The day when massive state-backed demonstrations put an end to 8 months of protests in Iran by the Green Movement. The demonstrations were primarily a response to the movement’s gathering in Tehran on the sacred day of Ashoura, whose sanctity was tarnished by the protestors –who had cheered on a day when the Shi’as are supposed to mourn over the wo [..]

 Anniversary of birth of the Shia 12th Imam, Mahdi (AJ), who will one day emerge from occultation and fill the world with justice, according to Shia belief.

 Resolution issued by the United Nations in July 1987 to end the eight-year war between Iraq (under Saddam Hussein’s leadership) and Iran. During recent years, voices inside Iranian politics have criticized the then decision-makers of the Islamic Republic (mainly Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani as head of the Supreme Council of Defense, and Mohsen Rezaee [..]

The brother of Imam Hussein (AS), the third Shi’a Imam, and the epitome of loyalty and bravery for Shi’as. He was martyred in the battle of Karbala on Ashoura.

 Literally meaning ‘master’ or ‘sir’, agha is an epithet used to call the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei, by his faithful supporters, whether ordinary citizens or politicians. The word has a strong emotional connotation.

Tehran MP and former instructor of ‘ethics’ lessons for Ahmadinejad’s cabinet. He once compared Reformists to dirty diapers thrown away by people.

 Disapproving and disparaging term widely used in Iranian political literature to describe the sons of famed political or religious figures, who supposedly enjoy privilege over ordinary citizens due to their father’s stature.

 Honorary title applied to a knowledgeable person, typically a cleric (or a man of letters).

An article of the Islamic Republic Constitution that reads: “The economic system of the Islamic Republic of Iran shall be based on public, cooperative and private sectors, with proper and sound planning…The private sector includes such activities related to agriculture, cattle-raising, industry, trade and services that supplement the economic activ [..]

 A Majles Committee in charge of investigating complaints about the executive or the judicial branches of the government. Article 90 of the Iranian Constitution reads: “Whoever has a complaint concerning the work of the Assembly or the executive power, or the judicial power, can forward his complaint in writing to the Assembly. The Assembly must in [..]