Untitled Document

News Stories - Iran's revolution - the 25th anniversary

The annual rallies staged to commemorate the Islamic Revolution have become occasions largely for regime loyalists these days. For more than half of the population they're marking an event that happened well before they were born. This year's celebration finds the Islamic revolution deep in crisis over next week's general elections. Nobody really knows what direction the country will take in the aftermath.

Many people saw the massive election victories of the reformists from 1997 on, as a sort of second revolution within the revolution. They hoped they would deliver the freedoms that had been stifled as the clerics imposed their grip after the overthrow of the Shah. But powerful entrenched hardliners have made sure that the elected reformists have been able to achieve little for their years in office. People have become largely disillusioned and apathetic. The disqualification of more than two and a half thousand reformist candidates by the unelected right-wing Council of Guardians has been met by public resignation, or indifference rather than anger.

Hopes for peaceful change from within the regime have been dashed, at least for the moment. Few people want to see radical change brought about by violence and upheaval. They've seen enough of that. So this twenty-fifth anniversary finds the Islamic Republic in a state of great uncertainty about what the future holds.

- vocabulary:

regime loyalists: enthusiastic and committed supporters of the people who rule the country
finds: here, finds means at the same time as

in the aftermath: the aftermath of an event is what happens after it

saw: if you see a situation in a particular way you regard or consider it like that

imposed their grip: took strong control

entrenched hardliners: supporters of a strict set of ideas who are unwilling to change their views

disillusioned and apathetic: if you are disillusioned and apathetic, you are disappointed because something is not as good as you thought, and you are not interested in anything

met by: people have reacted in this way

Hopes...have been dashed: if your hopes are dashed, something makes it impossible for you to get what you want

They've seen enough of that: They have experienced too much violent change