- Reaction score
- 3,105
- Points
- 1,160
Colour me sceptical, but I'm pretty sure the result was decided before the election was even announced.
Iran Super Thread- Merged
- Thread starter JasonH
- Start date
Colin Parkinson
Army.ca Myth
- Reaction score
- 11,081
- Points
- 1,160
Yes but it takes some time to rig a vote when the great unwashed does not do as it is told.
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 360
Iran was in similar turmoil just prior to using the US criticism of Iran's Nuclear Development a few years ago....there were riots/protest/etc until Mahmoud Ahmadinejad used the boggy man of a potential US/Isreal attack as a way to focus the people's attention elsewhere.....anybody remember the big Yellow Cake? The speeches, etc....
expect to see something along the same lines in the very near future.....anything to find an outside enemy rather than focus on the enemy within...
expect to see something along the same lines in the very near future.....anything to find an outside enemy rather than focus on the enemy within...
Yrys
Army.ca Veteran
- Reaction score
- 11
- Points
- 430
Slideshow: Iranian revolution 1979
The Iranian revolution put an end to the rule of the Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlevi, who
had alienated powerful religious and political forces with a programme of modernisation
and Westernisation.
Iran's revolution turns 30, 10 February 2009
Since the cold day in February 1979 when the crowds stormed the police and army buildings and
the Shah's last forces surrendered, Iran has been through a torrid time: war, terrorism, isolation,
confrontation, sanctions.
Ahmadinejad - a hard man to beat, 5 May 2009
If President Ahmadinejad fails to win re-election on 12 June, he would be the first Iranian president
to be unseated at the polls since the foundation of the Islamic Republic.
Big test for Iranian democracy, 5 June 2009
Iran boasts that it is the most democratic country in the Middle East. It's a claim worth examining,
as the presidential election approaches.
Iran's presidential candidates, 12 June 2009
Iran's electoral council has approved four candidates to run in the country's presidential elections on Friday.
In pictures: Iran election clashes, 13 June 2009
Tension ahead after Ahmadinejad re-elected, 13 June 2009
With Mahmoud Ahmadinejad continuing as president of Iran, continuing tension with international critics
of its nuclear activities can be expected.
Ahmadinejad defiant on 'free' Iran poll, 14 June 2009
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has defended his "completely free" re-election as Iran's president, amid violent
clashes on the streets over claims of election fraud.
Iran calm after vote fraud claims trigger clashes
TEHRAN, Iran – Tehran was mostly calm Sunday after election fraud claims triggered violent street clashes,
but the government maintained fairly tight control of information flow and new details emerged of arrests
of high-profile reformists.
The efforts seemed aimed at avoiding a repeat of the chaos that lasted past midnight Saturday. Opponents
of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad set buses and cars ablaze in the capital and threw rocks at police to
protest what they viewed as his illegitimate victory.
Iran restored cell phone service that had been down in the capital since Saturday. But Iranians could not
send text messages from their phones, and the government increased its Internet filtering in an apparent
bit to undercut liberal voices. Web sites linked to reformists' new hero Mir Hossein Mousavi, who declared
himself the true winner of Friday's presidential race and urged backers to resist the government, were
down. Social networking sites including Facebook and Twitter were also not working.
The restrictions were likely intended to prevent Mousavi's supporters from organizing large-scale protests.
But several small groups took to the streets, according to witnesses. About 300 Mousavi supporters gathered
outside Sharif University, chanting "Where are our votes?" About a dozen riot police descended upon a crowd
of some 50 Mousavi supporters standing outside his campaign quarters, beating them with batons and causing
them to disperse.
Reports that Mousavi was under house arrest could not be confirmed, but the 67-year-old former prime
minister has not been seen in public since he gave a late night press conference Friday where he accused
the government of voter fraud. On Saturday, Mousavi released a Web message saying he would not
"surrender to this manipulation."
Authorities released the brother of former reformist President Mohammad Khatami on Sunday after he was
arrested at his home late Saturday, Mohammad Reza Khatami's wife, Zahra Eshraghi, told The Associated
Press. She said at least two other top leaders of Iran's largest reformist party, the Islamic Iran Participation
Front, including the party's secretary-general, were also released early Sunday after they were arrested
when police stormed the party's headquarters on Saturday. Several others remained in custody, she said.
Tehran deputy prosecutor, Mahmoud Slarkia, told the semi-official ISNA news agency that less than 10 people
were arrested on the charge of "disturbing public opinion" through their "false reports" on Web sites after the
election. He did not mention any names.
Iran's deputy police chief Ahmad Reza Radan said some of Saturday's protesters were detained and police
used tear gas to stop the demonstrations. He said the situation was under control and accused the foreign
media of exaggerating the protests to show unrest in Tehran. "Police will not allow protesters to disturb
the peace and calmness of the people under the influence of foreign media," Radan said on state television,
which showed footage of the protests for the first time Sunday.
Ahmadinejad also accused the foreign media of producing coverage that harmed the Iranian people in an
address to the country broadcast on state TV late Saturday, saying "a large number of foreign media ...
organized a full-fledged fight against our people." He did not mention the unrest, saying only "a new era
has begun in the history of the Iranian nation." Ahmadinejad is scheduled to hold a massive rally with
supporters Sunday afternoon in central Tehran.
Slarkia, the deputy prosecutor, confirmed that Iran was blocking five pro-Mousavi Web sites because of
election violations. He did not elaborate.
Mousavi's newspaper, Kalemeh Sabz, or the Green Word, did not appear on newsstands Sunday. An editor,
who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, said the paper never left
the printing house because authorities were upset with Mousavi's statements. The paper's Web site reported
that more than 10 million votes in Friday's election were missing national identification numbers similar to
U.S. Social Security numbers, which make the votes "untraceable." It did not say how it knew that
information. Thousands of Mousavi supporters took his call to the streets on Saturday, setting trash bins and
tires ablaze. Police fought back with clubs, including mobile squads on motorcycles swinging truncheons.
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, closed the door for possible compromise. He could have used
his near-limitless powers to intervene in the election dispute. But, in a message on state TV on Saturday, he
urged the nation to unite behind Ahmadinejad, calling the result a "divine assessment."
The U.S. has refused to accept Ahmadinejad's claim of a landslide re-election victory said it was looking into
allegations of election fraud. There are no independent election monitors in Iran. U.S. Secretary of State
Hillary Rodham Clinton said Saturday she hoped the outcome reflects the "genuine will and desire" of Iranian
voters.
The European Union also said it was "concerned about alleged irregularities" during Friday's vote.
Past Iranian elections were considered generally fair. In 2005, when Ahmadinejad was first elected, the losing
candidates claimed irregularities at the polls, but the charges were never investigated. Mousavi called on his
backers to avoid violence, but he is still talking tough about pressing his claims of election fraud. He charges
the polls closed early but has not fully outlined all of his fraud allegations.
There also have been no hints of any new policy shifts on key international issues such as Iran's standoff over
its nuclear program and the offer by President Barack Obama to open dialogue after a nearly 30-year
diplomatic estrangement. All high-level decisions are controlled by the ruling theocracy.
Yrys
Army.ca Veteran
- Reaction score
- 11
- Points
- 430
Iran reformists held after street clashes, 14 June 2009
IRANIAN ELECTION
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: 62.6%
Mir Hossein Mousavi: 33.8%
Mohsen Rezai: 1.7%
Mehdi Karroubi 0.9%
Turnout: 85%
Source: Interior ministry
Up to 100 members of Iranian reformist groups have been arrested, accused of orchestrating violence
after the disputed presidential election result. Backers of defeated reformist Mir Hossein Mousavi were
rounded up overnight, reports said, including the brother of ex-President Khatami. Mr Mousavi's wherea-
bouts are unknown but he is thought to remain free.
There were reports of new small-scale clashes on Sunday ahead of a planned victory rally by President
Ahmadinejad. At a news conference on Sunday, the re-elected president vowed that Iran would not
submit to bullying from foreign powers, calling the election an "epic moment".
While the streets of Tehran were largely calm, the BBC's Jon Leyne, in the city, reports that clashes broke
out by the office of Irna, Iran's official news agency, and also in one suburb.There were also new reports
of a clampdown on independent media. The offices of the Saudi-funded Arabic TV station al-Arabiya were
shut down for "unknown reasons", the channel said. Mobile phone service was restored but there were
reports that text messaging remained restricted and curbs continued on access to popular internet sites,
including the BBC.
Mr Ahmadinejad is expected attend a huge victory rally later on Sunday.
Lock down
Details of latest arrests remained sketchy, but reports said those detained were members of pro-reformist
political parties which had backed Mr Mousavi during the election campaign. The reformists - said to include
Mohammad Reza Khatami, brother of former President Mohammad Khatami, a former government spokes-
man and a former deputy speaker of parliament - were reported to have been taken from their homes by
security forces overnight.
Iran's state news agency, Irna, said those arrested were involved in orchestrating Saturday's protests in
Tehran. Angry crowds took to the streets to protest against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election,
in spite of Mr Mousavi's post-election call to avoid violence. He has refused to accept the election result,
calling it a "dangerous charade" and alleging wide-scale irregularities
The BBC's foreign affairs editor John Simpson, in Tehran, says that while the protests appeared to an
upsurge of anger amongst ordinary people and did not appear to be arranged, it is an instinctive reaction
by the authorities to see a hidden hand.
Senior Iranian political figures have offered their backing to Mr Ahmadinejad, among them parliamentary
Speaker Ali Larijani and the head of the judiciary. One of his defeated rivals also congratulated Mr
Ahmadinejad. Mohsen Rezai, who won just 1.7% of the vote, declared that Mr Ahmadinejad had been
elected president by "legal procedures". "I will support him in a bid to prevent any delays in the provision
of services to the people," Mr Rezai said in a statement. The president already has the backing of the
country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who endorsed his election win on Saturday.
Our correspondent says the expressions of support for Mr Ahmadinejad could be an attempt to "lock down"
support for the president within Iran's divided political establishment.
Murky truth
The controversy over Iran's election flared after high turnout and long queues at polling stations on Friday
led Mr Mousavi's supporters to expect a strong showing from their candidate and a close result.
Turnout was estimated at 85%, with voting extended in many places. But official results on Saturday gave
the incumbent, Mr Ahmadinejad, a landslide victory. His final share of the vote was almost 63%. Despite a
rapid endorsement of the result from Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, Mr Mousavi issued a
statement denouncing the verdict and alleging widespread voting irregularities.
Our correspondent John Simpson, in Tehran, says the truth about this election may never be known. But
many observers in Iran feel that the final result did not reflect the extraordinary numbers of people who
turned out to vote, he adds.
World reaction has been muted, with major powers slow to welcome the Iranian result. The European Union
and Canada have voiced concern about allegations of irregularities, while US Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton said only that Washington hoped the result reflected the "genuine will and desire" of Iranians.
Long-time allies such as Venezuela and Syria, as well as neighbours Iraq and Afghanistan, are among those
who have recognised Mr Ahmadinejad as the winner.
Jon Leyne
Reporting from Tehran
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has always seen himself as more than just a politician. Sometimes he
speaks, and is treated, more like a seer prophesying the death of capitalism and liberal democracy. With
this victory, however secured, he will feel emboldened in this global vision.
At home, many Iranians will fear a clampdown on society and cultural life. Mr Ahmadinejad knows that
many even within the political establishment oppose him, which might increase his tendency towards
authoritarianism. All those young people who were out campaigning against him so recently will be
nervous about their future, and even more disillusioned with the Islamic Republic.
