Editing 1999 Iranian student protests (section)

=== Press and the July 1999 protest ===
In Iran, there has been a history of ideological and governmental conflicts that are revealed in the sphere of politics. Since the election of Khatami, this issue where belief and government come into contact has become more and more apparent. The internal struggle and basic factional disputes within the state are reflected by the management of the press in general and the control of those publications that spoke on behalf of the controlled sects within the government.

The student protest of July 1999 occurred as a result of these restrictions of freedom of the press. Prior to the protest, the publisher of the Daily Saleem was "arrested, put on trial, and convicted for printing" false information. In the Daily Saleem, communication between Saeed Emami, former Deputy Minister of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic to his boss, Intelligence Ministry Chief [[Ghorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi|Qorban-Ali Dorri-Najafabadi]] was revealed to the public. The Daily Saleem published information about governmental plans to further restrict and control freedom of the press.

In response to the closure of the newspaper, hundreds of students from Tehran University participated in a demonstration on 8 July. This demonstration has been deemed to be peaceful. The day following the demonstration, security forces, including the police and the Ansar-e-Hezbollah, invaded student dormitories and resulted in injuries, arrest and extensive damages to the student dormitories. On July 9, 1999, the students of [[Tabriz University]] protested, demanding more freedom and continuing the protests started at Tehran University.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dana.ir/news/111770.html/%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B2%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%84%D9%87-20%D8%AA%DB%8C%D8%B1-78-%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%B4%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%87-%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%B2|title=بازخوانی غائله 20تیر 78 دانشگاه تبریز|website=[[dana.ir]]|language=fa}}</ref> Following the invasion of student dormitories, intense pro-democracy demonstrations took place on 12 and 13 July. In response to the pro-democratic protest, Ali Khamenei and his conservative supporters organized a counter-demonstration rally which occurred on 14 July. Consequently, it is estimated that over 1,500 student protesters were arrested. Some scholars recognize the regime's "overreaction to both its own reform counterparts and the opposition forces reveal[s], how weak and insecure the ruling conservatives are". The reasoning behind this idea is that if the government was confident in its laws and policies, it would not demonstrate fear. In the ''Journal of Iranian Research and Analysis'', Cyrus Bina indicates that fear is demonstrated when:

<blockquote>two dozen high-ranking Pasdar commanders present President Khatarni an official letter of ultimatum, telling him that they have no choice except to seize power if he fails to crush the student rebellion soon … commanders, who are under direct authority of Khamenei, threatened the President that their patience is running thin and that they can no longer stand on the sideline.</blockquote>

The fact that the clerics and judicial sector felt the urgency to immediately stop the student protests is an indication of the fear they had and the amount of influence the protestors could have on Iranian society if their voices were not silenced. Therefore, it is clear that the initial student protest was prompted by the closure of the daily Saleem which occurred on 7 July. The protesters expressed strong objection to the restriction on freedom of the press by the judicial sector. The protest reflects the collective resentment of the public against the suppression of the press and the restriction of basic freedoms and universal rights.
After the attack on the students of Tehran University by a hard-line vigilante group, Khatami delivered a speech three months later defending his reform program and insisting on the foundations of his government. He referred to the reformation of the system from within with holding two elements of Islamic and republic.<ref>{{cite book|author=Anoushiravan Enteshami & Mahjoob Zweiri|title=Iran and the rise of Neoconsevatives, the politics of Tehran's silent Revolution|year=2007|page=10|publisher=I.B.Tauris}}</ref>