When violence erupted across Iran after its presidential election last year, many students were swept up in the protests, including Mehdi, a 27-year-old Iranian citizen who witnessed firsthand the violence and bloodshed in the streets of Tehran before fleeing the country a month later.  

Mehdi dreams of a free Iran, something he hopes is not too far in the distance, and fears for his countrymen, some of whom are imprisoned or in danger.   Like many others in this story, although he has fled Mehdi has left behind a homeland he loves, and has seen things happening in the country of his childhood he wishes were not so.  

For security reasons, we are not showing a photograph of Mehdi, using his full name or disclosing his location.  He bravely consented to visit with me on the one-year anniversary of the disputed election as we both watched events unfolding on the news. 

How closely were you watching the election last year, and where were you? 

Frankly speaking, nor me neither my friends did not expect such a brave reaction by people after the government changed the votes on its behalf.  Because everybody knew that this was a brutal regime which would not hesitate to kill people if they come to streets.  It was really scary even when we thought about expressing our disapproval and objection by any kind of demonstration.  Furthermore, any communication system such as cell phones was off and it was not possible to track what is happening in other parts of the city.  We had to act blindly but at the same time very tactfully.

Shortening this long story, when despite threatening protesters by Islamic republic’s leader, we finally decided to go on protests on 12^th June.  We were about 100 students came out of university toward Enghelab Square where we had heard protesters are supposed to gather.   Just after a while, I looked at my back to see whether any police forces is following or spying us, and what I saw was incredible, thousands of people had joined up to our small group, shouting anti-regime mottos.  When we went forward, I noticed huge population of demonstrators facing us.  I ascended a bridge to have a better view of population from the top; it was more that 2 million people.   I said with myself, hey look; this is a real revolution.

Were you afraid for people in Iran?

Of course I was.  I saw with my eyes many people were shot in the streets.  Do not forget that Neda was just one of them.  We did not have chance to record those incidents due to very dangerous situation.  To exemplify, I was in Azadi Square, when the first shooting by a Basij happened and killed a guy who was standing just few steps away from me.  At the same time, there was much news about torturing and sexual abuse of arrested people in prisons.  Many people died under the hands of these wicked torturers.  

Anyway, if you ask me now, I am more afraid than I was in last year.  Because last year at such a time, we were fighting for freedom, for democracy and for getting back our votes.  We wanted everything to be absolutely peaceful and without violence.  But the result was that they killed and arrested many many people and then they purified government by removing criticizers and isolating opposition leaders and their supporters.  What we all hope is that this green movement will spread gradually among different parts of the country, amplifying the internal tensions nucleated in the regime, by which we will reach one day where we can see the elapse of Islamic Republic.

Where were you when you first saw or heard about the Neda video?

I watched that shocking video 1 or 2 days after Neda’s death.  For some security reasons please accept my apology for not giving out more information about the situation in which I saw that movie and the story I had after that.  I just imply that I saw one of my intimate friends in that video and found out he would get himself in trouble if he did not leave the country very fast.  Fortunately, he was so smart and lucky, acted on time and left Iran very soon.  Then he spoke out as a witness who was involved in that scene.  

How have the events in Iran changed your life?

It did not change my personal life that much, because I left Iran one month after elections.  But I know many friends and family who were suffered by those events. Some of them are still in prison or waiting for their court time to reach, some lost their jobs or were fired from university, some had to run away from Iran and some others are experiencing very difficult situation in Iran.  On the other hand, wrong policies and diplomacy of the government is making the situation worse day by day, and this new sanction against Iran will also hurt the people especially in economic aspects of their life.

Iran is a country with more than 3000 years civilization.  I hope we can come back to our origin, a situation in which we had peace, freedom and a wealthy life, when we were taking the lead in science and medicine.   There is a long way to go, but I am seeing some signs of hope at the end of this dark tunnel.

Finally, I just want to say that I am so happy that this green movement showed people of the world how different are Iranian people with Iranian government.  I hope this fact can affect the attitude of foreign governments toward Iranian people, especially the United States. 

 Ajazi Square in Tehran with the Shahyad Monument in the background, filled with thousands of protesters, many of them students like Mehdi,  a few days after the June 12, 2009, election.  (photo:  AP)

I am grateful to Mehdi and all the Iranians who have generously shared their experiences over the past year, including those who are currently in other countries because they cannot return to their own.  Many of them act at peril to their own safety because they believe strongly in the cause of a free Iran.  

For an index to all my articles on Iran and Neda, see:  On the One-Year Anniversary:  A Year of Iran and Neda