A Clerical Mutiny and an Angry Letter

This is a few days old but worthy of attention. The (London) Times reports of a "clerical mutiny" in Iran, with the Association of Researchers and Teachers of Qom, the country's "biggest group of clerics," declaring the recent election a sham and offering a stern condemnation of the violence that greeted opposition protests. The New York Times offered a similar report on Sunday, but today amended the story with the following correction: "[The Association of Researchers and Teachers of Qom's] influence is a matter of debate; the association is not necessarily 'the most important group.'"

But two experts quoted by the Brit Times argue that, while perhaps not the most important clerical group in the country, the statement is important:

"It's a clerical mutiny," said one Iranian analyst. "This is the first time ever you have all these big clerics openly challenging the leader's decision." Another, in Tehran, said: "We are seeing the birth of a new political front." 

Professor Ali Ansari, head of Iranian Studies at St Andrews University, said: "It's highly significant. It shows this is nowhere near resolved."

Meanwhile, Jake Tapper reports that G-8 leaders have opted against sanctioning the Iranian regime and instead will issue a statement "reflecting growing impatience" with Tehran, thus offering a perfect excuse to post this video: