Although tens of thousands are expected to march in silence July 30, on the religiously important 40-day anniversary of the death of Neda Agha-Soltan, a young protestor whose last moments were captured on video, many more will be staying home. "It's going to get brutal," says one opposition adviser who claims to have spoken to top commanders of the Revolutionary Guard. The Guard, together with the paramilitary basij force, has arrested thousands and killed possibly more than a hundred protesters since the disputed June 12 presidential election. "[Security forces] will be waiting for them," he says.

Due to the oppressive regime,young Iranians have been leaving the country by the jetload. "I love this country," says one recent university student who is moving to the U.S. this fall for graduate studies. "But there is no future here for me," he says, explaining that he is on a government blacklist for desirable jobs, due to his involvement in protests throughout the last decade. Yet at the same time, Ahmadinejad's caustic criticism of the West made the task of securing visas next to impossible. Many of those interviewed said they hoped for better ties to the rest of world.


For now, there are more pressing matters. The protesters are preparing for Thursday's expected battle in the streets, readying surgical masks, dousing handkerchiefs with vinegar to lessen the effects of tear gas, and circulating routes for candle vigils and silent marches. One thing is for sure, they won't get much rest: demonstrations are already being planned for the middle of next week during an important religious festival and the inauguration of Ahmadinejad.