A FUNERAL IN IRAN - AT 9:10 A.M. ET:  Major demonstrations in Iran, following the death of dissident Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, who opposed the hard liners and advocated greater political freedom and rights for women. 

Some experts on Iran are predicting that the regime could actually be overthrown by popular action in 2010.  Today's demonstrations have got to frighten the boys in the Tehran government offices.  From The New York Times:

One Iranian Web site, Jaras, said that hundreds of thousands of people had come to Qum for the funeral, according to Reuters. The report could not be independently confirmed because foreign journalists have been barred from traveling to the holy city of Qum.

Iranian opposition Web sites said there had been clashes outside Mr. Montazeri’s home between security forces and mourners, who threw stones, The Associated Press reported. Another report said members of the Basij militia had torn down funeral banners at Mr. Montazeri’s home. The Iranian authorities had been bracing for a showdown: there were reports on Sunday of riot police gathering there, and Iranian news sites said the government was planning to close the main highway between Tehran and Qum.

And from the indispensable new website, Planet Iran, which is live-blogging events in Iran:

Buses filled with mourners heading to Qom have been blocked and returned. People have begun to chant: “This month is the month of blood, Yazid is going to be overthrown“, “Compassionate Montazeri, your path will continue, even if the dictator rains bullets on us“, “Honorable spiritual man, felicitations on your liberation“, “Death to the Dictator“….and the green slogans continue.

Not only has Ahmadinejad not sent a message of condolences to the Montazeri family but Sadegh Larijani, the head of the judiciary, Ali Larijani, the head of the Majles (Islamic parliament) and members of the Majles have also refrained from conveying their sympathies to Montazeris.

We have not yet recorded any reaction by the Obama administration to the huge outpouring of support for human rights. 

I guess our new messiah isn't too high on freedom.

December 21, 2009