Poor Freedom! Even as a Street Name It’s in Danger

A sociologist, in response to the renaming of Freedom Boulevard, said: Poor freedom! Even as a street name it is in danger.

In recent days, the naming commission of Shiraz City Council changed the section between Freedom Square and Imam Qae’m Square to the name “Quds,” which not only sparked controversy but also generated widespread reactions.

Shiraz residents, in response to this name change, stated that their memories were lost with the renaming of Freedom Boulevard. Some also, while pointing out that the name “Quds” could have been placed on one of the city’s new projects, declared: changing the name of Freedom Boulevard is a sign of the council’s weakness and poor decision-making.

Social media users also showed reactions in this regard. In response to this name change, they wrote: “We were supposed to liberate Quds, instead we changed Freedom to Quds!” and “If only instead of this budget spent on naming the Quds Boulevard instead of Freedom, you had lit the Falak gas flame to help attract tourists.”

Continuing these reactions, a sociologist, while expressing regret over this name change, said: “Poor freedom! Even as a street name it is in danger.” This sociologist’s remarks were an allusion to the “Woman, Life, Freedom” revolution, marking one year since its inception, and the word that has become the slogan of the Iranian people, shaking the system and its agents to such an extent that they even fear the names of Freedom Boulevard, Square, and Street.

Ali Akbari, the tenth parliamentary representative from Shiraz, also in response to this name change, said: “The philosophy behind changing Freedom Boulevard to Quds Boulevard is unclear. The name ‘Quds’ could have been placed on one of the new squares or streets.” He also, while noting that changing the names of some streets is not appropriate, continued: “It is unlikely that changing Freedom Boulevard to Quds Boulevard can convince public opinion. People of Shiraz still call streets by their previous names even after many years, such as Mossadegh Circle; how is it possible that after 40 years when the name ‘Freedom’ has been institutionalized on this boulevard in the public mind, it can be changed to ‘Quds’? These name changes don’t actually change anything.”

Alireza Pakfatr also wrote on this matter: “The name Freedom Boulevard was not a tyrannical name for it to be changed. The name Freedom has always been at the forefront of the slogans of the Islamic Republic and the Revolution, and changing this name is a mistake.”

Disagreements and opposition among the system’s officials indicate that the Islamic Republic system is approaching overthrow and collapse.