Then there is foreign policy and the nuclear issue. How can US President Barack Obama open negotiations
with a president whose legitimacy and human rights record is even deeper under question? It is a political
earthquake that will shake Iran, and could shake the world.
IRANIAN ELECTION
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: 62.6%
Mir Hossein Mousavi: 33.8%
Mohsen Rezai: 1.7%
Mehdi Karroubi 0.9%
Turnout: 85%
Source: Interior ministry
Up to 100 members of Iranian reformist groups have been arrested, accused of orchestrating violence
after the disputed presidential election result. Backers of defeated reformist Mir Hossein Mousavi were
rounded up overnight, reports said, including the brother of ex-President Khatami. Mr Mousavi's wherea-
bouts are unknown but he is thought to remain free.
There were reports of new small-scale clashes on Sunday ahead of a planned victory rally by President
Ahmadinejad. At a news conference on Sunday, the re-elected president vowed that Iran would not
submit to bullying from foreign powers, calling the election an "epic moment".
While the streets of Tehran were largely calm, the BBC's Jon Leyne, in the city, reports that clashes broke
out by the office of Irna, Iran's official news agency, and also in one suburb.There were also new reports
of a clampdown on independent media. The offices of the Saudi-funded Arabic TV station al-Arabiya were
shut down for "unknown reasons", the channel said. Mobile phone service was restored but there were
reports that text messaging remained restricted and curbs continued on access to popular internet sites,
including the BBC.
Mr Ahmadinejad is expected attend a huge victory rally later on Sunday.
Lock down
Details of latest arrests remained sketchy, but reports said those detained were members of pro-reformist
political parties which had backed Mr Mousavi during the election campaign. The reformists - said to include
Mohammad Reza Khatami, brother of former President Mohammad Khatami, a former government spokes-
man and a former deputy speaker of parliament - were reported to have been taken from their homes by
security forces overnight.
Iran's state news agency, Irna, said those arrested were involved in orchestrating Saturday's protests in
Tehran. Angry crowds took to the streets to protest against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election,
in spite of Mr Mousavi's post-election call to avoid violence. He has refused to accept the election result,
calling it a "dangerous charade" and alleging wide-scale irregularities
The BBC's foreign affairs editor John Simpson, in Tehran, says that while the protests appeared to an
upsurge of anger amongst ordinary people and did not appear to be arranged, it is an instinctive reaction
by the authorities to see a hidden hand.
Senior Iranian political figures have offered their backing to Mr Ahmadinejad, among them parliamentary
Speaker Ali Larijani and the head of the judiciary. One of his defeated rivals also congratulated Mr
Ahmadinejad. Mohsen Rezai, who won just 1.7% of the vote, declared that Mr Ahmadinejad had been
elected president by "legal procedures". "I will support him in a bid to prevent any delays in the provision
of services to the people," Mr Rezai said in a statement. The president already has the backing of the
country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who endorsed his election win on Saturday.
Our correspondent says the expressions of support for Mr Ahmadinejad could be an attempt to "lock down"
support for the president within Iran's divided political establishment.
Murky truth
The controversy over Iran's election flared after high turnout and long queues at polling stations on Friday
led Mr Mousavi's supporters to expect a strong showing from their candidate and a close result.
Turnout was estimated at 85%, with voting extended in many places. But official results on Saturday gave
the incumbent, Mr Ahmadinejad, a landslide victory. His final share of the vote was almost 63%. Despite a
rapid endorsement of the result from Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, Mr Mousavi issued a
statement denouncing the verdict and alleging widespread voting irregularities.
Our correspondent John Simpson, in Tehran, says the truth about this election may never be known. But
many observers in Iran feel that the final result did not reflect the extraordinary numbers of people who
turned out to vote, he adds.
World reaction has been muted, with major powers slow to welcome the Iranian result. The European Union
and Canada have voiced concern about allegations of irregularities, while US Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton said only that Washington hoped the result reflected the "genuine will and desire" of Iranians.
Long-time allies such as Venezuela and Syria, as well as neighbours Iraq and Afghanistan, are among those
who have recognised Mr Ahmadinejad as the winner.
Jon Leyne
Reporting from Tehran
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has always seen himself as more than just a politician. Sometimes he
speaks, and is treated, more like a seer prophesying the death of capitalism and liberal democracy. With
this victory, however secured, he will feel emboldened in this global vision.
At home, many Iranians will fear a clampdown on society and cultural life. Mr Ahmadinejad knows that
many even within the political establishment oppose him, which might increase his tendency towards
authoritarianism. All those young people who were out campaigning against him so recently will be
nervous about their future, and even more disillusioned with the Islamic Republic.
Then there is foreign policy and the nuclear issue. How can US President Barack Obama open negotiations
with a president whose legitimacy and human rights record is even deeper under question? It is a political
earthquake that will shake Iran, and could shake the world.
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 360
An update that fits with this thread because of how Netanyahu is re-emphasizing the Iranian threat:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090614/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_palestinians
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090614/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_palestinians
Yrys
Army.ca Veteran
- Reaction score
- 11
- Points
- 430
Second day of protests erupt in Iran over election, Jun. 14 2009
Iran poll result: Your comments, BBC News, 14 June 2009
Difficult moment for Iran - and world
Blog: Heavy satellite jamming
Video of "Crowds gather for Ahmadinejad rally", 1 min 29 sec
Crowds join Ahmadinejad victory rally
Tens of thousands of people have joined a rally in central Tehran to celebrate the re-election of Iran's
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Crowds thronged the main thoroughfare, Vali Asr street, waving
Iranian flags and chanting in jubilation.
The president's closest opponent in the election, Mir-Hossein Mousavi, has lodged an official appeal
against the result amid continuing angry protests. Mr Ahmadinejad denied any vote-fixing, saying
the result was "very accurate".
Streets sealed off
He told the rally that elections in the Islamic republic had never been healthier and that the people
alone had decided the outcome. "Some people want democracy only for their own sake," he said,
referring to his critics both inside and outside of Iran. "Some want elections, freedom, a sound
election. They recognise it only as long as the result favours them." He said Iranians were united,
but with 40 million people taking part it in the election it was natural for some to be disappointed.
Clashes between the police and anti-Ahmadinejad protesters continued on Sunday, with several
parts of the city sealed off by the authorities to prevent the unrest spreading.
US doubt
Earlier, Mr Ahmadinejad told reporters that the debate over Iran's nuclear programme "belongs
to the past", and that Iran had "embraced" the idea of an international effort to eliminate nuclear
weapons.
Global reaction to the election has been muted, but US Vice-President Joe Biden told broadcaster
NBC he had doubts about the result. "There's an awful lot of questions about how this election was
run, but we'll see, we're just waiting to see, we don't have a enough facts to make a firm judgement,"
he said.
Mr Ahmadinejad's closest rival in the election campaign, Mir-Hossein Mousavi, announced on Sunday
he had lodged an official appeal appeal against the result to Iran's Guardian Council . "I urge you,
Iranian nation, to continue your nationwide protests in a peaceful and legal way," he said in a statement.
Mr Mousavi has called several times for his supporters to avoid violence, but angry protesters have been
setting light to vehicles and throwing stones in Tehran.
Reuters reported that police charged a 2,000-strong group of students who were protesting at the
University of Tehran.
Leader's endorsement
Dozens of activists have been arrested, with reports saying those detained were members of pro-reformist
political parties which had backed Mr Mousavi during the election campaign. Those held were said to include
Mohammad Reza Khatami, brother of former President Mohammad Khatami. Many of them are reported to
have been freed since.
The state news agency, Irna, said those arrested were involved in orchestrating Saturday's protests
in Tehran. The controversy flared after a high turnout on Friday - estimated at 85% - led Mr Mousavi's
supporters to expect a close result. But official results gave Mr Ahmadinejad a landslide victory. His
final share of the vote was almost 63%. The result was quickly endorsed by Ayatollah Khamenei,
Iran's supreme leader.
Our correspondent John Simpson, in Tehran, says the truth about the election may never be known. But
many observers in Iran feel that the final result did not reflect the extraordinary numbers of people who
turned out to vote, our correspondent adds.
Iran poll result: Your comments, BBC News, 14 June 2009
Difficult moment for Iran - and world
Blog: Heavy satellite jamming
Video of "Crowds gather for Ahmadinejad rally", 1 min 29 sec
Crowds join Ahmadinejad victory rally
Tens of thousands of people have joined a rally in central Tehran to celebrate the re-election of Iran's
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Crowds thronged the main thoroughfare, Vali Asr street, waving
Iranian flags and chanting in jubilation.
The president's closest opponent in the election, Mir-Hossein Mousavi, has lodged an official appeal
against the result amid continuing angry protests. Mr Ahmadinejad denied any vote-fixing, saying
the result was "very accurate".
Streets sealed off
He told the rally that elections in the Islamic republic had never been healthier and that the people
alone had decided the outcome. "Some people want democracy only for their own sake," he said,
referring to his critics both inside and outside of Iran. "Some want elections, freedom, a sound
election. They recognise it only as long as the result favours them." He said Iranians were united,
but with 40 million people taking part it in the election it was natural for some to be disappointed.
Clashes between the police and anti-Ahmadinejad protesters continued on Sunday, with several
parts of the city sealed off by the authorities to prevent the unrest spreading.
US doubt
Earlier, Mr Ahmadinejad told reporters that the debate over Iran's nuclear programme "belongs
to the past", and that Iran had "embraced" the idea of an international effort to eliminate nuclear
weapons.
Global reaction to the election has been muted, but US Vice-President Joe Biden told broadcaster
NBC he had doubts about the result. "There's an awful lot of questions about how this election was
run, but we'll see, we're just waiting to see, we don't have a enough facts to make a firm judgement,"
he said.
Mr Ahmadinejad's closest rival in the election campaign, Mir-Hossein Mousavi, announced on Sunday
he had lodged an official appeal appeal against the result to Iran's Guardian Council . "I urge you,
Iranian nation, to continue your nationwide protests in a peaceful and legal way," he said in a statement.
Mr Mousavi has called several times for his supporters to avoid violence, but angry protesters have been
setting light to vehicles and throwing stones in Tehran.
Reuters reported that police charged a 2,000-strong group of students who were protesting at the
University of Tehran.
Leader's endorsement
Dozens of activists have been arrested, with reports saying those detained were members of pro-reformist
political parties which had backed Mr Mousavi during the election campaign. Those held were said to include
Mohammad Reza Khatami, brother of former President Mohammad Khatami. Many of them are reported to
have been freed since.
The state news agency, Irna, said those arrested were involved in orchestrating Saturday's protests
in Tehran. The controversy flared after a high turnout on Friday - estimated at 85% - led Mr Mousavi's
supporters to expect a close result. But official results gave Mr Ahmadinejad a landslide victory. His
final share of the vote was almost 63%. The result was quickly endorsed by Ayatollah Khamenei,
Iran's supreme leader.
Our correspondent John Simpson, in Tehran, says the truth about the election may never be known. But
many observers in Iran feel that the final result did not reflect the extraordinary numbers of people who
turned out to vote, our correspondent adds.
Yrys
Army.ca Veteran
- Reaction score
- 11
- Points
- 430
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8099876.stmMousavi letter to Iran's supreme leader, BBC News
Defeated presidential candidate, Mir Hossein Mousavi, wrote to the Iran's supreme leader
a day before the election outlining his concerns about the ballot. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8099876.stmHere is the text of his
letter as published by Farda News, a Persian language news service based outside of Iran.
Ahmadinejad says protests are 'not important', CTV
Unrest challenges Iran's republic, BBC News
As demonstrations against the Iranian election result continue, the situation in Tehran is becoming
unpredictable and potentially explosive.
