Mousavi's New Call to Action

Despite violent protests following the Iranian presidential election, former Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi has renewed a call to action. Mousavi, who lost the election in June to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, called for protesters to once again flood the streets during a religious festival there next week. "A vast... social movement has taken shape in the country and it has to make best use of these occasions and unveil its initiatives," Mousavi wrote on his Web site. Because the protests are likely to coincide with Ahmedinejad's official swearing-in ceremony on August 5, Iranians are bracing for new crackdowns. But the stakes are high, as it is estimated that 300 protestors are now being detained in connection with street protests. A 30-year-old demonstrator reportedly died on Monday from injuries he had sustained in prison.