Remember Ayatollah Khomenei, the opposition Islamic cleric who defied the shah's forces and overthrew the regime without weapons? Today, Khomenei's heir sits in the Iranian city of Isfahan and his target is the Islamic regime in Teheran.

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Ayatollah Jalal Al-Din Taheri, a leading cleric who resigned as the spiritual guide of the Iranian city of Isfahan, has denounced Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei, calling him and his aides criminals. This is the greatest challenge to date made by Taheri to the ruling clergy.

Taheri was responding to the death of two Iranian parliamentarians last month when their car was run off the road into a ravine north of Teheran.

Taheri said the parliamentarians were killed in state-sponsored assassination.

One of the parliamentarians was an outspoken opponent of the regime at a time when ruling Islamic clerics have been feeling particularly vulnerable.  Al-Reza Nouri signed his death warrant when he demanded that Iranian President Mohammed Khatami - once the great hope of reformers - resign.

The death of the parliamentarians galvanized the opposition and returned Taheri to the forefront.  Khamenei approved the arrest of Taheri and special forces were sent to his home in Isfahan.

But Taheri supporters were ready and held off the police. Iranian security commanders told Khamenei that they could not arrest Taheri without a massacre in Isfahan.

While Khamenei suspended the order to arrest Taheri, the opposition expects Khamenei's forces to return.