New York Persian Parade 2011

31 March 2010...

Potkin has a powerful clip showing the strengthening societal consciousness within islamist-occupied Iran (two girls are attacked by one of the regime's islamist guards and tens of bystanders intervene and chase the regime thug away). The regime's stronghold on society through fear and repression is slowly crumbling through the show of force and courage of ordinary people.

Also a "pic of the day" (NYPD officers holds the Iranian flag during the annual New York Persian Parade):

Lady Liberty meets Derafsh Kaviani

On Monday 15 Oct 2007 Lady Liberty in New York City met a similar Iranian symbol, the Derafshe Kaviani, or Royal Standard of the Sassanid Emperors. The Kaviani Standard is a symbolic representation for Iranian independence and resistance against foreign tyranny.

The story behind the Kaviani Standard has its roots in Iranian mythology and ancient history:

The name Derafš-e Kāvīān (Modern Persian: Derafš Kāvīāni درفش كاويانى) means "the standard of the kay(s)" (i.e., kavis "kings") or "of Kāva."^[1] The latter meaning is an identification with an Iranian legend in which the Derafš-e Kāvīān was the standard of a mythological blacksmith-turned-hero named Kāva (Modern Persian: Kāveh), who led a popular uprising against the foreign demon-like ruler Dahāg (Modern Persian: Zahhāk). Recalling the Sassanid-era legend, the 10th century epic Shāhnāma recasts Zahhak as an evil and tyrannical Arab, against whom Kāveh called the people to arms, using the blacksmith's leather apron on a spear as a standard. In the story, after the war that called for the kingship of Fereydun (Middle Persian: Frēdōn) had been won, the people decorated the apron with jewels and the flag became the symbol of Iranian independence and resistance towards foreign tyranny.

By the late Sassanid era (224-651), a real Derafš-e Kāvīān had emerged as the standard of the Sassanid dynasts. It was thus also representative of the Sassanid state - Ērānshāhr, the "Kingdom of Iran" - and may so be considered to have been the first "national flag" of Iran. The banner consisted of a star (the akotar) on a purple field, was encrusted with jewels and had trailing red, gold and purple streamers on its edges. The term akotar was significant since the star also represented "fortune", and the capture and destruction of the banner on a field of battle implied the loss of the battle (and hence the loss of fortune).^[2] Following the defeat of the Sassanids at the Battle of al-Qādisiyyah, the Sassanid standard was recovered by one Zerar bin Kattab,^[1] who received 30,000 dinars for it. After the jewels were removed the caliph Omar is said to have burned the standard.^[1]

It's with this in mind that the Assembly of Iranian Cultural Renaissance launched a symbolic operation of flying this ancient Iranian banner over the Statue of Liberty and the UN Headquarters, as it represents the Iranian nation's struggle for independence and resistance against foreign tyranny - in this case the terrorist Islamic Republic which has occupied Iran for 28 years and oppressed its people with the foreign and anti-Iranian ideology of Islam.

The press release for this event read:

The Statue of Liberty in New York will on Monday October 15, 2007, proudly look on as Iran’s ancient flag of Kings, Derafshe Kaviani, flies overhead to signal the revolt of Iranians of every country, language, and religion against Iran’s repressive Islamist regime of Mullahs. The 25 x 25 foot Derafshe Kaviani will fly along Long Island, over the United Nations, and circle New York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty. The flight is timed to coincide with the ancient Iranian festival of Mehregan, the fall festival that also celebrates an ancient victory over oppression at which this flag was unfurled.

The flag of the Kings, Derafshe Kaviani remains an important motif in Iranian art and culture, although its meaning has been repressed by the current regime. We raise this flag now to call on Iranians to renew their pride in their ancient culture and to rise once more, as their ancestors rose against legendary demons and conquerors, to establish an Iranian nation that is truly free.
Derafshe Kaviani was first raised, according to legend, against the Satanic, evil dragon demon Zahak. In Iran’s national epic, Shahnameh Ferdowsi, the demon has become an oppressive Arab ruler. Kaveh Ahangar, the legendary blacksmith rallied the people against him, using his spear and leather apron to remake the ancient flag and lead the people to victory.

