Update: Iran Still Pissed About Election

Well, it looks like the rage of 1000 Suns in Iran over last month's election is still smoldering.  Top cleric Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani criticized the hard liners in the Iranian government and called for the release of those arrested in the aftermath of the election.  He also said that doubts over the election have been raised and those doubts need to be resolved in order for this issue to be settled.  Since the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei decreed that the election was valid, raising the spectre of doubts over the election is tantamount to challenging him.



Outside of the university where Rafsanjani gave his speech, opposition supporters gathered to protest anew and pro-government forces, the Basiji, launched tear gas at the crowd.  While the protests are no longer as massive as before, this showing demonstrates that there is still the outrage over the election and this issue is not just going to fade away. 

In addition to the conflict outside of the university, other opposition leaders were attacked before the speech.  Shadi Sadr, a women's rights activist, was beated by militiamen and then she was shoved into a car and driven off to an unknown location.  The more regime squeezes its fist in order to supress the more the opposition will solidify and gather more support from those who might have been apathetic towards their cause.  In a bizarre way, the brutal repression may bring about the end of the Iranian regime.