Iranian Student Watches His Country's Unrest From North Country

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Story Published: Jun 26, 2009 at 2:04 PM EDT

Story Updated: Jun 29, 2009 at 10:07 AM EDT

Clarkson University graduate student Behtash Tavakoli has mixed feelings about what he sees happening in his home country of Iran.

Massive demonstrations over a disputed June 12 presidential election has seen thousands take to the streets in protest of alleged voting irregularities.

But Tavakoli sees the strife in his homeland as not just about the presidential election, but what he views as a move towards democracy and a mandate for change in the Islamic Republic.
 
While the Clarkson campus is thousands of miles away from the unrest that is taking place in Iran, Tavakoli says he is excited by what he has learned about the demonstrations, which he feels are aimed at the entire Mahmoud Ahmadinejad regime.
 
Tavakoli says he is torn by not being able to be back in his homeland to witness what's happening first hand even though he admits it's a lot safer where he is on the Clarkson campus.

He also worries about his family back home during the ongoing political unrest.

Tavakoli predicts his country's move towards democracy will come one step at a time.
 

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