Internet brings events in Iran to life, BBC News
All over the world people are monitoring unfolding events in Iran via the internet, where an apparently
decisive election victory by the ruling party is being challenged on the streets. Although there are signs
the Iranian government is trying to cut some communications with the outside world, citizen journalism
appears to be thriving on the web. Here is a selection of popular links, (IMAGES, TWITTER, FACEBOOK,
WEBSITES AND BLOGS) many of which have been written from a particular point of view but - when taken
together - provide a wide range of perspectives.
Bypassing Iran's firewalls, BBC News
Despite widespread blocks on mobile phones, internet sites and satellite TV stations,
people in Iran have managed to tell the BBC's Persian and English interactive services
what is happening in their country in their own words and pictures.
Yrys
Army.ca Veteran
- Reaction score
- 11
- Points
- 430
Iran braces for more election protests
Iran is bracing for more protests over its presidential election results after defeated candidate Mir Hossein
Mousavi called for it to be annulled. His supporters are reported to be planning a rally after two days of
unrest sparked by the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. On Sunday tens of thousands rallied
in Tehran to celebrate his victory.
Mr Mousavi has claimed widespread fraud and US Vice-President Joe Biden says there are "real doubts"
about the poll.
'Death to the dictator'
There were clashes between the police and anti-Ahmadinejad protesters in several parts of the city
for a second day on Sunday. Police hit protesters with batons and charged them on motorbikes.
Streets were littered with broken glass and fires set by protesters, while more riot police patrolled
Mousavi strongholds. Mousavi supporters cried "death to the dictator" into the evening. Scores of
people are reported to have been arrested. There have been reports of tear gas being fired and
rooms being searched at Tehran University.
The BBC's Jon Leyne in Tehran says the rapidly spreading protests are a challenge not just to the
election result, not just to President Ahmadinejad, but to the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
himself. That means it is, he says, a challenge to the whole basis of the Islamic Republic.
Mr Ahmadinejad dismissed the unrest as "passions after a soccer match".
International concern
Mr Mousavi's website carried a statement saying he had formally called on Iran's Guardian Council,
which must certify the counting, to annul the election. He added: "I urge you, Iranian nation, to continue
your nationwide protests in a peaceful and legal way." A supporter of Mr Mousavi, Shahab Tabatabaei,
told Associated Press the candidate had met Ayatollah Khamenei to press his call. But the BBC's John
Simpson in Tehran says the call is almost certain to fail.
The Reuters news agency said Mr Mousavi's supporters were planning a rally on Monday afternoon but
it was unclear whether the authorities would allow it.
More foreign powers are now expressing concern about the election.
In an interview on US television, Mr Biden said: "It sure looks like the way they're suppressing speech,
the way they're suppressing crowds, the way in which people are being treated, that there's some real
doubt." German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he had summoned the Iranian ambassador
to explain the election. "There are a lot of reports about electoral fraud," he said.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said: "I am sorry that instead of openness there has been a
somewhat brutal reaction."
But Mr Ahmadinejad was congratulated by the presidents of Iraq, Afghanistan and Venezuela. At his rally
on Sunday, Mr Ahmadinejad denied any vote-fixing, saying the result was "very accurate". Crowds
thronged the main thoroughfare, Vali Asr street, waving Iranian flags and chanting in jubilation. He told
the rally that elections in the Islamic republic had never been healthier and that the people alone had
decided the outcome. "Some people want democracy only for their own sake," he said, referring to his
critics both inside and outside of Iran. "Some want elections, freedom, a sound election. They recognise
it only as long as the result favours them." He said Iranians were united, but with 40 million people taking
part in the election it was natural for some to be disappointed.
Unrest flared after a high turnout in Friday's election - estimated at 85% - led Mr Mousavi's supporters to
expect a close result. But official results gave Mr Ahmadinejad a landslide victory. His final share of the
vote was almost 63%.
The result was quickly endorsed by Ayatollah Khamenei.
Iran is bracing for more protests over its presidential election results after defeated candidate Mir Hossein
Mousavi called for it to be annulled. His supporters are reported to be planning a rally after two days of
unrest sparked by the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. On Sunday tens of thousands rallied
in Tehran to celebrate his victory.
Mr Mousavi has claimed widespread fraud and US Vice-President Joe Biden says there are "real doubts"
about the poll.
'Death to the dictator'
There were clashes between the police and anti-Ahmadinejad protesters in several parts of the city
for a second day on Sunday. Police hit protesters with batons and charged them on motorbikes.
Streets were littered with broken glass and fires set by protesters, while more riot police patrolled
Mousavi strongholds. Mousavi supporters cried "death to the dictator" into the evening. Scores of
people are reported to have been arrested. There have been reports of tear gas being fired and
rooms being searched at Tehran University.
The BBC's Jon Leyne in Tehran says the rapidly spreading protests are a challenge not just to the
election result, not just to President Ahmadinejad, but to the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
himself. That means it is, he says, a challenge to the whole basis of the Islamic Republic.
Mr Ahmadinejad dismissed the unrest as "passions after a soccer match".
International concern
Mr Mousavi's website carried a statement saying he had formally called on Iran's Guardian Council,
which must certify the counting, to annul the election. He added: "I urge you, Iranian nation, to continue
your nationwide protests in a peaceful and legal way." A supporter of Mr Mousavi, Shahab Tabatabaei,
told Associated Press the candidate had met Ayatollah Khamenei to press his call. But the BBC's John
Simpson in Tehran says the call is almost certain to fail.
The Reuters news agency said Mr Mousavi's supporters were planning a rally on Monday afternoon but
it was unclear whether the authorities would allow it.
More foreign powers are now expressing concern about the election.
In an interview on US television, Mr Biden said: "It sure looks like the way they're suppressing speech,
the way they're suppressing crowds, the way in which people are being treated, that there's some real
doubt." German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he had summoned the Iranian ambassador
to explain the election. "There are a lot of reports about electoral fraud," he said.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said: "I am sorry that instead of openness there has been a
somewhat brutal reaction."
But Mr Ahmadinejad was congratulated by the presidents of Iraq, Afghanistan and Venezuela. At his rally
on Sunday, Mr Ahmadinejad denied any vote-fixing, saying the result was "very accurate". Crowds
thronged the main thoroughfare, Vali Asr street, waving Iranian flags and chanting in jubilation. He told
the rally that elections in the Islamic republic had never been healthier and that the people alone had
decided the outcome. "Some people want democracy only for their own sake," he said, referring to his
critics both inside and outside of Iran. "Some want elections, freedom, a sound election. They recognise
it only as long as the result favours them." He said Iranians were united, but with 40 million people taking
part in the election it was natural for some to be disappointed.
Unrest flared after a high turnout in Friday's election - estimated at 85% - led Mr Mousavi's supporters to
expect a close result. But official results gave Mr Ahmadinejad a landslide victory. His final share of the
vote was almost 63%.
The result was quickly endorsed by Ayatollah Khamenei.
Yrys
Army.ca Veteran
- Reaction score
- 11
- Points
- 430
In Tehran, a Rallying Cry: "We are the People of Iran.", Times
Iran protesters 'defy ban'
Unrest has flared in many parts
of the capital, Tehran
A rally against the re-election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is being
held in defiance of a ban on protests, AFP reports from the scene. The news agency
says hundred of people are taking part in the Tehran rally. Marchers have clashed
with Ahmadinejad supporters, Reuters agency reports.
Defeated candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi said he would attend and urge for calm.
Mr Mousavi, a moderate, wants election results annulled, alleging fraud.
Mr Ahmadinejad says the vote was fair.
Following two days of unrest, the interior ministry said on Monday: "Some seditious
elements had planned to hold a rally." It added: "Any disrupter of public security
would be dealt with according to the law."
Mr Mousavi's campaign initially announced that the event had been called off, but his
website later said he would address the crowd. AFP says the demonstrators gathered
in central Tehran chanting: "Mousavi we support you!"
Reuters says Ahmadinejad supporters on motorcycles have clashed with marchers.
The BBC's Jon Leyne, in Tehran, says he understands plain-clothed militias have
been authorised to use live ammunition for the first time.
Ahead of the rally, correspondents said life appeared to be returning to normal in central
Tehran. Shops were open and there was little evidence of the weekend's unrest. However,
there was a small demonstration attended by Mr Mousavi's wife Zahra Rahnavard at Tehran
University. She said the campaign was continuing, and urged people to go onto their roofs
shouting "God is great".
Reports said paramilitaries were trying to break up the demonstration, and that students had
taken cover in a mosque. The campus has been a focus of unrest in recent days. Overnight
police and militias raided dormitories, arresting dozens of students.
In related developments :
President Ahmadinejad reportedly cancelled a trip to Moscow, where he was due to attend a
regional summit on Monday
Reports say Mr Mousavi's newspaper Kalameh Sabz has suspended circulation.
About 200 relatives of detained demonstrators took part in a protest outside Tehran's Revolutionary
Tribunal calling for their release, AFP news agency reported.
International concern
On Sunday Mr Mousavi's website carried a statement saying he had formally called on Iran's Guardian
Council ,which must certify the counting, to annul the election. He added: "I urge you, Iranian nation,
to continue your nationwide protests in a peaceful and legal way." Another defeated candidate, Mohsen
Rezaie, also officially contested the results. The Guardian Council said it would rule on both complaints
within 10 days. Late on Sunday Mr Mousavi met Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to
pursue his case against the results of Friday's election.
Mr Khamanei's office said he had told the candidate that "complaints should be followed through legal
channels" and urged Mr Mousavi to "follow the issue calmly". Sunday saw clashes between the police
and anti-Ahmadinejad protesters in several parts of Tehran for a second day.Police hit protesters
with batons and charged them on motorbikes.
Mousavi supporters cried "death to the dictator" into the evening. Scores of people are reported
to have been arrested. Mr Ahmadinejad dismissed the unrest as "passions after a soccer match".
Foreign powers have expressed concern about the election. In an interview on US television,
Vice-President Joe Biden said: "It sure looks like the way they're suppressing speech, the way
they're suppressing crowds, the way in which people are being treated, that there's some real
doubt."
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he had summoned the Iranian ambassador
to explain the election. "There are a lot of reports about electoral fraud," he said.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said: "I am sorry that instead of openness there has been
a somewhat brutal reaction."
But Mr Ahmadinejad was congratulated by the presidents of Iraq, Afghanistan and Venezuela.
POST-POLL CRACKDOWN
More than 100 opposition figures arrested, including the brother of ex-reformist President Khatami.
Local and international phone and text message services interrupted
Social networking and newspaper websites blocked
BBC says "heavy electronic jamming" from inside Iran disrupts its Persian TV service
International journalists arrested and asked to leave
Iranian newspapers do not carry reports of the violence
Source: Various reports
Iran protesters 'defy ban'
Unrest has flared in many parts
of the capital, Tehran
A rally against the re-election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is being
held in defiance of a ban on protests, AFP reports from the scene. The news agency
says hundred of people are taking part in the Tehran rally. Marchers have clashed
with Ahmadinejad supporters, Reuters agency reports.
Defeated candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi said he would attend and urge for calm.
Mr Mousavi, a moderate, wants election results annulled, alleging fraud.
Mr Ahmadinejad says the vote was fair.
Following two days of unrest, the interior ministry said on Monday: "Some seditious
elements had planned to hold a rally." It added: "Any disrupter of public security
would be dealt with according to the law."
