Demonstrating for change

Whoever compares the unrest currently going on in large swaths of the Arab world with the protests that followed Iran's controversial presidential elections quickly sees two similarities.

First of all, both demonstration movements involved thousands of young men and women who wanted to show their displeasure with undemocratic regimes. Secondly, social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Youtube played a key role in mobilizing the process.

Similarities and differences

Because of these similarities, the ongoing upheaval in the Arab world is often compared with the protests of the Green Movement in Iran. Yet there are also clear differences between the two, says Fahrad, a young Iranian publicist who only gave his first name.

"Joblessness and displeasure with the regime played a larger part in the unrest in other Arab countires than it did in Iran. The Arabs wanted to bring about a regime change, while in Iran, it was about the presidential elections, and about a change of power within the government," Fahrad said. "Iranians were complaining about election results. You can't compare it with the other Arab uprisings."

Moreover, in Tunisia and Egypt, the Internet and social networks helped topple dictators, whereas in Iran, youths were unable to bring about any change in the political system. Today, the Green Movement has all but disappeared from the public eye, and its leaders, Mirhossein Mussawi and Mehdi Karrubi, are under house arrest.

Anna, a student from Iran, sees a connection between the missteps of the Green Movement and the country's economic situation.

"The economy has put Iranians under so much pressure that they hardly have time to think about political change. Food prices have gone up massively, and many people are afraid to lose their job if they are openly politically active."

Iran's brutal security forces

And in Iran, the brutal reaction of security forces and militias to the post-election demonstrations helped suppress the protests, the 25-year-old student noted. In comparison to the milder force exercised by security forces in Arab countries, Iran's paramilitary volunteer militia Basij were brutal, and in this way, they were able to put down the uprising.

"Iranian youth is scared to take to the streets because of this," Anna said. And she added that with Iran's so-called Morality Police, back in action since June of this year, people have become even more careful.

The Morality Police is a force that tracks down women and men who fail to uphold the regime's dress code.

"In Iran, we have more important things to deal with at the moment than to be active in the Green Movement. We have to watch out for what we wear. If I show too much hair, or wear a tight coat or too-short pants, I either get a fine or could even get picked up by the Morality Police," she lamented.

Influence on the Middle East?

Yet in spite of all the clear differences, some say Iran's Green Movement did indeed influence other developments in the Middle East.

Ehsan, a 27 year old journalist, noted that "in a region where there are still undemocratic regimes in the 21st century, it is easy to imagine that people learned from one another through these democracy movements."

"There is a very high number of educated youth in these countries - but also joblessness," he said. "If the youth see that a movement is successful in one country, then they are also motivated to make it come true in their own countries."

Author: Kavah Bahrami (jen)
Editor: Rob Mudge