I remember that month like it was yesterday. It amazed me how a country like Iran with all of its strict rules about broadcasting and state run media, was it able to kick start a revolutionary movement that became global.
June of 2009 was an important month in Iran. General elections were held between the current president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and an up and coming star, Mir-Hossein Mousavi . While Ahmadinejad seemed to be favored in the election, Mousavi in the recent months gains large support from Iranians young voters. On June 13th election results shocked the world as it claimed Ahmadinejad had won by 62% while his opponent only received 34% of the vote. Mousavi supporters poured on to streets claiming fraud. Crowds began to grow into massive demonstrations. Protests spurred around the country. Protestors soon grabbed the world’s attention and many foreign leaders’ demands answers. Iran soon block foreign journalist from entering the country in hopes that in doing so it would suppress the protests. However Iranian’s found a new media outlet to turn too. Major social media sites were transformed into news outlets as hundreds of stories poured into twitter, myspace, facebook, youtube, and others. News agencies around the world would use the stories posted on line and report them to the world. Iran’s plan to restrict media coverage back fired as the protest of the election now became global.
The new movement depended heavily on other countries such as the United States, in order to broadcast its message around the world. It seemed that a full out revolution was gearing up in Tehran and nothing would be able to stop it. What came next was in my opinion a major blow to the Iranians, Michael Jackson’s sudden death. This breaking news sends shock waves all over the world pushing the Iranian’s movement out of the spot light. The once vibrant protest seen every day on CNN, ABC, and CNBC was replaced with Michael Jackson tributes. People around the world shifted their attention out of Iran and focus on the tragic news on Michael’s death. Soon Iran was a distant memory as the protest faded out and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was sworn in for a new term.