Mr Mousavi's campaign initially announced that the event had been called off, but his
website later said he would address the crowd. AFP says the demonstrators gathered
in central Tehran chanting: "Mousavi we support you!"
Reuters says Ahmadinejad supporters on motorcycles have clashed with marchers.
The BBC's Jon Leyne, in Tehran, says he understands plain-clothed militias have
been authorised to use live ammunition for the first time.
Ahead of the rally, correspondents said life appeared to be returning to normal in central
Tehran. Shops were open and there was little evidence of the weekend's unrest. However,
there was a small demonstration attended by Mr Mousavi's wife Zahra Rahnavard at Tehran
University. She said the campaign was continuing, and urged people to go onto their roofs
shouting "God is great".
Reports said paramilitaries were trying to break up the demonstration, and that students had
taken cover in a mosque. The campus has been a focus of unrest in recent days. Overnight
police and militias raided dormitories, arresting dozens of students.
In related developments :
President Ahmadinejad reportedly cancelled a trip to Moscow, where he was due to attend a
regional summit on Monday
Reports say Mr Mousavi's newspaper Kalameh Sabz has suspended circulation.
About 200 relatives of detained demonstrators took part in a protest outside Tehran's Revolutionary
Tribunal calling for their release, AFP news agency reported.
International concern
On Sunday Mr Mousavi's website carried a statement saying he had formally called on Iran's Guardian
Council ,which must certify the counting, to annul the election. He added: "I urge you, Iranian nation,
to continue your nationwide protests in a peaceful and legal way." Another defeated candidate, Mohsen
Rezaie, also officially contested the results. The Guardian Council said it would rule on both complaints
within 10 days. Late on Sunday Mr Mousavi met Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to
pursue his case against the results of Friday's election.
Mr Khamanei's office said he had told the candidate that "complaints should be followed through legal
channels" and urged Mr Mousavi to "follow the issue calmly". Sunday saw clashes between the police
and anti-Ahmadinejad protesters in several parts of Tehran for a second day.Police hit protesters
with batons and charged them on motorbikes.
Mousavi supporters cried "death to the dictator" into the evening. Scores of people are reported
to have been arrested. Mr Ahmadinejad dismissed the unrest as "passions after a soccer match".
Foreign powers have expressed concern about the election. In an interview on US television,
Vice-President Joe Biden said: "It sure looks like the way they're suppressing speech, the way
they're suppressing crowds, the way in which people are being treated, that there's some real
doubt."
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he had summoned the Iranian ambassador
to explain the election. "There are a lot of reports about electoral fraud," he said.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said: "I am sorry that instead of openness there has been
a somewhat brutal reaction."
But Mr Ahmadinejad was congratulated by the presidents of Iraq, Afghanistan and Venezuela.
POST-POLL CRACKDOWN
More than 100 opposition figures arrested, including the brother of ex-reformist President Khatami.
Local and international phone and text message services interrupted
Social networking and newspaper websites blocked
BBC says "heavy electronic jamming" from inside Iran disrupts its Persian TV service
International journalists arrested and asked to leave
Iranian newspapers do not carry reports of the violence
Source: Various reports
Yrys
Army.ca Veteran
- Reaction score
- 11
- Points
- 430
Analysis
As demonstrations against the Iranian election result continue, the situation in Tehran
is becoming unpredictable and potentially explosive.
Role of web
All over the world people are monitoring unfolding events in Iran via the internet, where
an apparently decisive election victory by the incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is being
challenged on the streets.
Video
Students, some wearing masks, have held a secret rally at a Tehran university where they
called on President Ahmadinejad to resign.
In pictures: Tensions high in Tehran
Five pictures of claches, four of Ahmadinejad rally
As demonstrations against the Iranian election result continue, the situation in Tehran
is becoming unpredictable and potentially explosive.
Role of web
All over the world people are monitoring unfolding events in Iran via the internet, where
an apparently decisive election victory by the incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is being
challenged on the streets.
Video
Students, some wearing masks, have held a secret rally at a Tehran university where they
called on President Ahmadinejad to resign.
In pictures: Tensions high in Tehran
Five pictures of claches, four of Ahmadinejad rally
- Reaction score
- 26,289
- Points
- 1,090
Canadian journalist detained, beaten http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/globe-freelancer-detained-beaten/article1181792/
As well, The Atlantic's prolific blogger, Andrew Sullivan, is providing frequest updates on the situation, including a consolidation of Twitter feeds and videos. http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/
As well, The Atlantic's prolific blogger, Andrew Sullivan, is providing frequest updates on the situation, including a consolidation of Twitter feeds and videos. http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 360
And thousands continue to rally for Mousavi in spite of the ban imposed by Ahmadinejerk on any opposition rallies:
Yrys
Army.ca Veteran
- Reaction score
- 11
- Points
- 430
Same subject :
Hatred, chaos and savage beatings in Tehran, CNN
Shooting reported at Moussavi protest rally, CNN
Are Arab Leaders Really So Unhappy to See Ahmadinejad Re-elected?, TIMES, June 14, 2009
Martyrs May Give Iran's Demonstrators Momentum, TIMES
Iran Protester Slain After Pro-Reform Rally, TIMES
Shots fired at huge Iran protest, BBC News
Shots have been fired at a rally in Iran where hundreds of thousands of people were demonstrating
against last week's presidential election results. Unconfirmed reports said one protester was killed
and several more were hurt when security forces opened fire. The crowd had been addressed by
beaten candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi, who believes the vote was fixed in favour of President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Mr Ahmadinejad has dismissed the claims and says the vote was fair.
The BBC's Jon Leyne, in Tehran, says Monday's rally was the biggest demonstration in the Islamic
republic's 30-year history and described it as a "political earthquake". The government had outlawed
any protest following two days of unrest, with the interior ministry warning that "any disrupter of
public security would be dealt with according to the law".
Despite this, correspondents said riot police had been watching the rally during the afternoon and had
seemed to be taking no action. But reports at 2045 local time (1615 GMT) said shots were being fired.
"There has been sporadic shooting out there... I can see people running here," Reuters quoted a reporter
of Iran's Press TV as saying from Tehran's Azadi Square. "A number of people who are armed, I don't
know exactly who they are, but they have started to fire on people causing havoc in Azadi Square."
A photographer at the scene told news agencies that security forces had killed one protester and seriously
wounded several others. He said the shooting began when the crowd attacked a compound used by a
religious militia linked to the country's powerful Revolutionary Guard. The AFP news agency reported
that police fired tear gas and groups of protestors set motorbikes alight.
Ayatollah's intervention
Earlier, the demonstrators had gathered in Tehran's Revolution Square, chanting pro-Mousavi slogans,
before marching to Azadi Square. "Mousavi we support you. We will die, but retrieve our votes," they
shouted, many wearing the green of Mousavi's election campaign. And Mr Mousavi eventually appeared,
addressing the crowd from the roof of his car. "The vote of the people is more important than Mousavi
or any other person," he told his supporters.
His wife, Zahra Rahnavard, a high-profile supporter of her husband's campaign, later said they would
keep up their protests. "We will stand until the end," she told the AFP.
The renewed protests come after Mr Mousavi and fellow defeated candidate Mohsen Rezai filed official
complaints against the election result with the Guardian Council - the country's powerful clerical group.
State television reported that supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has upheld the election result,
urged the Guardian Council to "precisely consider" the complaints. A spokesman for the 12-member
council said they would meet Mr Mousavi and Mr Rezai on Tuesday. They are expected to decide on
the complaints by next week.
Dozens of opposition activists have been arrested since the protests began, while internet sites appear
to have been blocked and the media heavily restricted.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was following the situation closely. "The position of me
and the United Nations is that the genuine will of the Iranian people should be fully respected,"
he told reporters.
EU foreign ministers expressed "serious concern" and called for an inquiry into the conduct of the election,
while France and Germany each summoned their Iranian ambassadors to explain what was going on.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticised the use of "completely unacceptable" force against protesters.
"We are worried about the limitations of media coverage and we believe there should be a transparent
evaluation of the election result. There are signs of irregularities," she said.
Groups of Ahmadinejad supporters gathered outside French and British embassies in Tehran, protesting
against what they consider to be foreign interference in Iran's affairs. "We have gathered here to protest
the hidden interference of the Brits and the world, who are trying to create chaos in our country,"
one protester said.
Among the countries congratulating Mr Ahmadinejad on his victory were Iraq, Afghanistan, Venezuela
and North Korea.
Hatred, chaos and savage beatings in Tehran, CNN
Shooting reported at Moussavi protest rally, CNN
Are Arab Leaders Really So Unhappy to See Ahmadinejad Re-elected?, TIMES, June 14, 2009
Martyrs May Give Iran's Demonstrators Momentum, TIMES
Iran Protester Slain After Pro-Reform Rally, TIMES
Shots fired at huge Iran protest, BBC News
Shots have been fired at a rally in Iran where hundreds of thousands of people were demonstrating
against last week's presidential election results. Unconfirmed reports said one protester was killed
and several more were hurt when security forces opened fire. The crowd had been addressed by
beaten candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi, who believes the vote was fixed in favour of President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Mr Ahmadinejad has dismissed the claims and says the vote was fair.
The BBC's Jon Leyne, in Tehran, says Monday's rally was the biggest demonstration in the Islamic
republic's 30-year history and described it as a "political earthquake". The government had outlawed
any protest following two days of unrest, with the interior ministry warning that "any disrupter of
public security would be dealt with according to the law".
Despite this, correspondents said riot police had been watching the rally during the afternoon and had
seemed to be taking no action. But reports at 2045 local time (1615 GMT) said shots were being fired.
"There has been sporadic shooting out there... I can see people running here," Reuters quoted a reporter
of Iran's Press TV as saying from Tehran's Azadi Square. "A number of people who are armed, I don't
know exactly who they are, but they have started to fire on people causing havoc in Azadi Square."
A photographer at the scene told news agencies that security forces had killed one protester and seriously
wounded several others. He said the shooting began when the crowd attacked a compound used by a
religious militia linked to the country's powerful Revolutionary Guard. The AFP news agency reported
that police fired tear gas and groups of protestors set motorbikes alight.
Ayatollah's intervention
Earlier, the demonstrators had gathered in Tehran's Revolution Square, chanting pro-Mousavi slogans,
before marching to Azadi Square. "Mousavi we support you. We will die, but retrieve our votes," they
shouted, many wearing the green of Mousavi's election campaign. And Mr Mousavi eventually appeared,
addressing the crowd from the roof of his car. "The vote of the people is more important than Mousavi
or any other person," he told his supporters.
His wife, Zahra Rahnavard, a high-profile supporter of her husband's campaign, later said they would
keep up their protests. "We will stand until the end," she told the AFP.
The renewed protests come after Mr Mousavi and fellow defeated candidate Mohsen Rezai filed official
complaints against the election result with the Guardian Council - the country's powerful clerical group.
State television reported that supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has upheld the election result,
urged the Guardian Council to "precisely consider" the complaints. A spokesman for the 12-member
council said they would meet Mr Mousavi and Mr Rezai on Tuesday. They are expected to decide on
the complaints by next week.
Dozens of opposition activists have been arrested since the protests began, while internet sites appear
to have been blocked and the media heavily restricted.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was following the situation closely. "The position of me
and the United Nations is that the genuine will of the Iranian people should be fully respected,"
he told reporters.
EU foreign ministers expressed "serious concern" and called for an inquiry into the conduct of the election,
while France and Germany each summoned their Iranian ambassadors to explain what was going on.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticised the use of "completely unacceptable" force against protesters.
"We are worried about the limitations of media coverage and we believe there should be a transparent
evaluation of the election result. There are signs of irregularities," she said.
Groups of Ahmadinejad supporters gathered outside French and British embassies in Tehran, protesting
against what they consider to be foreign interference in Iran's affairs. "We have gathered here to protest
the hidden interference of the Brits and the world, who are trying to create chaos in our country,"
one protester said.
Among the countries congratulating Mr Ahmadinejad on his victory were Iraq, Afghanistan, Venezuela
and North Korea.
Yrys
Army.ca Veteran
- Reaction score
- 11
- Points
- 430
Obama Aide on Iran: "It's not about us", Monday, June 15, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Muted Response Reflects U.S. Diplomatic Dilemma, Washington Post
Unrest Deepens as Critics Are Detained
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran gave his first post-election news conference
in Tehran on Sunday. In a news conference, he called his re-election "real and free."
TEHRAN — Violence and acrimony over Iran’s disputed election intensified on Sunday, with word spreading
that more than 100 prominent opposition members had been detained, riots erupting in Tehran and other
cities, and the triumphant incumbent hinting that his top challenger risks punishment for questioning the
result.
Two of the three opposition candidates and a clerical group issued fresh statements requesting an
annulment of the election on Friday, which gave a lopsided victory to the incumbent, Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad, a conservative who has become a polarizing figure at home and abroad. They did
so despite a decree from Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, that the outcome was fair.
It was unclear how far Mr. Ahmadinejad’s adversaries were willing or able to go in challenging the result.
But supporters of the opposition candidates skirmished with baton-wielding riot police officers on the edges
of a government-organized victory rally in Tehran. There were also reports of riots in other Iranian cities,
and the protests were echoed by Iranians demonstrating against the election results in Washington and
in several European capitals.
Mr. Ahmadinejad dismissed the opposition’s allegations of fraud, saying that the victory had given
him a bigger mandate than ever. He criticized Mir Hussein Moussavi, the main opposition candidate
— who remained at home on Sunday with security forces closely monitoring his movements
— in a veiled statement that many here saw as a threat.
“He ran a red light, and he got a traffic ticket,” Mr. Ahmadinejad said of his rival during a news conference
at the presidential palace.
Those resisting the election results gained a potentially important new ally on Sunday when a moderate
clerical body, the Association of Combatant Clergy, issued a statement posted on reformist Web sites
saying that the vote was rigged and calling for it to be annulled. The statement warned that “if this
process becomes the norm, the republican aspect of the regime will be damaged and people will
lose confidence in the system.”
Mr. Moussavi called for the clergy to join his protest in an open letter late Saturday. It is difficult to say
how influential the statement by the association, made up of 27 moderate clerics, will be in Iran’s complex
and opaque power structure, but Ayatollah Khamenei, who has the last word on many important matters,
is sensitive to clerical opinion.
Iran’s Interior Ministry announced on Saturday that Mr. Ahmadinejad had won about 63 percent of the vote,
after a hard-fought election campaign and the rise of a broad reform-oriented opposition that clearly had
rattled Iran’s ruling elite. Opposition leaders have catalogued a list of what they call election violations
and irregularities in the vote, which most observers had expected to go to a second-round runoff.
The opposition members arrested late Saturday and Sunday were from all the major factions opposed
to Mr. Ahmadinejad and included the brother of a former president, Mohammad Khatami, opposition
Web sites reported. Some were released after several hours.
Mr. Ahmadinejad called the opposition protesters “unimportant,” comparing them to disappointed
soccer fans after a match. He suggested the accusations of fraud were the work of foreign agitators
and journalists. He also seemed to be demanding affirmation of his election’s legitimacy from other
nations, saying, “We are now asking the positions of all countries regarding the elections,
and assessing their attitude to our people.”
The international reaction that trickled out Sunday was anything but a resounding affirmation, however.
In the United States, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. said there appeared to be “some real doubt”
about the results. But he said the United States would press on with its effort to engage the Iranian
government.
Mr. Ahmadinejad’s electoral rivals appeared to be holding firm in their protest against the vote despite
the arrests and a mass crackdown on street protesters by the police and Basij militia members, many
of them wielding batons, whips and chains. Nationwide protest movements in 1999 and 2003 trailed
off after a week or so.
In a statement, Mr. Moussavi said he had asked the Guardian Council of Iran, which must certify the
election for it to be legal, to cancel the vote. He also said he was being monitored by the authorities
and was unable to join his followers. His campaign headquarters has been shuttered, he said.
Another candidate, the reformist cleric Mehdi Karroubi, echoed Mr. Moussavi’s demand for the election to be
canceled. “I am announcing again that the elections should not be allowed and the results have no legitimacy
or social standing,” Mr. Karroubi said in a statement posted on opposition Web sites. “Therefore, I do not
consider Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president of the republic.”
Mr. Ahmadinejad spoke Sunday at Valiasr Square in central Tehran, surrounded by thousands of chanting,
flag-waving voters in what was clearly intended to be a show of popular support for his victory. But the
smell of tear gas and smoke drifted over the cheering crowds. Only a few blocks away, groups of
protesters chanted their own slogans against the government, and some of them, bloodied and
screaming, could be seen running from police officers armed with clubs.
As night fell, protests resumed in nearby Vanak Square, where the rallies began Saturday, and chants
of “Bye-bye, dictator!” and “God is great!” could be heard from rooftops in several areas of the capital.
“No one led these people in the streets,” said Bashu, a 28-year-old opposition supporter who, like many
others, was afraid to give his full name. “This is the least we can do; we cannot stay at home and watch
them celebrate a fake election.”
He opened his shirt to show long, red welts on his chest where, he said, a Basij militia member had whipped
him with a chain. Next to him, a female friend dressed in a black Islamic chador stood with a bloody gash
on her forehead that she said had been inflicted by the police. “We just hope the people of the world hear
our voice,” Bashu said. “We haven’t heard from Moussavi; we hear he is under arrest.”
Opposition supporters said they were organizing a major rally to take place Monday in Tehran, though it was
not clear whether the authorities would permit it.
The pro-Ahmadinejad rally on Sunday afternoon took place in an atmosphere of extraordinary tension, with
riot police officers forming barricades around Valiasr Square and beating people visibly identified with the
opposition before they could enter. But inside the barriers, a number of opposition supporters approached
a reporter, saying, “They stole the election” or “It is all lies” before scurrying back into the crowd. The rally
also rendered starkly visible the bitter class and cultural divisions that lie behind the disputed election.
Mr. Ahmadinejad’s supporters, many of them poor and devout, view the opposition as arrogant and
irreligious. “They are traitors,” said Soraya Parvaie, 20, a student. “Our people are still awake,
because of our revolution 30 years ago, and we will defend this revolution with our last blood.”
Another young woman nearby, apparently an opposition supporter, disagreed. “It wasn’t an election,
he was just named,” she said. Instantly, two older women in traditional Islamic dress who were
standing nearby began cursing and shoving the first woman, who ran away. “She would like to take
off her head scarf, that’s why she says such things,” said one of the women who had chased her
away. “She benefits from the country’s wealth, look at her.”
Not far away, in the surging crowd in Valiasr Square, other Ahmadinejad supporters, many carrying
banners and flags, angrily defended their president as an incorruptible champion of the poor. Most
said they could not believe the election had been stolen. “He is the only one since the revolution who
wants to work for the common people,” said Amir Mallikian, a 28-year-old civil engineer. “He cares
about those who are weak in our society. He is not afraid of any foreign power, not even of powers
inside the country.”
Muted Response Reflects U.S. Diplomatic Dilemma, Washington Post
Unrest Deepens as Critics Are Detained
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran gave his first post-election news conference
in Tehran on Sunday. In a news conference, he called his re-election "real and free."
TEHRAN — Violence and acrimony over Iran’s disputed election intensified on Sunday, with word spreading
that more than 100 prominent opposition members had been detained, riots erupting in Tehran and other
cities, and the triumphant incumbent hinting that his top challenger risks punishment for questioning the
result.
Two of the three opposition candidates and a clerical group issued fresh statements requesting an
annulment of the election on Friday, which gave a lopsided victory to the incumbent, Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad, a conservative who has become a polarizing figure at home and abroad. They did
so despite a decree from Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, that the outcome was fair.
It was unclear how far Mr. Ahmadinejad’s adversaries were willing or able to go in challenging the result.
But supporters of the opposition candidates skirmished with baton-wielding riot police officers on the edges
of a government-organized victory rally in Tehran. There were also reports of riots in other Iranian cities,
and the protests were echoed by Iranians demonstrating against the election results in Washington and
in several European capitals.
Mr. Ahmadinejad dismissed the opposition’s allegations of fraud, saying that the victory had given
him a bigger mandate than ever. He criticized Mir Hussein Moussavi, the main opposition candidate
— who remained at home on Sunday with security forces closely monitoring his movements
— in a veiled statement that many here saw as a threat.
“He ran a red light, and he got a traffic ticket,” Mr. Ahmadinejad said of his rival during a news conference
at the presidential palace.
Those resisting the election results gained a potentially important new ally on Sunday when a moderate
clerical body, the Association of Combatant Clergy, issued a statement posted on reformist Web sites
saying that the vote was rigged and calling for it to be annulled. The statement warned that “if this
process becomes the norm, the republican aspect of the regime will be damaged and people will
lose confidence in the system.”
Mr. Moussavi called for the clergy to join his protest in an open letter late Saturday. It is difficult to say
how influential the statement by the association, made up of 27 moderate clerics, will be in Iran’s complex
and opaque power structure, but Ayatollah Khamenei, who has the last word on many important matters,
is sensitive to clerical opinion.
Iran’s Interior Ministry announced on Saturday that Mr. Ahmadinejad had won about 63 percent of the vote,
after a hard-fought election campaign and the rise of a broad reform-oriented opposition that clearly had
rattled Iran’s ruling elite. Opposition leaders have catalogued a list of what they call election violations
and irregularities in the vote, which most observers had expected to go to a second-round runoff.
The opposition members arrested late Saturday and Sunday were from all the major factions opposed
to Mr. Ahmadinejad and included the brother of a former president, Mohammad Khatami, opposition
Web sites reported. Some were released after several hours.
Mr. Ahmadinejad called the opposition protesters “unimportant,” comparing them to disappointed
soccer fans after a match. He suggested the accusations of fraud were the work of foreign agitators
and journalists. He also seemed to be demanding affirmation of his election’s legitimacy from other
nations, saying, “We are now asking the positions of all countries regarding the elections,
and assessing their attitude to our people.”
The international reaction that trickled out Sunday was anything but a resounding affirmation, however.
In the United States, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. said there appeared to be “some real doubt”
about the results. But he said the United States would press on with its effort to engage the Iranian
government.
Mr. Ahmadinejad’s electoral rivals appeared to be holding firm in their protest against the vote despite
the arrests and a mass crackdown on street protesters by the police and Basij militia members, many
of them wielding batons, whips and chains. Nationwide protest movements in 1999 and 2003 trailed
off after a week or so.
In a statement, Mr. Moussavi said he had asked the Guardian Council of Iran, which must certify the
election for it to be legal, to cancel the vote. He also said he was being monitored by the authorities
and was unable to join his followers. His campaign headquarters has been shuttered, he said.
Another candidate, the reformist cleric Mehdi Karroubi, echoed Mr. Moussavi’s demand for the election to be
canceled. “I am announcing again that the elections should not be allowed and the results have no legitimacy
or social standing,” Mr. Karroubi said in a statement posted on opposition Web sites. “Therefore, I do not
consider Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president of the republic.”
