Irans regime sought to regain the initiative in the face of growing opposition protests by thwarting plans for another mass rally against election-rigging, arresting alleged ringleaders and cracking down on the international media.
One day after eight protesters were shot dead during a huge demonstration against President Ahmadinejads disputed re-election, the regime barred all foreign journalists from the streets of Tehran in a move that gives the security forces much more freedom to crush dissent with overwhelming force.
It ruled that those foreign journalists remaining in the capital, and the Iranians employed by them, could work only in their offices and conduct interviews by telephone. Scores have already had to leave because the Government would not renew the ten-day visas that they were given to cover last Fridays vote.
The regime foiled an attempt to repeat Mondays demonstration in support of Mir Hossein Mousavi, the former Prime Minister, who claims that he was cheated of victory last Friday by widespread vote-rigging.
It organised a big rally of Ahmadinejad supporters in Vali Asr Square in Tehran barely an hour before tens of thousands of Mousavi supporters were due to gather there. With passions so inflamed, Mr Mousavi cancelled his rally to protect lives and to avoid further confrontation with the security forces and Mr Ahmadinejads followers. A much smaller march took place elsewhere in Tehran.
The Government also arrested what the state media described as the main agents of the unrest. Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, the Intelligence Minister, said that about 50 people were detained with weapons and explosives, and claimed that they were supported by foreign powers. Two dozen counter-revolutionaries were also arrested, as were two leading reformists, including Ali Abtahi, a former Vice-President.
The state-controlled media are portraying the demonstrators as subversive criminals. They reported Mondays deaths, but said that the victims were attending an unauthorised gathering and were shot as they tried to attack a military location.
The Guardian Council, the powerful body of 12 senior conservative clerics, refused Mr Mousavis demand that the election be annulled, but did make one apparent concession to his supporters by offering a recount of Fridays votes from stations where specific fraud was alleged. The offer was echoed by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader.
Hojatoleslam Ali-Akbar Mohtashamipour, one of Mr Mousavis senior campaign aides, flatly rejected the Guardian Councils offer. He called it a ruse to buy time while public anger subsided, and argued that the vote rigging went far beyond individual polling stations.
Representatives of Mr Mousavi and the two other defeated candidates, Mehdi Karoubi and Mohsen Rezai, urged the council to set up an independent fact-finding committee and listed 15 ways in which they alleged that the election had been rigged.
These included the buying of votes; intimidation of voters; shortages of ballot papers in opposition strongholds; the barring of candidates representatives from election planning meetings, polling stations and counts; intervention by the Basij volunteer militia; the improper use of government resources; the speed with which the results were announced; and the bias of the state media.
The regime is facing its most serious challenge since the Revolution of 1979, with Mr Mousavi and two former presidents, Mohammed Khatami and Hojatoleslam Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, ranged against Mr Ahmadinejad, the Supreme Leader and the military.
Ali Larijani, the parliamentary Speaker and a conservative rival to Mr Ahmadinejad, also voiced criticism, blaming the Interior Minister for attacks on civilians and students.
Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Irans leading film-maker, who directed the award-winning Kandahar, denounced the election result as a coup détat.
Ignoring the turmoil on the streets of Tehran, Mr Ahmadinejad attended a summit in Russia, where both President Medvedev of Russia and Hu Jintao, his Chinese counterpart, congratulated him.
No Western nation has recognised Mr Ahmadinejads re-election, and Japan and Australia joined the growing international criticism of Irans brutal repression.
President Obama said that peoples voices should be heard and not suppressed in the Islamic Republic, and President Sarkozy of France called the election a fraud.
In Tehran the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned Simon Gass, the British Ambassador, to complain about Gordon Browns unconventional and impolite remarks challenging the elections legitimacy.
Mousavi supporters are planning another mass demonstration in Tehran, and protests have been reported in the cities of Shiraz, Tabriz, Isfahan, Meshad and Qom. Teargas was reportedly used at Kharazmi university in Shiraz, with students beaten up and 100 arrests. The head of the university resigned. Riot police also stormed the university in Isfahan.
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"because the Hamas members are cowards and hide behind civilians"
How the hell the Israelis sees who is civilian and who is Hamas member from a fighter jet or helicopter?
szpolitika 2 years ago
I mean there is no proof about the shooting. I did see few videos, police with batons, but I didn't see any shooting videos. If you know one, put the link here. But before you cry about the shooting, think about what the US government did in Waco. 74 people died. What about the USS liberty? Those are more serious.
szpolitika 2 years ago
This is stupid. And do you think if a robber is behind a bank worker, the police shoot him. Bad example, not the Hamas is the robber, but the Israelis. They robbed the land. Who committing genocide? 20 people died, and no one knows who killed them, because there is no proof. War crime? That is not war, that is just a riot in Iran. You should know the difference.
szpolitika 2 years ago
Hamas members were killed, the only reason civilians were killed was because the Hamas members are cowards and hide behind civilians; but hey lets support the Iranian religious leader who is commiting genocide because that's not a war crime as long as you kill the people in a humane way its all good isn't it?
savinmeagain 2 years ago
Who shoot rockets at Israel? Civilians? Because civilians were killed, not Hamas members.
Did you know the Mexican army comes across the US border sometimes? Do you think is ok, if the US army bomb Mexico and kills few thousands of children because the border problem?
Did you know the Israeli army used UN banned cluster bombs and white phosphorus on the civilians in Gaza? It is called WAR CRIME.
szpolitika 2 years ago
the election was too close to call according to the reporters, the winner won with 65% of majority with 2 hours after polls closed, Ahmadinejad didn't win in his home town and some 20 odd cities had 80-100% people that voted (60% of the people voted in US) isn't that kind of fishy?; and Israel killed 1500 people because they were having rockets fired at them, what would you do after having someone slap you constantly?
savinmeagain 2 years ago
par2-the Farsi for "race, lineage". According to his relatives, it was for "a mixture of religious and economic reasons."During the presidential campaign in 2009, political opponents have speculated that the name was changed in order to cover Jewish roots. In the 1950s, when he was still a baby, his family moved from Aradan to Narmak district in southern Tehran in search of more economic prosperity;
redrepublic17 2 years ago
part 1-there is some info for those how are ignorant and stupid that think ahmadinejad is a muslim.Ahmadinejad, whose birth name is Mahmoud Saborjhian is the son of a blacksmith, born near Garmsar in the village of Aradan on 28 October 1956.The name, which derives from thread painter, a once common and humble occupation, was changed into Ahmadinejad, meaning 'of the race of Mohammed' or 'of virtuous race', ahmad meaning "virtuous" in Arabic is used as a byname of Muhammad and nejad being
redrepublic17 2 years ago
Oh, few people died, and Obama is against it. What did he said when Israel killed 1500 civlians in January? He said NOTHING.
So he supports the protesters? If somebody who didn't vote for Obama does the same as the protesters in Iran (burn cars, attack police), then Obama support that American citizen? Is the media call that person a "freedom fighter"? I don't think so. And I'm still waiting for proof about the election "cheating". There is no proof, just wild mob videos.
szpolitika 2 years ago
"RIP NEDA, The World cries seeing your last breath, you didn't die in vain. We remember you."
kdixon7783 2 years ago