Report from Ahmadabad - March 8, 2004

On March 14, 2004, there was a lively atmosphere in Ahmadabad. A group of students from Tehran University had been trying to reach Ahmadabad, Qazvin, and the home of the late Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh despite all obstacles in their way. Even a new wave of summons and detentions did not prevent them from renewing their commitment to Dr. Mossadegh's ideals. From the very beginning of the ceremony, we witnessed the presence of security forces with cameras filming the guests and students present. These individuals claimed that the attendees intended to act against national security and took photos of all guests, engaging in verbal disputes with some protesters. It is noteworthy that the speeches by selected members of the National Front and the Iranian Nation Party began around 10:30 AM and referenced parts of Dr. Mossadegh's biography, his role in the nationalization of the oil industry, and his freedom-seeking goals. As the ceremony progressed, the crowd at Ahmadabad Garden increased moment by moment, so that by around 12:00 PM, security forces were unable to inspect and search all newcomers. After the speeches, the students and young attendees sang the national anthem (Ey Iran) and (Yar-e Dabestani), which drew the attention of all present. By around 12:30 PM, people gradually began to leave the Ahmadabad Garden and head towards the buses. In the margins of the ceremony: 1- Reports indicate that after the ceremony, several attendees (who were not identifiable) were arrested. Among those arrested was the driver of a bus that had transported some Tehran University students to Ahmadabad Garden, who was detained for unknown reasons during his return, and his bus was confiscated for several hours. 2- A very small number of unidentified individuals shouted slogans after the ceremony, which were ignored by the attendees. 3- Notable individuals present included Mr. Hossein Shah Hosseini, Mahmoud Mossadegh, Ebrahim Yazdi, Alireza Rajai, Dr. Bahmanesh, Dr. Saei, Khosrow Seif, Dr. Mohammad Maleki, Peyman Aref, Hojjat Sharifi, Mojtaba Najafi, Habib Yekta, Peyman Piran, and others. 4- At the beginning and end of the ceremony, guests were served refreshments, and flyers were distributed among them, in which the trustees of Ahmadabad Castle urged the public to take care of the garden.