Fear and loathing in Tehran

The Washingon Post reports that the Iranian regime is canceling some major Ramadan events due to fears that protests will erupt. Other events are being scaled back.

One of the events that will not take place is a celebration at the mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini.

This is an annual event organized by the "founding father's" grandson who himself is a supporter of unsuccessful presidential candidate turned dissident, Mir Hossein Musavi.

Millions of Iranians were expected to attend. Moreover, although a speech by the current "supreme leader," Ayatollah Khamenei, marking the end of Ramadan will proceed, it will be given at a much smaller venue than was to be used originally.

I'm not an expert on Iran, but this certainly sounds like a fearful regime that has lost confidence in its legitimacy. The survival of such regimes is not particularly high.

One gathering that, as things now stand, will neither be cancelled nor scaled back is a September 18 officially sponsored demonstration against Israel. To this regime, apparently, religious celebrations are optional but Israel bashing is obligatory.

Mousavi and his fellow unsuccessful candidate Mehdi Karroubi are calling for Iranians to use the anti-Israel event as a vehicle for protests against the regime.

At this point, many Iranians undoubtedly believe they have more of a beef with their own tyrants than with Israel.

Source: Powerline