Yesterday Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said "The Iranian nation, with its unity and God's grace, will punch the arrogance [Western powers] on the 22nd of Bahman [Feb. 11] in a way that will leave them stunned," (source) Today, despite the objections of the US and its allies, Iran began enriching uranium to a higher level bringing the Islamic republic closer to having nuclear weapons. (source)

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Meanwhile in the country Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says should be "wiped off the face of the earth", Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for immediate and crippling sanctions against Iran saying, "Iran is rushing forward to produce nuclear weapons...I believe that what is required right now is tough action by the international community. This means crippling sanctions and these sanctions must be applied right now." (source)

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates seems to agree saying through a spokesman that he wants to see the United Nations slap sanctions on Iran in "weeks not months." Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell told reporters today that Gates "clearly thinks time is of the essence" and that Gates believes a UN resolution would lay the legal groundwork countries need to impose sanctions independently and pressure Iran to abandon its nuclear program. (source)

The timing of Iran's defiance is, not coincidentally, coinciding with the anniversary of the Islamic revolution which occurred 31 years ago this week. But in addition to the supreme leader's promised "punch" and the increase in uranium enrichment levels, February 11 (also known as Revolution Day) will bring more anti-government rallies called for by opposition leaders Mirhossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi. (source) In spite of their government's violent treatment of protesters since the fraudulent re-election of President Ahmadinejad last summer, courageous Iranian citizens keep taking to the streets to show the ruling Mullahs, their puppet president and the rest of the world that they are willing to risk everything for freedom.

With outside and inside pressure building on the Mullahs, could the perfect storm that cleanses the country of its oppressive regime be coming soon?