Mr. Ahmadinejad spoke Sunday at Valiasr Square in central Tehran, surrounded by thousands of chanting,
flag-waving voters in what was clearly intended to be a show of popular support for his victory. But the
smell of tear gas and smoke drifted over the cheering crowds. Only a few blocks away, groups of
protesters chanted their own slogans against the government, and some of them, bloodied and
screaming, could be seen running from police officers armed with clubs.
As night fell, protests resumed in nearby Vanak Square, where the rallies began Saturday, and chants
of “Bye-bye, dictator!” and “God is great!” could be heard from rooftops in several areas of the capital.
“No one led these people in the streets,” said Bashu, a 28-year-old opposition supporter who, like many
others, was afraid to give his full name. “This is the least we can do; we cannot stay at home and watch
them celebrate a fake election.”
He opened his shirt to show long, red welts on his chest where, he said, a Basij militia member had whipped
him with a chain. Next to him, a female friend dressed in a black Islamic chador stood with a bloody gash
on her forehead that she said had been inflicted by the police. “We just hope the people of the world hear
our voice,” Bashu said. “We haven’t heard from Moussavi; we hear he is under arrest.”
Opposition supporters said they were organizing a major rally to take place Monday in Tehran, though it was
not clear whether the authorities would permit it.
The pro-Ahmadinejad rally on Sunday afternoon took place in an atmosphere of extraordinary tension, with
riot police officers forming barricades around Valiasr Square and beating people visibly identified with the
opposition before they could enter. But inside the barriers, a number of opposition supporters approached
a reporter, saying, “They stole the election” or “It is all lies” before scurrying back into the crowd. The rally
also rendered starkly visible the bitter class and cultural divisions that lie behind the disputed election.
Mr. Ahmadinejad’s supporters, many of them poor and devout, view the opposition as arrogant and
irreligious. “They are traitors,” said Soraya Parvaie, 20, a student. “Our people are still awake,
because of our revolution 30 years ago, and we will defend this revolution with our last blood.”
Another young woman nearby, apparently an opposition supporter, disagreed. “It wasn’t an election,
he was just named,” she said. Instantly, two older women in traditional Islamic dress who were
standing nearby began cursing and shoving the first woman, who ran away. “She would like to take
off her head scarf, that’s why she says such things,” said one of the women who had chased her
away. “She benefits from the country’s wealth, look at her.”
Not far away, in the surging crowd in Valiasr Square, other Ahmadinejad supporters, many carrying
banners and flags, angrily defended their president as an incorruptible champion of the poor. Most
said they could not believe the election had been stolen. “He is the only one since the revolution who
wants to work for the common people,” said Amir Mallikian, a 28-year-old civil engineer. “He cares
about those who are weak in our society. He is not afraid of any foreign power, not even of powers
inside the country.”
Yrys
Army.ca Veteran
- Reaction score
- 11
- Points
- 430
Updates on Iran’s Disputed Election, NY Times
Could Ayatullah Khamenei Be Vulnerable?, TIMES
Top Cleric (Khamenei) Calls for Inquiry as Protesters Defy Ban in Iran
TEHRAN — Hundreds of thousands of people marched in silence through central Tehran on Monday
to protest Iran’s disputed presidential election in an extraordinary show of defiance that appeared
to be the largest anti-government demonstration in Iran since the 1979 revolution. The march
began hours after Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called for a inquiry into
opposition claims that the election was rigged in favor of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The ayatollah’s call — announced every 15 minutes on Iranian state radio throughout the day
— was the first sign that Iran’s top leadership might be rethinking its position on the election.
Mr. Khamenei announced Saturday that the election results showing a landslide victory for
Mr. Ahmadinejad were fair, but on Sunday he met with Mir Hussein Moussavi, the former
prime minister and moderate who was the main opposition candidate, to listen
to his concerns.
As evening fell, Iranian state television reported that shots had been fired at protesters, and
The Associated Press reported that the gunfire had apparently come after a group of demonstrators
with fuel canisters attempted to set fire to the compound of a volunteer militia linked to Iran’s
powerful Revolutionary Guard. At least one person was reported to have been killed. It was
impossible to independently confirm these reports, which came after a day during which government
security forces stood by at the edges of the avenues, allowing the demonstrators to stream past.
The silent march was a deliberate and striking contrast with the chaos of the past few days, when
riot police sprayed tear gas and wielded clubs to disperse scattered bands of angry and frightened
young people. In Isfahan, south of the capital, more violence broke out on Monday, with police
attacking a crowd of several thousand opposition protesters with sticks and tear gas, and rioters
setting fires in parts of the city.
The broad river of people in Tehran — young and old, dressed in traditional Islamic gowns and
the latest Western fashions — marched slowly from Revolution Square to Freedom Square for
more than three hours, many of them wearing the signature bright green ribbons of Mr. Moussavi’s
campaign, and holding up their hands in victory signs. When the occasional shout or chant went up,
the crowd quickly hushed them, and some held up signs bearing the word “silence.”
“These people are not seeking a revolution,” said Ali Reza, a young actor in a brown T-shirt who
stood for a moment watching on the rally’s sidelines. “We don’t want this regime to fall. We want
our votes to be counted, because we want reforms, we want kindness, we want friendship with
the world.”
Mr. Moussavi, who had called for the rally Sunday but never received official permission for it,
joined the crowd, as did Mohammad Khatami, the reformist former president. But the crowd was
so vast, and communications had been so sporadic — the authorities have cut off phone and text-
messaging services repeatedly in recent days — that many marchers seemed unaware they were
there.
“We don’t really have a leader,” said Mahdiye, a 20-year-old student. “Moussavi wants to do something,
but they won’t let him. It is dangerous for him, and we don’t want to lose him. We don’t know how far
this will go.”
The protesters said they would continue, with another major rally planned for Tuesday. But it was too soon
to tell whether Mr. Khamenei’s decision to launch a probe, or the government’s decision to let the silent rally
proceed, would change the election results. Many in the crowd said they believed the government was simply
buying time, and hoping the protests would dissipate, as smaller protest movements have in 1999 and 2003.
“Anything is possible,” said Hamid, a 50-year-old financial adviser who, like many protesters, declined to
give his last name because he feared repercussions. “If the people insist on this movement, if it continues
here and in other parts of Iran, the pressure will build — and maybe Ahmedinejad will be forced to resign.”
In Washington, a State Department spokesman, Ian Kelly, said the United States is “deeply troubled” by the
unrest in Iran and is concerned about allegations of ballot fraud. But he stopped short of condemning the
Iran security forces for cracking down on demonstrators and said Washington does not know whether the
allegations of fraud are, in fact, true.
In Moscow, meanwhile, an official at the Iranian Embassy said that Mr. Ahmadinejad had delayed a visit
to Russia that was to have started Monday. The meeting, in Yekaterinburg, is of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization that includes Russia, China and four Central Asian countries. He now plans to travel on Tuesday,
the official said.
As concern about the vote spread among Western governments, the European Union’s 27 member states
planned to issue a joint call on Iran to clarify the election outcome, Reuters reported. The French government
summoned the Iranian ambassador to register concern about the fairness of the vote, and Germany planned
to follow suit.
The Spanish foreign minister, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, told reporters in Luxembourg, “There is a need
to clarify the situation and to express our concern that a sector of the population are having difficulties
in expressing its opinion.” In Berlin, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany called for a “transparent
examination” of reports of irregularities.
The United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, said he had been “closely following the situation”
and welcomed the announcement that there would be some manner of investigation. “The genuine will
of the Iranian people should be fully respected,” he said.
Earlier, Reuters said stick-wielding supporters of Mr. Ahmadinejad clashed with marching backers of
Mr. Moussavi. Other reports said some of Mr. Ahmadinejad’s followers paraded outside the British
and French Embassies in Tehran following remarks by political leaders in London and Paris casting
doubt on the Iranian leadership’s conduct.
There were reports of considerable violence overnight on Sunday, as opposition Web sites reported that
security forces raided a dormitory at Tehran University and 15 people were injured. Between 150 and
200 students were arrested, by these accounts, but there was no immediate confirmation of the incident
from the authorities. There were also reports of official action against students in the cities of Esfahan,
Shiraz and Tabriz.
Iran’s Interior Ministry announced on Saturday that Mr. Ahmadinejad had won about 63 percent of the vote,
after a hard-fought election campaign and the rise of a broad reform-oriented opposition that clearly had
rattled Iran’s ruling elite. Opposition leaders have catalogued a list of what they call election violations
and irregularities in the vote, which most observers had expected to go to a second-round runoff.
Opposition members from all the major factions were arrested late Saturday and Sunday and included
the brother of a former president, Mohammad Khatami, opposition Web sites reported. Some were
released after several hours.
In a press conference on Sunday, Mr. Ahmadinejad had dismissed the protesters as soccer hooligans
who had lost a match, in a comment that appears to have stoked their determination.
“People feel really insulted, and nothing is worse than that,” said Azi, a 48-year-old woman in an elegant
yellow headscarf who participated in the massive Monday rally. “We won’t let the regime buy time,
we will hold another march tomorrow.”
At nightfall, large numbers of Tehranis took to their roofs for a second night, chanting “God is great!”
and “Death to the dictator!” in neighborhoods across the city. The A.P., quoting residents, also reported
that shooting was also heard in three districts of wealthy northern Tehran.
Reporting was contributed by Clifford J. Levy from Moscow, Alan Cowell from Paris,
Sharon Otterman from New York, Victor Homola from Berlin, and Neil MacFarquhar
from the United Nations.
Could Ayatullah Khamenei Be Vulnerable?, TIMES
Top Cleric (Khamenei) Calls for Inquiry as Protesters Defy Ban in Iran
TEHRAN — Hundreds of thousands of people marched in silence through central Tehran on Monday
to protest Iran’s disputed presidential election in an extraordinary show of defiance that appeared
to be the largest anti-government demonstration in Iran since the 1979 revolution. The march
began hours after Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called for a inquiry into
opposition claims that the election was rigged in favor of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The ayatollah’s call — announced every 15 minutes on Iranian state radio throughout the day
— was the first sign that Iran’s top leadership might be rethinking its position on the election.
Mr. Khamenei announced Saturday that the election results showing a landslide victory for
Mr. Ahmadinejad were fair, but on Sunday he met with Mir Hussein Moussavi, the former
prime minister and moderate who was the main opposition candidate, to listen
to his concerns.
As evening fell, Iranian state television reported that shots had been fired at protesters, and
The Associated Press reported that the gunfire had apparently come after a group of demonstrators
with fuel canisters attempted to set fire to the compound of a volunteer militia linked to Iran’s
powerful Revolutionary Guard. At least one person was reported to have been killed. It was
impossible to independently confirm these reports, which came after a day during which government
security forces stood by at the edges of the avenues, allowing the demonstrators to stream past.
The silent march was a deliberate and striking contrast with the chaos of the past few days, when
riot police sprayed tear gas and wielded clubs to disperse scattered bands of angry and frightened
young people. In Isfahan, south of the capital, more violence broke out on Monday, with police
attacking a crowd of several thousand opposition protesters with sticks and tear gas, and rioters
setting fires in parts of the city.
The broad river of people in Tehran — young and old, dressed in traditional Islamic gowns and
the latest Western fashions — marched slowly from Revolution Square to Freedom Square for
more than three hours, many of them wearing the signature bright green ribbons of Mr. Moussavi’s
campaign, and holding up their hands in victory signs. When the occasional shout or chant went up,
the crowd quickly hushed them, and some held up signs bearing the word “silence.”
