[tome]

> The city I live in with population of 2 Million.They only managed to bring ~50,000

That's 2.5%. By contrast the biggest protest in British history (against the 2003 invasion of Iraq) was around 1m people, just shy of 2% of the country. I'm afraid I can't see Al Quds days as indicative of anything other than rabid and endemic anti-Israel, anti-American and anti-Western sentiment.

[0xFFC]

One Important thing I want you to look at : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Iranian_presidential_elec...

at 2009 june 15 , 4 Million people was at demonstration against regime ( I think it is more than 4 million , but mayor of Tehran (which is hardliner itself _ Mohmmad BagherGhalibaf) mentioned it one time). Bringing 4 Million for a protest , in unsecure situation, I think it shows how much people really want reform, and how small corrupted supporter fraction really is.

[tome]

That's a very good counterpoint, thanks.

[pstuart]

But how many of those 50,000 were paid or "persuaded" to participate?

[0xFFC]

Thats is fair question.Does not all of 50,000 get paid. some of them get. some of them really deceived and believe US is evil.(that's one of main point of my main comment,which by bombing we give them a real reason , Obama policy was effective ,I can see in my real life , Obama was far effective than any other US president could have done)

For that 50,000 you (as west) should show the true nature of Iran's regime without giving them real reason (what Obama have exactly done in recent years). And remember this point , If someone get paid by regime , he have family and close friend.by a simple math you can estimate number of paid people.(maybe 5000-10000)which is reasonable amount.

UPDATE : We are taking this wrong way , this is not about number , this is about money & corruption , and what's going on under the hood. I can assure you majority of participant just want regime money.They don't care about Israel and US.most of them don't care about Iran either.They just want money.

But yes . We all should admit , Iran have Shia version of Al Qaida.(mostly government keeping them in silence, but they are major threat and resistance against reform)

At the end : the only solution for Iran (at least from my point of view) is the following support "civil society" and make people stronger , Iranian himself can handle these small fraction.Facilitate Iranian and world communication.People in Iran really have wish to integrate to world economy.

[tome]

Your reports are very encouraging and give me some hope that this deal won't turn out as badly as the one with North Korea.

[tome]

That's a fair point. I know Iranian citizens feel far more friendly to the West than many in the Middle East, but "Death to America", "Death to Israel" spoken in parliament is still very disconcerting.

[addicted]

What do you think other countries would think of the US if they judged the entire country based on what Ted Cruz and Louis Gohmert are saying?

[tome]

They'd think of America as a far more moral country than Iran. None of the rhetoric of the most abhorrent US politician gets anywhere near that of the Iranian mullahs.