NCRI – Thousands of Iranians from all over Iran, and Iranian exiles from countries throughout the world participated in Simaye-Azadi (Iran National Television, INTV) telethon from July 23 to the early morning hours of July 29 for six consecutive days to express their support and solidarity with Iranian Resistance and Ashraf residents.
This round of telethon that is held every few months by INTV to cover for the costs of this satellite television was described as a remarkable success by its managers.
In this 64-hour telethon, Iranians contributed $3.28 million dollars to the INTV. Despite 23 telephone lines used for the telethon, many contributors had to wait for hours to get a free line. Some of the contributors gathered the financial support of other Iranian Resistance supporters, transferring them collectively to INTV.
Iran National Television is one of the most popular Persian televisions that is received by satellite in Iran and throughout the world and broadcasts the news of the Resistance that is censored by the clerical regime. The INTV has played a prominent role in distributing news and pictures of anti-government demonstrations in Iran and the activities of the Resistance the world over. It has also played a prominent role in distributing pictures of and exposing the savage raid of Iraqi forces to Camp Ashraf.
Scores of reporters of the INTV have been arrested in Iran and several of the activists of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) have been executed by the clerical regime on the charge of providing news and footage of anti-government demonstrations in Iran. In addition, at least two of the members of the Iranian Resistance who provided reports for INTV from Ashraf, Saba Haftbaradaran and Asiyeh Rakhshani were killed during the massacre of Ashraf residents by Iraqi forces on April 8.
The participants in this telethon described Ashraf as the heart of Iranian people’s aspirations, and Ashraf residents as the examples of true democracy for the future Iran.
Those calling strongly condemned the recent remarks of a U.S. official regarding Ashraf residents, stressing that the Iranian people hold the U.S. responsible for violating its political and moral obligations in protection of Ashraf residents and its inaction in preventing the massacres of Ashraf residents in July 2009 and April 2011. From this day forward the U.S. is directly responsible for any harm brought to the residents, they added.
Those calling from Tehran and cities throughout Iran such as Mashhad, Qom, Isfahan, Kashan, Yazd, Arak, Karaj, Khomein, Kermanshah, Hamadan, Shiraz, Sari, Gorgan, Fuman, Rasht, Lahijan and Amol declared their solidarity with Ashraf despite extreme security measures taking high risks. These calls were made while the mullahs’ regime is going to the limits in disrupting telephone lines to prevent Iranians from inside the country to contact INTV.
Many contributors in Iran sent their contributions to INTV through their friends and relatives living abroad.
Iranian exiles from various countries, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, UK, Italy, Germany, France, Norway, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Finland, Austria, Belgium, Greece, Spain, Luxemburg, Romania, Portugal, Panama, Scotland, Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq, India, Cyprus, Turkey and Azerbaijan contributed their contributions to INTV, syncing their voice with people from across Iran in expressing their deep sentiments in support of Ashraf as the strategic pivotal point in the battle against the clerical regime.
Contributors included all sectors of the Iranian society, from laborers to student, teachers, merchants and industrialists. The size of the contributions varied from one dollar to several hundred thousand dollars. Artists offered their art works, some Iranians contributed their residential homes and many women and girls contributed their jewelry as contributions to INTV.
The emotion and enthusiasm of Iranians to participate in this great event which can only be compared to the purchase of government bonds to back the nationalistic government of Dr. Mohammad Mosadeq during the 1950s, became a symbol of national resolve and solidarity of Iranian people to support the Iranian Resistance and Ashraf residents for establishment of freedom and democracy in Iran.
As the popular reception towards the resistance and the INTV is growing, the clerical regime has launched a new wave of suppressive measures to collect satellite dishes in Tehran and other cities. Yet, these measure have been unable to prevent the constant growth of the range of viewers of the INTV and support for the Resistance inside of Iran.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
July 30, 2011