Assembly of Iranian Cultural Renaissance

• For more photos click HERE.
• See clip of the news report put on youtube HERE.
• The persian version of this press release can be downloaded HERE.
• A local newspaper "Staten Island Advance" reported on this event HERE.
• To view the website of the "Assembly of Iranian Cultural Renaissance" click HERE.

The Kaviani Standard has been unveiled in many symbolic acts of protests in past years - here's one where it was unfurled on top of the Arc de Triumph in Paris - click HERE. Similar actions have taken place outside the EU Parliament in Brussels and the International Criminal Court in the Hague and elsewhere across the world.

A comment by an Iranian regarding this event:

Derafshe Kaviani is our flag. It was the flag our Persian army, our pride and our identity. Those behind this beautiful act are real Iranians, real sons of Cyrus, Darius, Yazdgerd and Nikbanou, Irandokht. Our Persian ancestors were the envy of others, for their sofistication, culture and love. I'm proud of being their descendant. However, my country Iran was invaded by the dirtiest and lowest of the low, the Arabs. Who literally raped and destroyed our beautiful culture. I'm against their descendants in Iran, not elsewhere. Against their diffrent ramifications, Seyyeds, Hezbolahi, akhoond and many others who 'by default' hate Persians and hate our pre-islamic heritage. That's why some of you hate Drafshe Kaviani, hate our real calendar, hate our Persian and Iranians customs and culture. You descendants of the arab muhamad, ali the killer, hussain the jackass, you descendants of the lizard eaters of desert grab your crap and leave Iran, 'before' its our turn to take action.

Get this staright: Islam doesn't belong to Iran, your damn reza, hasan and hussain and fatemeh, belong to arab lands. Iran belongs to real Iranians, not the low-class garbage descendants of Arabs and Moghols. Iran belongs to: Ferdowsi, Babak Khorramdin, Yazdgerd, Sanbad, Nikbanou, Khosro, Cyrus, Xerxes, Pirooz, Rostam Farrokhzad, and to all other real Iranians.

You don't belong to Iran. We'll kick you OUT of our dear Iran. Damn Arabzadegane maflook.

Long live Derafshe Kaviani

Long live Iran

Boycott the terrorist AhmadiNejad's speech at Columbia University!

Boycott Ahmadinejad

September 21, 2007
The Weekly Standard
William Kristol

Let the Iranian president (and the Columbia president) speak to a sea of empty seats.

A Columbia student asked how he could effectively protest his university's invitation to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak Monday. My first response was to suggest petitions, e-mails to President Bollinger and the university trustees, letters to the student paper, peaceful protest, and the like. All these are fine. But then I had a second thought. There might be one form of protest that would be effective both in showing appropriate disgust for the Iranian regime, and in shaming the Columbia administration: A total student boycott of Ahmadinejad's speech. Let the Iranian president (and the Columbia president) look out on, and speak to, a sea of empty seats on Monday.

The rationale for a student boycott is simple: The Iranian government is directly involved in killing and wounding American soldiers in Iraq. As a gesture of elementary solidarity with those serving our nation in the military--young men and women, many of them their exact contemporaries--Columbia students should refuse to dignify Ahmadinejad's talk by attending it. Needless to say, Columbia faculty and administrators shouldn't attend either. Some of them will. But this is a chance for the 9/11 generation to show a decency and a sense of honor that some of their elders lack. After all, this is not primarily about Ahmadinejad. Dealing with his regime is mostly a task for our government. This is about us. Columbia students have a chance to shame their elders, redeem the good name of their institution, and make many Americans proud. I urge them to take it.

President "AN" has arrived in New York!

Iran’s Ahmadinejad arrives in New York

Tue. 19 Sep 2006

Iran Focus London, Sep. 19 – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has arrived in New York where he will address the United Nations general assembly later in the day. His plane touched down late Monday night in New York, and he was received by members of Iran’s UN delegation. Iranian exiles are planning to hold a rally outside the UN headquarters to protest Ahmadinejad’s presence at the world body. END POST