IRANIANS: HELP!

info from Iran - way to help

You can get the latest news from Iran by following the instructions below. Perhaps more importantly you can help those involved in the struggle by creating a cover for their Twitter accounts. If thousands of people sign on as instructed below it makes it more difficult for the Iranian authorities to identify protesters who are using Twitter accounts.

Please open a Twitter account (just in case you already don't have one) and change your account's time zone to GMT +3:30 and your Location to Tehran, Iran. This will create a large number of"dummy" accounts from Tehran and makes it much more difficult for security forces to trace and find those brave young students who are twitting from Iran.

Here are the instructions on how to help:

1- Open an account on Twitter .Go to https://twitter.com/signup

2- Once your account is set up , click on" setting"(right top corner of the screen)

3- Select GMT +3:30 ( Tehran ) under time zone drop down.

4- Type “Tehran, Iran “in location text box.

Kindly forward this directive to all your e-mail recipients and THANKS in advance for your assistance.

Frauke John and Sabrina Schmitt, Iran: Six Options to support the Green Flames of Freedom

New free elections monitored by the United Nations

In light of the current discrepancies of the presidential election we need a free election monitored and supported by the United Nations. Similar to the Senegalese people who demanded their vote to be redone in 2000, the Iranian people, such as Bekhir Mullahaba, 53, campaign for free elections that are monitored by an independent institution such as the National Election Observatory. The lawyer based in London wants the"presidential elections in Iran to be redone" and demands that"this time the Presidential Elections in Iran are monitored by an independent UN official".

More Involvement of the Arab League and other regional players

Although the League of Arab States is a major player in the greater Middle East, even beyond the core of Arab nations, they have stayed surprisingly mum about the situation in Iran. As a representative committee of neighboring states they have to be included in any future strategies and the implementation of doable projects in Iran. The same applies for other key geopolitical actors with clout in Iran - including the GCC and SAARC. Alda, 35, an Iranian teacher living in the US, voices her desire to get the Arab League involved on her Twitter Blog, where she calls for an alliance of the"EU, US, Russia, China and Arabic League" that works together to"issue an ultimatum to Iran's government".

A new UN Security Council Resolution

A UN resolution condemning Iran's violence and considering economical and military sanctions is critically needed to support the democratic movement in Iran and to demonstrate the unity of the international community. As many exiled Iranians, like Muhad Jaman, fear that"Russia and China would veto any resolutions against Iran" it is highly important that any resolutions are ratified and supported by all members including China and Russia of the UN Security Council in order to make it an effective and credible strategy to solve the Iranian crisis, and to show that criticism of the Iranian government's violent response is not confined to the West.

Active Involvement of the White House, Russia and EU

The White House, Russia and the European Union should overcome their strategic reluctance in the Iranian matter and proactively seek doable solutions for the region. Especially Russia, which has held strong economic ties to Iran since 1990, has a responsibility and possibility to act as a mediator between the United Nations and the Iranian government. Although any sort of international activism might be labelled as a threat to Iran's sovereignty and instrumentalised by the Mullah regime to demonize the Western world, the international community has to take on responsibility for the Iranian people. Minu Barati, while being aware of the tense relationship between the Western world and Iran, still believes in the combination forces that"might add up to something."

"In light of the current discrepancies of the presidential election we need a free election monitored and supported by the United Nations. Similar to the Senegalese people who demanded their vote to be redone in 2000, the Iranian people, such as Bekhir Mullahaba, campaign for free elections that are monitored by an independent institution such as the National Election Observatory. The lawyer based in London wants the"presidential elections in Iran to be redone" and demands that"this time the Presidential Elections in Iran are monitored by an independent UN official".

Provide Humanitarian Aid to the Iranian people

Italy's Prime Minister Berlusconi's initiative to provide humanitarian aid to the Iranian people should be taken to the top of the political agenda. Especially the European Union, as a powerful player in the international community, should provide humanitarian help as"money, doctors and police forces are desperately needed" as the19-year old student Zohre reports on CNN from the streets of Tehran.

Military options as Ultima ratio

If Iran continues to violate human rights by shooting protesters, censoring freedom of speech and imprisoning political dissidents, military options can be considered as an absolute last option in order to stabilize the situation. A long-term military intervention is not advisable or desirable, however, as this would significantly destabilize the whole Middle Eastern region and could be understood as a western effort to colonize the Islamic world.