Iranian woman who received Nobel Peace prize says "Iran is like an ash on fire"

With all of the protests that have roiled the Islamic world in the last two months, could the previously unthinkable happen--regime change in Iran?

Nobel Peace Prize Forum speaker Shirin Ebadi--who won the Peace Prize in 2003 for her efforts in support of democracy and human rights in Iran--says Iran is in the midst of a "political crisis."

Ebadi told reporters that the regime in Iran, which has been in power for 32 years, has been using religion to abuse people.  She says students in Iran want democracy and human rights--just like students throughout the Arab world.

And Ebadi was insistent that Islam and democracy are not incompatible.  She says Islamic law can be in harmony with democracy, equality before the law, religious freedom and freedom of speech.

The former University of Tehran law professor has worked hard to make that vision come true.  She went to prison herself when she took the case of a family whose son had been killed by government forces in a 1998 protest.  The lawsuit failed--and instead she was sent to prison for "defamation."  But protests got her released after 25 days.

Ebadi says people need courage to change conditions in their countries.  She says when religion is followed correctly, it can help us to live a better life.