Iran's opposition leader flagrantly courted arrest today by labelling President Ahmadinejad's government "illegitimate" one day after the regime said it would tolerate no further challenges to the election result.
Mir Hossein Mousavi, a former prime minister, issued a brave and defiant statement on his website declaring: "It is our historical responsibility to continue our protests and not to abandon our efforts to preserve the nation's rights".
He said he planned to join a group of prominent Iranians with the goal of "halting security and military confrontation with the electorate, returning the country to a natural political atmosphere, reforming the election law to prevent vote-rigging, (and) securing freedom of holding rallies and freedom of press".
Since yesterday, when Iran's Guardian Council issued the results of a partial recount and ruled out any further challenges to Mr Ahmadinejad's hotly-disputed re-election, the regime's hardline supporters have been pressing for Mr Mousavi's arrest. One ayatollah, Ahmad Khatami, called him "anti-revolutionary and against the regime".
Today the Basij - the regime's volunteer militia - sent Iran's chief prosecutor a letter accusing him of nine offences including threatening national security. "Mr Mousavi in many areas supervised or assisted in punishable acts," it said.
Analysts believe the regime is hesitating to arrest Mr Mousavi only because that could bring millions of his supporters on to the streets again. He is believed to be living at home with his family in Tehran, but with security and intelligence agents watching his every move. They have arrested most of his inner circle and made it progressively harder for him to communicate with his followers.
A fellow member of Mr Mousavi's proposed group would almost certainly be Mehdi Karoubi, another defeated presidential candidate, who likewise defied the Guardian Council's edict by declaring the government illegitimate, demanding the release of the thousands arrested in the regime's post-election crackdown, and pledging to fight on.
"Visible and invisible forces blocked any change in the executive power," Mr Karoubi said. The regime responded by shutting down his newspaper.
With the security forces now brutally supressing any street demonstrations, the opposition is developing new methods of resistance. Mr Mousavi's statement suggests he is preparing to fight a protracted political battle against Mr Ahmadinejad and his patron, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader.
He still has powerful supporters including the former presidents Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mohammed Khatami, the parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani, the Mayor of Tehran Mohammed Baqer Qalibaf and several leading clerics.
Iran faces huge economic problems which could cost Mr Ahmadinejad a lot of support over the coming months. Mr Mousavi's followers are preparing a campaign of civil disobedience. They are talking of strikes, boycotting goods advertised in the state-controlled media, moving their money out of government-controlled banks, and giving money directly to the needy instead of government-controlled charities.
Analysts say the people's anger will grow, not dissipate, and could suddenly erupt at football matches, prayer meetings or anywhere else that large numbers of people gather. They say that the opposition will go underground and stage lightning demonstrations. They also agree that some elements will inevitably start launching violent attacks on government targets in a few months time.
