood symbolizes all the oppression and evil in Iran including the so called Supreme (Religious Leaders). May God have mercy on their souls and may Neda be in Christs arms. I as a Catholic pray for all of the people in Iran and my heart is full of sorrow for Neda's family.  Neda is the symbol of Iran and she fought for freedom and justice for everyone.  Now is the time for all Iranians to stand up and do the same.  The Republican guards should stage a coup and overthrow this murderous regime and bring Neda's family hopes for the future.  The Lord Jesus Christ will never allow these killings to continue in the name of God or Allah.  

Mousavi said if he is arrested to call for a national strike. Mousavi should consider calling for a national strike now across the country. A strike can bring the government to its knees quicker and with less blood shed. Strike now and begin the death march of the cruel killers of 'Neda' and her brave Iranian brothers and sisters. Power to the people of Iran!!!  

So why have an election for the sake of nominating a puppet? This makes no sence.

Fred

It is time for the people to rise up in that country and, arm themselves against the corrupt government whether that be a president or cleric. If it is democracy they want, they need to fight the crooked people who are leading them by the noses.

If history has taught us anything it's that the true power in any county is with the people.

why dont we supply weapons to fight the soldiers
so they can over throw the losers running the goverment ? he is power tripping and using their people as puppets they have to dance their way
or else i cant understand United Nations as stopped
every dictators and now they wont ? why ?
well news flash hes another Hitler wake up people
hes a Dictator he has to be removed

The Supreme Council of Iran rules they claim by the will of God(Allah is arabic for God)I have a question that they need to answer.Whom do you serve when you murder the innocent?Where in the Quran does God approve the murder of the innocent?The rightous respect truth, justice,and God's LAW!To God we are all  equal with equal voice and equal rights.To deny this is to defy God!Again,Whom do you serve?The Supreme Leader must answer this question in his heart and do what is just or he will be accountable before God.

All this political maneuvering, in Iran, unjust as it may  be, sounds and looks all too familiar. I recall we had an election that was like that in the year 2000. We didn't pour into the streets to protest our loss, be like us and just suck it up and go on, we lead by example don't we.  Here is a way to fix all this, import a bunch of Republicans from our electorate, put them in charge, and you can overcome anything, at least you'll learn how to cheat and not get  caught. They sure didn't want us to exercise that right back then, and now they point fingers!

"All power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority and instituted for their peace, safety  and happiness. For the advancement of these ends they have at all times an inalienable and indefeasible right to alter, reform or abolish their government in such manner as they may think proper."

Pennsylvania Constitution, Article I, Section 2.
             

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