Iranian Opposition Calls for 'Iranian Fall'

SHERMAN OAKS, Calif., Sept. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In the wake of the success of the 'Arab Spring,' Iranian dissidents are boldly calling for an 'Iranian Fall,' challenging the Islamic Republic in a fiery rebuttal to President Ahmadinejad's recent address to the United Nations

"Neither Mr. Ahmadinejad nor the Islamic regime by any means represent the view and the will of the Iranian people," says Dr. Iman Foroutan, Chairman of The New Iran. "And we will no longer let Mr. Ahmadinejad's statements go unchallenged. The world needs to hear the true voice of the Iranian people."

With strong ties to dissidents within Iran as well as Iranian democracy activists around the globe, The New Iran is in a unique position to broadcast their message. Explains Foroutan, "The New Iran was designed to serve as a collective voice and platform for unified action for the many opposition groups and individuals struggling to free the Iranian people."

In the wake of the brutal repression of the 2009 street protests that came to be known as the Green Revolution, Iranian dissidents went underground. But Iranians have watched carefully and learned from the successes of the Arab Spring.

"We now know that the number one tool in fighting dictatorships like the Islamic Republic is not allowing the regime to control the flow of information," says Foroutan. That is why The New Iran has crafted a detailed rebuttal to President Ahmadinejad's September 22nd speech to the United Nations General Assembly and also why the organization is distributing within Iran virtual private networks (VPNs) and other methods of overcoming censorship.

"We are inviting everyone who is against the regime to use our website (TheNewIran.com) which we have setup to be a kind of virtual freedom square," says Foroutan, who made his fortune as a social media entrepreneur and is well aware of the power of the Internet to spark rapid change.

Now, those in Iran who long for democracy are able to use VPNs to covertly reach a website where they can openly discuss a better future for their country. Based upon these interactions and in consultation with nation building experts, The New Iran has developed 5 Principles that will characterize the new Iranian government to replace the current regime – united, secular, humane, democratic, with distributed power. The New Iran is also in the process of finalizing a 4 Point Action Plan for the non-violent downfall of the Islamic Republic.

According to dissidents from across the country, the feeling is that the regime's days are numbered, confides Foroutan. Iranians no longer feel they need to blindly accept what they are being told. "Mr. Ahmadinejad's own words betray the corruption and hypocrisy of the regime he represents," says Foroutan, referring to how President Ahmadinejad repeatedly called for justice and security among nations in his U.N. speech, all the while pointing the finger at the United States and Europe.

"There can be no 'security for all' while the ruling clergy in Iran funds and encourages terrorism throughout the world," counters Foroutan in The New Iran's rebuttal. "And rather than 'defying oppression, corruption, and discrimination' these are the primary political tools of the corrupt clerics who are enforcing their will upon seventy million Iranian citizens and forcing millions into exile."

But The New Iran and the dissidents they represent do agree with one part of President Ahmadinejad's address. "He said that there is a great awakening going on in Islamic lands," relates Foroutan. "He could not be more correct."

In the end of The New Iran's rebuttal, Foroutan says on behalf of the thousands of dissidents his organization is in direct contact with, "Mr. Ahmadinejad, we now put you, your Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and your corrupt regime on notice. The Arab Spring was only a start.  The Iranian people are awake. And we no longer need dream of a better future. We are already creating it. May the 'Arab Spring' soon be followed by an 'Iranian Autumn.'"

About The New Iran

The New Iran seeks to accelerate the non-violent downfall of the ruling Islamic Regime in Iran through providing a forum for unified action and transparent coordination among all reformers who seek to replace the Islamic Republic with a democratic, secular and pro-human rights government.

For more, visit TheNewIran.com or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Contact:
Lance Laytner
Media Liaison
The New Iran
[email protected]
M: 917-573-8960

SOURCE The New Iran