Resist reacting to tanks, bullets and shells. We must not pick up rocks. The path to justice, freedom, democracy and human rights requires flowers not blood.

As long as Iran’s internal opposition continues to agitate, there is less of a likelihood of a military strike. But if, by 2011, the opposition movement has faded, and Iran is defiantly moving forward — toward a weapons capability — the likelihood of such a strike goes up significantly.

– SPIEGEL ONLINE.

“The media will tell us much about Iran’s supposed military and nuclear capabilities in the coming weeks and months, if ultimatums and deadlines continue. But for Iran and its neighbors, and the entire region, the far more momentous question is the following: can this rigid authoritarian system reform itself? For more than one country, Iran’s domestic reverberations and their endgame are far more worrying than its nuclear chess game.”

via Beirut’s  The Daily Star.

The state controlled media presnts the parade commemorating the 31st anniversary of the Iranian revolution as a walk of unity with a “final” message for the opposition. But with Persian2English reporting plainclothes police targetting anti-government demonstrators with paintballs, the government’s posture is aggressive and defensive.

For the incumbent powers, the  problem is where to crack down?  The political fissures go right tot the top.

Meanwhile in Israel, a common view is that attacking Iran is less risky than letting it obtain nuclear weapons. From this perspective,  the Iran’s democratic movement  isn’t a factor. Its an IDF target too.

SPIEGEL: Has the protest movement distanced itself from its leaders?

Karroubi: Mousavi and I have served the people in a number of positions of responsibility. As a result we have a certain amount of influence. But Mousavi does not have an organization behind him. I have a political party, but its work is restricted. The protest is a popular movement that is comprised of people from a wide variety of social classes and which acts independently …

SPIEGEL: … and which is now calling the entire system into question.

Karroubi: The Iranian people have a well-developed political consciousness. I place my trust in reason and people’s experience.

Full Text from Enduring America.

Ebadi says it’s nonsense to think this was ever merely about a small group of educated elites in northern Tehran. The democracy movement in other cities is active and growing, she says. By all accounts, fissures are beginning to emerge in the ruling class. There are signs that the secular and religious opposition have begun to cooperate. If this continues, it would be a dramatic development.

Amid reports of clashes between police and anti-government demonstrators as the country celebrates the taking of the U.S. Embassy hostages 30 years ago, this video shows the faces of the country’s reform movement.