Iran is blocking news from leaking out about the current student unrests and bloody riots on University campuses throughout the country. This however is no excuse for the Western media, who have shamefully ignored the tens if thousands of Iranians protesting against the regime. We should take note:

Iranian security forces fired live bullets, and shots were fired at homes outside the university. One of the students told Rooz: "The university campus is on fire, raids are being conducted throughout the campus, and the students are in fear and anxiety... Gunfire is heard from all directions... There is blood everywhere". The university's telephone lines were reported to have been cut.

Iran Press Service (IPS) reports, that "the new wave of students unrests started a month ago when, on the proposal of Mr. Ahmadi Nezhad [our Thug-In-Chief of course], the government decided to burry remains of “martyrs” of the Iraq-Iran War in the campuses of universities across the nation."

The "enemy", for the Iranian ruling officials is, besides the "Great American Satan" the dynamic, active, prosperous Iranian Diaspora with which Mr. Ahmadi Nezhad, on advises [sic] from the leader, is trying to cut all links.

This isn't just a small band of unruly students. As soon as you are talking about 75% of the entire student body participating in the protests, you have some credible momentum.

Independent sources on the scene said 3,000 of the 4,000 students attending the main campus, and another 2,000 from the law and political science campus were taking part in the protests.

Not surprising, is the Mullahs' attempt to blame the unrest "on trouble-makers disguised as students; [...] the ultra-conservative daily “Kayhan”, a mouthpiece of Ayatollah Khameneh’i, called the student leaders "representatives of the American Congress in Tehran University" and said that the “rioters” had come from outside the university"; [...] "foreign agents" and “professional trouble-makers getting orders from the enemies”.

Is it premature to hope for a realistic chance for a peaceful regime change from within Iran? Does it matter that the Mullahs refuse to "accept the fact that the regime is unpopular and the rulers discredited"? Let us hope they stand a chance of at least shaking the mothballs off this crazy regime, hell bent on destruction, endangering the security of the population and the integrity of the nation, on a collision course with the West in the name of Islam.

Our darling of the Blogosphere, the talented Gateway Pundit has been all over this story for some time, putting the MSM to shame, and has a brilliant round up here, here and here.

Amir Taheri is also worth a read on why parts of Iran are beyond Ahmadinejad's reach.

News just in:

The United States will join European leaders in their talks with Iran on its nuclear program if Iran stops enriching uranium.

"To underscore our commitment to a diplomatic solution and to enhance prospects for success, as soon as Iran fully and verifiably suspends its enrichment and reprocessing activities, the United States will come to the table," the secretary said in remarks delivered at the State Department.

Ed Morrissey is live blogging:

This really doesn't change much except for an American offer to join direct, multilateral talks based on a condition that the Iranians have already said they won't meet. It does provide an effective response to Ahmadinejad's latest PR campaign and puts the onus back on Teheran for progress. I suspect that was the entire purpose of this statement.

Obviously imposing conditions is appropriate, although it seems rather superfluous, as they have absolutely no intention of stopping the uranium enrichment. I guess some sort of communication is necessary, if for no other reason but to show that at least we are prepared to try. "Meanwhile, Iran is preparing for our invasion." and "For the military option to remain viable, the U.S. must exhaust all diplomatic options and this seems like a logical extension of that."

The diplomatic offer is already rejected by Iran, declaring it "propaganda", quelle surprise.... The "containment strategy has clearly been shifted", but the answer clearly lies in our support for Chapter VII:

U.S. engagement and pursuing a Chapter VII resolution by securing guarantees from Russia and China is not a choice between mutually exclusive routes; they must compliment one another. Regardless of the acceptance or rejection of the preconditions, U.S. willingness to join the EU-3 dialogue accompanied by a package of incentives to be finalized in the coming days, warrants the support of Moscow and Beijing. If unanimous P-5 support for a Chapter VII resolution is secured as a result of this move, then it deserves our support.

Are we playing the end game? Whilst I may believe that we are out of time, Josh is convinced we are already too late.

My friend, Reza Pahlavi II, the eldest son of the late Shah of Iran, goes on the offense. The power struggle continues.