The Green Movement and the Ordeal of Democracy

Abstract

This chapter is a review of the Green Movement of 2009, which was a response to the increasing role of the Islamic Republic Guards Corp in Iranian politics. It introduces the context, discourse and strategies selected to challenge the Islamist government after the fraudulent presidential election of June 12, 2009. The leadership, organization, media and social forces involved are discussed. June 12, 2009 was a turning point in Iranian politics. When the hope for change was transformed to despair, the educated class who was the force behind the reformist movement was divided into three groups: people who thought that reform is no longer possible and left the country, people who realized that their expectations were too high and lowered the bar, and people who changed their camp and kneeled in front of the Guardian Jurist.