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Iranian dissidents organized their biggest demonstrations since the 2009 post-election uprising. Hundreds of thousands of people marched in major cities across the country challenging the rule of Mahmoud Ahmedinejad on Monday. Security forces and police in Tehran forcibly dispersed the largely peaceful gathering using paintball guns and tear gas shells. Two people were killed, including Sanee Zhaleh, apparently a member of the Iranian Secret Police whose martyrdom has been claimed by both the anti- and pro-government sides. Zhaleh’s funeral this morning in Tehran was the focus of more clashes. In a disturbing move, some elected Members of the Iranian parliament are calling for the execution of two major opposition leaders, Mehdi Karroubi and Mir Hossein Mousavi, who have led the calls for demonstrations. Mousavi was widely accepted as the real winner of the 2009 Presidential elections – along with Karroubi he has been under house arrest for a week. U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton praised the protesters in a move that is not likely to help their cause. But she did point out the hypocrisy of the Iranian regime supporting the popular revolts in Egypt and Tunisia while suppressing their own uprising. INSERT TRACK. President Obama also made comments on the revolts all across the Middle East saying that “[y]ou can’t maintain power through coercion.”

The revolutionary fervor in the Middle East has spread to the Persian Gulf, specifically the small Gulf Arab state of Bahrain. At least two protesters were reported killed by security forces after organizers declared this past Monday a “Day of Rage.” The funeral of the first victim, 21 year old man named Ali Abdul Hadi was the focus of continued protests during which police fired rubber bullets and bird shot. Bahrain, which has a Shia majority population, has been ruled for generations by a Sunni monarchy. While the media are casting the demonstrations as Shia vs. Sunni, protesters have taken up the slogan: “Not Sunni, Not Shia, But Bahraini,” prompting Bahrain’s ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa to make a rare television appearance to appease the people. Young Bahrainis are organizing online, particularly through Facebook. The Facebook page of Bahrain Youth for Freedom distills their demands as: “A People’s Constitution, Human Rights, No Corruption, and No Naturalization.” The Naturalization demand stems from the Bahrain Monarchy’s apparently selective naturalization of Sunni Arabs from surrounding countries to tilt the demographics of the nation favorably toward Sunnis.

GUEST: Juan Cole, Professor of History at the University of Michigan, expert on Middle East and Muslim politics, author of several books including his latest: “Engaging the Muslim World,” prolific blogger

Read Juan Cole’s blog Informed Comment at www.juancole.com.