Local Iranian speaks about protests in tehran

Iranian leaders have praised Egypt's revolution, but Monday when protesters in Iran took to the streets the government cracked down hard.

One Kennewick man, Abbas Bigloo, has lived in the US for the last 32 years, says the people there do want to see change.  Bigloo was born in Tehran and his family lives there now.

"A lot of people want democracy and want change. Like we have here, they want to go wherever they want, and say whatever they want, be free to vote, they want to pick their own president," says Bigloo

Last week, the Iranian government rounded up activists after Karrubi and Moussavi called for supporters to gather at Azadi Square -- the site of mass protests by Iran's opposition movement after the disputed 2009 presidential elections.

Despite the security crackdown, tens of thousands of demonstrators marched in Tehran Monday. Patrolling security forces battled protesters with batons and tear gas for much of the day. The massive crowd was largely cleared from the city's streets by nightfall and the main squares near Tehran University remained free of police, security forces or protesters.

Bigloo says, as long as the protestors are peaceful, they should be allowed to demonstrate, and President Obama agreed.

He said he finds it "ironic" that the Iranian government would celebrate the popular uprising in Egypt that ousted President Hosni Mubarak, when its security forces gun down and beat people "trying to express themselves peacefully" in Tehran.

But Bigloo has high hopes for his native country.  "These days humans are very strong and powerful, educated. So it does make a difference if you get out there with thousands of people, they have to listen to you," he says.

KNDO-TV