“These people are not seeking a revolution,” said Ali Reza, a young actor in a brown T-shirt who
stood for a moment watching on the rally’s sidelines. “We don’t want this regime to fall. We want
our votes to be counted, because we want reforms, we want kindness, we want friendship with
the world.”
Mr. Moussavi, who had called for the rally Sunday but never received official permission for it,
joined the crowd, as did Mohammad Khatami, the reformist former president. But the crowd was
so vast, and communications had been so sporadic — the authorities have cut off phone and text-
messaging services repeatedly in recent days — that many marchers seemed unaware they were
there.
“We don’t really have a leader,” said Mahdiye, a 20-year-old student. “Moussavi wants to do something,
but they won’t let him. It is dangerous for him, and we don’t want to lose him. We don’t know how far
this will go.”
The protesters said they would continue, with another major rally planned for Tuesday. But it was too soon
to tell whether Mr. Khamenei’s decision to launch a probe, or the government’s decision to let the silent rally
proceed, would change the election results. Many in the crowd said they believed the government was simply
buying time, and hoping the protests would dissipate, as smaller protest movements have in 1999 and 2003.
“Anything is possible,” said Hamid, a 50-year-old financial adviser who, like many protesters, declined to
give his last name because he feared repercussions. “If the people insist on this movement, if it continues
here and in other parts of Iran, the pressure will build — and maybe Ahmedinejad will be forced to resign.”
In Washington, a State Department spokesman, Ian Kelly, said the United States is “deeply troubled” by the
unrest in Iran and is concerned about allegations of ballot fraud. But he stopped short of condemning the
Iran security forces for cracking down on demonstrators and said Washington does not know whether the
allegations of fraud are, in fact, true.
In Moscow, meanwhile, an official at the Iranian Embassy said that Mr. Ahmadinejad had delayed a visit
to Russia that was to have started Monday. The meeting, in Yekaterinburg, is of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization that includes Russia, China and four Central Asian countries. He now plans to travel on Tuesday,
the official said.
As concern about the vote spread among Western governments, the European Union’s 27 member states
planned to issue a joint call on Iran to clarify the election outcome, Reuters reported. The French government
summoned the Iranian ambassador to register concern about the fairness of the vote, and Germany planned
to follow suit.
The Spanish foreign minister, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, told reporters in Luxembourg, “There is a need
to clarify the situation and to express our concern that a sector of the population are having difficulties
in expressing its opinion.” In Berlin, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany called for a “transparent
examination” of reports of irregularities.
The United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, said he had been “closely following the situation”
and welcomed the announcement that there would be some manner of investigation. “The genuine will
of the Iranian people should be fully respected,” he said.
Earlier, Reuters said stick-wielding supporters of Mr. Ahmadinejad clashed with marching backers of
Mr. Moussavi. Other reports said some of Mr. Ahmadinejad’s followers paraded outside the British
and French Embassies in Tehran following remarks by political leaders in London and Paris casting
doubt on the Iranian leadership’s conduct.
There were reports of considerable violence overnight on Sunday, as opposition Web sites reported that
security forces raided a dormitory at Tehran University and 15 people were injured. Between 150 and
200 students were arrested, by these accounts, but there was no immediate confirmation of the incident
from the authorities. There were also reports of official action against students in the cities of Esfahan,
Shiraz and Tabriz.
Iran’s Interior Ministry announced on Saturday that Mr. Ahmadinejad had won about 63 percent of the vote,
after a hard-fought election campaign and the rise of a broad reform-oriented opposition that clearly had
rattled Iran’s ruling elite. Opposition leaders have catalogued a list of what they call election violations
and irregularities in the vote, which most observers had expected to go to a second-round runoff.
Opposition members from all the major factions were arrested late Saturday and Sunday and included
the brother of a former president, Mohammad Khatami, opposition Web sites reported. Some were
released after several hours.
In a press conference on Sunday, Mr. Ahmadinejad had dismissed the protesters as soccer hooligans
who had lost a match, in a comment that appears to have stoked their determination.
“People feel really insulted, and nothing is worse than that,” said Azi, a 48-year-old woman in an elegant
yellow headscarf who participated in the massive Monday rally. “We won’t let the regime buy time,
we will hold another march tomorrow.”
At nightfall, large numbers of Tehranis took to their roofs for a second night, chanting “God is great!”
and “Death to the dictator!” in neighborhoods across the city. The A.P., quoting residents, also reported
that shooting was also heard in three districts of wealthy northern Tehran.
Reporting was contributed by Clifford J. Levy from Moscow, Alan Cowell from Paris,
Sharon Otterman from New York, Victor Homola from Berlin, and Neil MacFarquhar
from the United Nations.
Yrys
Army.ca Veteran
- Reaction score
- 11
- Points
- 430
Real-Time Criticism of CNN’s Iran Coverage, NY Times
Cable news normally serves as the front line for breaking news, but the channels largely took
the weekend off as Tehran exploded in protests after Iran’s presidential election. The performance
of the American cable news, especially CNN, spawned an online protest by thousands on Saturday
and Sunday, showing that viewers can try to pressure news organizations about their coverage in
real time via the Internet. Fox News Channel and MSNBC also were said to have covered the protests
in limited ways.
Protesters’ comments on Twitter were quickly noticed by CNN, which defended its coverage. The social
networking blog Mashable said Twitter was acting as a “media watchdog.” CNN had reports from Tehran
throughout Saturday, including some from Christiane Amanpour, its chief international correspondent.
But it did not provide the kind of wall-to-wall coverage that some had expected. It was a departure for
CNN, known for its breaking news coverage, including its celebrated reporting during the Tiananmen
Square crackdown 20 years ago. But the Tehran protests were not covered with rolling live coverage
for hours at a time.
Untold thousands used the label “CNNfail” on Twitter to vent their frustrations. Steve LaBate, an Atlanta
resident, said on Twitter, “Why aren’t you covering this with everything you’ve got?” About the same time,
CNN was showing a repeat of Larry King’s interview of the stars of the “American Chopper” show.
For a time, new criticisms were being added on Twitter at least once a second.
Andrew Sullivan, a blogger for The Atlantic, wrote, “There’s a reason the MSM is in trouble,” using the
blogosphere abbreviation for mainstream media.
CNN said, “We share people’s expectations of CNN and have delivered far more coverage of the Iranian
election and aftermath than any other network.”
Journalists in Tehran were working in difficult and sometimes dangerous conditions. The BBC said its
correspondent John Simpson and a camera operator had been briefly arrested after filming in the streets.
Jim Sciutto, an ABC News correspondent in Tehran, said that the police had confiscated a camera and
footage. “We are shooting protests and police violence on our cellphones,” he wrote on Twitter.
Some Americans relied on British networks. A report from Channel 4 was spread widely on the Internet.
In the video, the correspondent Lindsey Hilsum said of Iran, “I feel like I went to sleep in one country
and woke up in another.”
BRIAN STELTER
Cable news normally serves as the front line for breaking news, but the channels largely took
the weekend off as Tehran exploded in protests after Iran’s presidential election. The performance
of the American cable news, especially CNN, spawned an online protest by thousands on Saturday
and Sunday, showing that viewers can try to pressure news organizations about their coverage in
real time via the Internet. Fox News Channel and MSNBC also were said to have covered the protests
in limited ways.
Protesters’ comments on Twitter were quickly noticed by CNN, which defended its coverage. The social
networking blog Mashable said Twitter was acting as a “media watchdog.” CNN had reports from Tehran
throughout Saturday, including some from Christiane Amanpour, its chief international correspondent.
But it did not provide the kind of wall-to-wall coverage that some had expected. It was a departure for
CNN, known for its breaking news coverage, including its celebrated reporting during the Tiananmen
Square crackdown 20 years ago. But the Tehran protests were not covered with rolling live coverage
for hours at a time.
Untold thousands used the label “CNNfail” on Twitter to vent their frustrations. Steve LaBate, an Atlanta
resident, said on Twitter, “Why aren’t you covering this with everything you’ve got?” About the same time,
CNN was showing a repeat of Larry King’s interview of the stars of the “American Chopper” show.
For a time, new criticisms were being added on Twitter at least once a second.
Andrew Sullivan, a blogger for The Atlantic, wrote, “There’s a reason the MSM is in trouble,” using the
blogosphere abbreviation for mainstream media.
CNN said, “We share people’s expectations of CNN and have delivered far more coverage of the Iranian
election and aftermath than any other network.”
Journalists in Tehran were working in difficult and sometimes dangerous conditions. The BBC said its
correspondent John Simpson and a camera operator had been briefly arrested after filming in the streets.
Jim Sciutto, an ABC News correspondent in Tehran, said that the police had confiscated a camera and
footage. “We are shooting protests and police violence on our cellphones,” he wrote on Twitter.
Some Americans relied on British networks. A report from Channel 4 was spread widely on the Internet.
In the video, the correspondent Lindsey Hilsum said of Iran, “I feel like I went to sleep in one country
and woke up in another.”
BRIAN STELTER
Yrys
Army.ca Veteran
- Reaction score
- 11
- Points
- 430
Leader Emerges With Stronger Hand
TEHRAN — The jokes among Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s detractors are legion. In one, he looks in the mirror
and says, “Male lice to the right, female lice to the left.” In the West, one American tabloid rarely misses
a chance to refer to him as “Evil Madman” and in the days before his re-election here he was taunted
as a “monkey” and as a “midget.”
But the Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who was announced winner of a second four-year term this week is no
cartoon character. Whether his 63 percent victory is truly the will of the people or the result of fraud,
it demonstrated that Mr. Ahmadinejad is the shrewd and ruthless front man for a clerical, military
and political elite that is more unified and emboldened than at any time since the 1979 revolution.
As president, Mr. Ahmadinejad is subordinate to the country’s true authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei, who commands final say over all matters of state and faith. With this election, Mr. Khamenei
and his protégé appear to have neutralized for now the reform forces that they saw as a threat to their
power, political analysts said.
“This will change the face of the Islamic Republic forever,” said one well-connected Iranian, who like most
of those interviewed declined to be named in the current tense climate. “Ahmadinejad will claim an absolute
mandate, meaning he has no need to compromise.” When he was first elected president in 2005,
Mr. Ahmadinejad showed his fealty to the leader, gently bending over and kissing his hand.
On Saturday, the leader demonstrated his own enthusiasm for the re-elected president, hailing
the outcome as “a divine blessing” even before the official three-day challenge period had passed.
On Sunday, Mr. Ahmadinejad flaunted his achievement by mounting a celebration rally in the heart
of an opposition neighborhood of Tehran, and holding a victory news conference where he scorned
the West and made a joke out of his main opponent’s quasi-house arrest. Commenting on the
Obama administration’s conciliatory overtures, he also suggested that his willingness to reconcile
with foreign governments would depend on their willingness to swallow his disputed election.
Asked about speculation that in his second term he would take a more moderate line, he smirked,
“It’s not true. I’m going to be more and more solid.” He can afford to be. With the backing of the
supreme leader and the military establishment, he has marginalized all of the major figures who
represented a challenge to the vision of Iran as a permanently revolutionary Islamic state.
In many ways, his victory is the latest and perhaps final clash in a battle for power and influence
that has lasted decades between Mr. Khamenei and Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the former president
who, while loyal to the Islamic form of government, wanted a more pragmatic approach to the economy,
international relations and social conditions at home.
Mr. Rafsanjani aligned himself and his family closely with the main reform candidate in this race,
Mir Hussein Moussavi, a former prime minister who advocated greater freedom — in particular, greater
freedom for women — and a more conciliatory face to the West. Another former president and pragmatist,
Mohammed Khatami, had also thrown in heavily with Mr. Moussavi. The three men, combined with
widespread public support and disillusionment with Mr. Ahmadinejad, posed a challenge to the authority
of the supreme leader and his allies, political analysts said.
