Next step in Iran: strikes?

Nico Pitney's running blog on happenings in Iran has a note about a statement made by the dissident cleric, Grand Ayatollah Montazeri. He is the one who last week said that no one in his right mind would believe the reported election results.

Now Montazeri is urging that, on Wednesday through Friday of this week, people mourn those who have died in the protest demonstrations. Pitney has been in touch with some Iranians, who told him that this is a covert way of asking people to strike.

That would be a significant development because it follows the pattern in the protests of 1979 that finally brought down the Shah's government and instituted the revolution. They also said that many more people would participate in strikes than risk going to street demonstrations.

Ralph