The series of protest and publicity activities by the Resistance were undertaken on this occasion in 62 cities, including Tehran, Isfahan, Mashad, Tabriz, Ahwaz, Shiraz, Rasht, Zanjan, Hamedan, Arak, Zahedan, Khorramabad, Ardebil, Bushehr, Yazd, Abadan, Bandar Abbas, Babol, Amol, Zabol, Karaj, Kashan, Qa'emshahr and Qazvin.
Among other things, the resistance's forces organized sporadic demonstrations, protest gatherings and activities, fomenting popular protests, as well as strikes and protests by workers, students and academics. They also posted hundreds of large placards carrying portraits of Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the Iranian Resistance's President-elect, in busy areas of the cities. They also distributed hundreds of thousands of placards and brochures in different cities and regions of the country in support of the National Council of Resistance and the National Liberation Army of Iran.
Terrified of these activities, during the entire month of June, Khomeini's faltering regime put its suppressive forces on alert, ordered them to engage in patrols and control all travels. It also repeatedly issued special directives to confront public's protest actions and the publicity campaign by the Resistance's forces.
To prevent the public from watching the satellite transmissions of the Resistance, and especially Mrs. Rajavi's June 21 speech at London's Earls Court, the clerical regime ordered all state security forces in different regions and stations of the greater Tehran and other cities to "report to the headquarters any sighting of satellites on the rooftops so that proper actions could be undertaken." Subsequently, the Guards Corps raided at least 1,000 homes to remove satellite dishes.
On June 19, all security posts in the western borders were ordered by Tehran to "set up ambushes in all passes that are susceptible to penetration, ensure that all light and heavy caliber weapons and their crew are ready for action and that all personnel are prepared with full gear to confront and suppress any movements..."
During the entire month of June, the control of the main thoroughfares, arrests of youths on various pretexts, check points in squares and intersections, and mobile and foot patrols were markedly increased in different cities, including Tehran, Qazvin, Arak, Tabriz, Maragheh, Meshkin-shahr, Makou, Kashan, Ahwaz, Shoush, Zahedan, Rasht, Hashtpar, Zanjan, Bushehr, Hamedan, Khorramabad, Saravan and Neyshabour. The rise in the number of public hangings and the regime's acknowledgment that 10,000 had been arrested on "drug-related offenses," were entirely designed to create an atmosphere of intimidation and fear.
But, despite all these suppressive efforts, the successful campaign to honor June 20 across the country demonstrated that, on its 15th anniversary, the Iranian people's Resistance is at the height of its prowess and that, submerged in irremediable political, economic and social crises, the desperate clerical regime is on its last legs.
Press Office of the People's Mojahedin of Iran - Paris
July 2, 1996
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