Iran: The Opposition Resurgent?

The violence which has wracked Iran in recent weeks has focused the spotlight on Iran's opposition groups. Major demonstrations in Qazvin in early August followed bombings of religious sites in June. These events, combined with the Islamic Republic's worsening economic situation, put in question the long term stability of the regime. The opposition movement, the National Council of Resistance (NCR) claims that it is ready to mount the final military offensive that will topple a crumbling system. Other observers are less apocalyptic in their assessments but they acknowledge that Rafsanjani's "moderate" course is running out of steam.