Mohsen Mirdamadi
Encyclopedia
Mohsen Mirdamadi, was an organizer of the 1979 Iran hostage crisis
, a member of the parliament of Iran (the Majlis
) from 2000-2004, and the "head of the largest pro-reform party" in Iran, Islamic Iran Participation Front
since 2006.
In 1979 he led Iran Hostage Crisis where 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days.
In 2000 he ran for parliament as a reformist on a platform of freedom and restoring the rule-of-law to Iran, easily winning his seat. In an interview in Tehran
with American journalist Robin Wright he explained
He was banned from running for re-election in the February 2004 along with 80 other incumbents, and along with 2500 non-incumbents by the Council of Guardians.
Although he is the secretary general of the largest reformist party in Iran
, in December 2006, he harshly criticized the university students who raided and protested Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech in Amirkabir University. (see: December 2006 student protest)
He has been described as "a small man" with "a neat salt-and-pepper beard."
Human Rights Watch
reported that he was arrested in June 2009, amidst the 2009 Iranian election protests
.
Iran hostage crisis
The Iran hostage crisis was a diplomatic crisis between Iran and the United States where 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979 to January 20, 1981, after a group of Islamist students and militants took over the American Embassy in Tehran in support of the Iranian...
, a member of the parliament of Iran (the Majlis
Majlis
' , is an Arabic term meaning "a place of sitting", used in the context of "council", to describe various types of special gatherings among common interest groups be it administrative, social or religious in countries with linguistic or cultural connections to Islamic countries...
) from 2000-2004, and the "head of the largest pro-reform party" in Iran, Islamic Iran Participation Front
Islamic Iran Participation Front
The Islamic Iran Participation Front is a reformist political party in Iran...
since 2006.
In 1979 he led Iran Hostage Crisis where 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days.
There were about 400 of us who took part in the operation. I was part of the leadership council. When the U.S. allowed the ShahMohammad Reza PahlaviMohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia , ruled Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979...
to enter America for medical reasons, we were convinced they were plotting against us. So, we wanted to send them a message. We intended to detain the diplomats for a few days, maybe one week, but no more. ... events took on a life of their own. When the ImamRuhollah KhomeiniGrand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini was an Iranian religious leader and politician, and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran...
blessed the takeover, there was no turning back
In 2000 he ran for parliament as a reformist on a platform of freedom and restoring the rule-of-law to Iran, easily winning his seat. In an interview in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
with American journalist Robin Wright he explained
We always wanted a country that had independence, freedoms, and was an Islamic republic ... But today our emphasis is on freedoms ... The future now depends on what the people want, not what a few politicians or religious leaders prefer. Leaders in all ruling classes should be checked by the people .... there are - and should be - many different interpretations of IslamIslamIslam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. And the people have the right to listen to those different interpretations ... No one has the right to impose his ideas on everyone else.`
He was banned from running for re-election in the February 2004 along with 80 other incumbents, and along with 2500 non-incumbents by the Council of Guardians.
Although he is the secretary general of the largest reformist party in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, in December 2006, he harshly criticized the university students who raided and protested Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech in Amirkabir University. (see: December 2006 student protest)
He has been described as "a small man" with "a neat salt-and-pepper beard."
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
reported that he was arrested in June 2009, amidst the 2009 Iranian election protests
2009 Iranian election protests
Protests following the 2009 Iranian presidential election against the disputed victory of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and in support of opposition candidates Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi occurred in major cities in Iran and around the world starting June 13, 2009...
.
External links
- Mr. Mirdamadi! Please apologize! (Rooz daily in Persian)
- A letter from Amirkabir University students (in Persian)