A Military State, Says Montazeri

Grand Ayotollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, the one-time chosen successor to Khomeini, has written an open letter claiming that the Islamic Republic is no longer a constitutional theocracy, but rather, a "military state." Although Montazeri has been continuously in and out of house arrest since his falling out with the late Supreme Leader in 1989, he still carries a great deal of clout, as he is seen as one of the most influential Islamic scholars and sources of emulation within Iran.

With the regime's increasingly rough handling of the country's top clerics, it seems inevitable that there will be a showdown between the clerical establishment and the Khamenei/Ahmadinejad/IRGC coup government. When this precipitous moment will come to a head remains to be seen, however, be it one week or one year.

Quds Day is three days away.