The elite Revolutionary Guards and a good part of the intelligence services “feel very much threatened
by the reformist movement,” said a political analyst who asked not to be identified for fear of retribution.
“They feel that the reformists will open up to the West and be lenient on the nuclear issue,” he said.
“It is a confrontation of two ways of thinking, the revolutionary and the internationalist. It is a question
of power.”
Since the vote was announced Saturday, Mr. Moussavi has been the hero of seething antigovernment protests
in Tehran, but so far they have been contained by legions of riot police officers and hampered by a shutdown
of that critical organizing tool, text-messaging. Mr. Moussavi said he was being “closely monitored” in his
home, but hoped to speak at a rally on Monday.
“He ran a red light, and he got a traffic ticket,” Mr. Ahmadinejad quipped when asked about his rival.
Unless the street protests achieve unexpected momentum, the election could cast the pro-reform classes
— especially the better off and better educated — back into a state of passive disillusionment, some
opposition figures said. “I don’t think the middle class is ever going to go out and vote again,” one Moussavi
supporter lamented.
When he first caught the West’s attention, Mr. Ahmadinejad had been plucked from an obscure provincial
governorship and made mayor of Tehran. There he established himself as a promising populist politician.
He refused to use the mayor’s big car or occupy the mayor’s grand office. He didn’t accept his salary.
Four years ago, the supreme leader anointed him as the fundamentalist presidential alternative to
two candidates the leader thought less reliable, Mr. Rafsanjani and Mehdi Karroubi, a former speaker
of Parliament. (Mr. Karroubi, a reformist cleric, tried again in this election, and on Friday was humiliated
by the announcement that he had come in fifth in a field of four — after the invalidated ballots.)
Although his first election was marred by allegations of cheating, Mr. Ahmadinejad was credited with being
genuinely street smart. He roused crowds with vague attacks on the corruption of the elite, with promises
of a vast redistribution of wealth, and with appeals to Iranian pride. By playing to the Muslim world’s feelings
of victimization by the West and hatred of Israel, he won adulation on the Arab street even as Arab leaders
often disdained him, and that in turn earned him credibility at home.
“The old generation of the Islamic Revolution was going to die off,” said one Iranian analyst. “We thought they
would inevitably give way to the reformers. But they found Ahmadinejad, and he was a wise choice. He was
a new breed of populist — a new breed of demagogue.” He is the son of an iron worker, a traffic engineer
by education, but political analysts said that he might have been molded most by his experience in the
Revolutionary Guards.
As president he has presided over a time of rising inflation and unemployment, but has pumped oil revenues
into the budget, sustaining a semblance of growth and buying good will among civil servants, the military
and the retired. More important, he has consolidated the various arms of power that answer ultimately
to the supreme leader. The Revolutionary Guards — the military elite — was given license to expand into
new areas, including the oil industry and other businesses such as shipbuilding.
The Guardian Council, which oversees elections, had its budget increased 15-fold under Mr. Ahmadinejad.
The council has presided over not only Friday’s outcome, but over parliamentary majorities loyal to
Mr. Ahmadinejad. For a time, it appeared that he was losing the favor of the supreme leader. Under
Mr. Ahmadinejad, Iran was hit with sanctions by the United Nations Security Council, inflation and
unemployment soared and unrest was rising at home as social restrictions were increased. Two of
his own ministers quit, criticizing his management of the state, and Parliament discussed the prospect
of impeachment.
The president seemed to stumble often. He raised tensions with the West when he told a United Nations
General Assembly that he rejected the post-World War II order. He was mocked when he said at Columbia
University in 2007 that there was not a single gay person in Iran. In April, nearly two dozen diplomats
from the European Union walked out of a conference in Geneva after he disparaged Israel.
But political analysts said that back home, the supreme leader approved, seeing confrontation with the West
as helpful in keeping alive his revolutionary ideology, and his base of power. President Obama’s conciliatory
tone toward Iran, some Iranians believe, threatened to relax Iranian vigilance and the powerful forces to
defend it.
Mr. Obama has made clear he still intends to explore an opening to Iran, though the questions of
Mr. Ahmadinejad’s legitimacy and the consolidation of hard-line power could complicate his strategy.
“The coming period will not be an easy one,” said Gamal Abdel Gawad, director of the international relations
section at the Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo. “Any change will be slow and difficult
because we have an elite that is very much united in its hard-line orientation.”
TEHRAN — The jokes among Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s detractors are legion. In one, he looks in the mirror
and says, “Male lice to the right, female lice to the left.” In the West, one American tabloid rarely misses
a chance to refer to him as “Evil Madman” and in the days before his re-election here he was taunted
as a “monkey” and as a “midget.”
But the Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who was announced winner of a second four-year term this week is no
cartoon character. Whether his 63 percent victory is truly the will of the people or the result of fraud,
it demonstrated that Mr. Ahmadinejad is the shrewd and ruthless front man for a clerical, military
and political elite that is more unified and emboldened than at any time since the 1979 revolution.
As president, Mr. Ahmadinejad is subordinate to the country’s true authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei, who commands final say over all matters of state and faith. With this election, Mr. Khamenei
and his protégé appear to have neutralized for now the reform forces that they saw as a threat to their
power, political analysts said.
“This will change the face of the Islamic Republic forever,” said one well-connected Iranian, who like most
of those interviewed declined to be named in the current tense climate. “Ahmadinejad will claim an absolute
mandate, meaning he has no need to compromise.” When he was first elected president in 2005,
Mr. Ahmadinejad showed his fealty to the leader, gently bending over and kissing his hand.
On Saturday, the leader demonstrated his own enthusiasm for the re-elected president, hailing
the outcome as “a divine blessing” even before the official three-day challenge period had passed.
On Sunday, Mr. Ahmadinejad flaunted his achievement by mounting a celebration rally in the heart
of an opposition neighborhood of Tehran, and holding a victory news conference where he scorned
the West and made a joke out of his main opponent’s quasi-house arrest. Commenting on the
Obama administration’s conciliatory overtures, he also suggested that his willingness to reconcile
with foreign governments would depend on their willingness to swallow his disputed election.
Asked about speculation that in his second term he would take a more moderate line, he smirked,
“It’s not true. I’m going to be more and more solid.” He can afford to be. With the backing of the
supreme leader and the military establishment, he has marginalized all of the major figures who
represented a challenge to the vision of Iran as a permanently revolutionary Islamic state.
In many ways, his victory is the latest and perhaps final clash in a battle for power and influence
that has lasted decades between Mr. Khamenei and Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the former president
who, while loyal to the Islamic form of government, wanted a more pragmatic approach to the economy,
international relations and social conditions at home.
Mr. Rafsanjani aligned himself and his family closely with the main reform candidate in this race,
Mir Hussein Moussavi, a former prime minister who advocated greater freedom — in particular, greater
freedom for women — and a more conciliatory face to the West. Another former president and pragmatist,
Mohammed Khatami, had also thrown in heavily with Mr. Moussavi. The three men, combined with
widespread public support and disillusionment with Mr. Ahmadinejad, posed a challenge to the authority
of the supreme leader and his allies, political analysts said.
The elite Revolutionary Guards and a good part of the intelligence services “feel very much threatened
by the reformist movement,” said a political analyst who asked not to be identified for fear of retribution.
“They feel that the reformists will open up to the West and be lenient on the nuclear issue,” he said.
“It is a confrontation of two ways of thinking, the revolutionary and the internationalist. It is a question
of power.”
Since the vote was announced Saturday, Mr. Moussavi has been the hero of seething antigovernment protests
in Tehran, but so far they have been contained by legions of riot police officers and hampered by a shutdown
of that critical organizing tool, text-messaging. Mr. Moussavi said he was being “closely monitored” in his
home, but hoped to speak at a rally on Monday.
“He ran a red light, and he got a traffic ticket,” Mr. Ahmadinejad quipped when asked about his rival.
Unless the street protests achieve unexpected momentum, the election could cast the pro-reform classes
— especially the better off and better educated — back into a state of passive disillusionment, some
opposition figures said. “I don’t think the middle class is ever going to go out and vote again,” one Moussavi
supporter lamented.
When he first caught the West’s attention, Mr. Ahmadinejad had been plucked from an obscure provincial
governorship and made mayor of Tehran. There he established himself as a promising populist politician.
He refused to use the mayor’s big car or occupy the mayor’s grand office. He didn’t accept his salary.
Four years ago, the supreme leader anointed him as the fundamentalist presidential alternative to
two candidates the leader thought less reliable, Mr. Rafsanjani and Mehdi Karroubi, a former speaker
of Parliament. (Mr. Karroubi, a reformist cleric, tried again in this election, and on Friday was humiliated
by the announcement that he had come in fifth in a field of four — after the invalidated ballots.)
Although his first election was marred by allegations of cheating, Mr. Ahmadinejad was credited with being
genuinely street smart. He roused crowds with vague attacks on the corruption of the elite, with promises
of a vast redistribution of wealth, and with appeals to Iranian pride. By playing to the Muslim world’s feelings
of victimization by the West and hatred of Israel, he won adulation on the Arab street even as Arab leaders
often disdained him, and that in turn earned him credibility at home.
“The old generation of the Islamic Revolution was going to die off,” said one Iranian analyst. “We thought they
would inevitably give way to the reformers. But they found Ahmadinejad, and he was a wise choice. He was
a new breed of populist — a new breed of demagogue.” He is the son of an iron worker, a traffic engineer
by education, but political analysts said that he might have been molded most by his experience in the
Revolutionary Guards.
As president he has presided over a time of rising inflation and unemployment, but has pumped oil revenues
into the budget, sustaining a semblance of growth and buying good will among civil servants, the military
and the retired. More important, he has consolidated the various arms of power that answer ultimately
to the supreme leader. The Revolutionary Guards — the military elite — was given license to expand into
new areas, including the oil industry and other businesses such as shipbuilding.
The Guardian Council, which oversees elections, had its budget increased 15-fold under Mr. Ahmadinejad.
The council has presided over not only Friday’s outcome, but over parliamentary majorities loyal to
Mr. Ahmadinejad. For a time, it appeared that he was losing the favor of the supreme leader. Under
Mr. Ahmadinejad, Iran was hit with sanctions by the United Nations Security Council, inflation and
unemployment soared and unrest was rising at home as social restrictions were increased. Two of
his own ministers quit, criticizing his management of the state, and Parliament discussed the prospect
of impeachment.
The president seemed to stumble often. He raised tensions with the West when he told a United Nations
General Assembly that he rejected the post-World War II order. He was mocked when he said at Columbia
University in 2007 that there was not a single gay person in Iran. In April, nearly two dozen diplomats
from the European Union walked out of a conference in Geneva after he disparaged Israel.
But political analysts said that back home, the supreme leader approved, seeing confrontation with the West
as helpful in keeping alive his revolutionary ideology, and his base of power. President Obama’s conciliatory
tone toward Iran, some Iranians believe, threatened to relax Iranian vigilance and the powerful forces to
defend it.
Mr. Obama has made clear he still intends to explore an opening to Iran, though the questions of
Mr. Ahmadinejad’s legitimacy and the consolidation of hard-line power could complicate his strategy.
“The coming period will not be an easy one,” said Gamal Abdel Gawad, director of the international relations
section at the Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo. “Any change will be slow and difficult
because we have an elite that is very much united in its hard-line orientation.”
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