Covert CIA operations to destabilize Iran unmasked: Breaking news
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US Media Campaign to Discredit Iranian Election
June 13, 2009 "Charting Stocks" -- -Was the Iranian election a fraud? Thats what our great western media sources want us to believe. While scanning through the coverage, I could not find one mainstream news article which covered the election results in an objective, unbiased manner. Either prominently displayed in the title or first paragraph, each of the articles suggest the election was a fraud. The obvious question arises - If their electoral system cant be trusted, why were they watching the results so closely in the first place? Id probably find better things to do then obsess over the results of a rigged game, but hey thats just me.
Its worth noting that Iran, unlike the US, does not use electronic voting machines which are easily tampered with. They actually have paper ballots. Its also important to point out the health of their electoral process. They had an 85% turnout! We, the champions of democracy turnout only a fraction of that percentage for our presidential elections. In fact 2 out of 3 American citizens find something better to do during election day.
Reuters Irans election result staggers analysts
Hard-liner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad defeated moderate challenger Mirhossein Mousavi by a surprisingly wide margin in Irans presidential election, official results showed on Saturday. Mousavi derided the tally as a dangerous charade.
Fox News: U.S. Monitoring Irans Election Results
U.S. officials are casting doubt over the results of Irans election, in which the government declared President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the winner Saturday U.S. analysts find it not credible [Notice the usual UN-NAMED "US Officials and Analysts]
MSNBC: Violence flares as Ahmadinejad wins Iran vote
Riot police battled with protesters Saturday as officials announced that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had won a landslide election victory. His opponent denounced the results as treason .Ahmadinejad had the apparent backing of the ruling theocracy.
CNN: Ahmadinejad wins landslide in disputed election
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been declared the big winner in the countrys election, but his chief rival and supporters in the Tehran streets are crying foul.
NY Times: Ahmadinejad Is Declared Victor in Iran
The Iranian government declared an outright election victory for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Saturday morning, and riot police officers fought with supporters of the opposition candidate, Mir Hussein Moussavi, who insisted that the election had been stolen.
Time Magazine: Protests Greet Ahmadinejad Win in Iran: Its Not Possible!
Irans Interior Minister announced Saturday that incumbent president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had won 63.29% of the vote in the nations closely watched presidential poll. The announcement, greeted with widespread skepticism by Iranian opposition supporters and by foreign analysts, has brought thousands of people onto the streets where they have encountered a strong police presence and the threat of violence.
Was the election stolen? According to the Iranian Interior Minister Sadeq Mahsouli, there has been no written complaint about voter fraud. He declared that the presidential elections were conducted in a manner that ruled out the possibility of voter fraud. No violations that may have influenced the vote have been reported, and we have received no written complaint, he said in response to a question posed by an Italian reporter.
Its also worth mentioning that contrary to what our media would have us believe, Ahmadinejad doesnt have much power in Iran. The President is not the most powerful person in the country. He is not the commander in chief and does not control the army and the intelligence and security services. He does not have the power to go to war. Those powers are reserved for the supreme leader of Iran Ayatollah Khomeini.
US Media Campaign to Discredit Iranian Election : Information Clearing House - ICH
June 13, 2009 "Charting Stocks" -- -Was the Iranian election a fraud? Thats what our great western media sources want us to believe. While scanning through the coverage, I could not find one mainstream news article which covered the election results in an objective, unbiased manner. Either prominently displayed in the title or first paragraph, each of the articles suggest the election was a fraud. The obvious question arises - If their electoral system cant be trusted, why were they watching the results so closely in the first place? Id probably find better things to do then obsess over the results of a rigged game, but hey thats just me.
Its worth noting that Iran, unlike the US, does not use electronic voting machines which are easily tampered with. They actually have paper ballots. Its also important to point out the health of their electoral process. They had an 85% turnout! We, the champions of democracy turnout only a fraction of that percentage for our presidential elections. In fact 2 out of 3 American citizens find something better to do during election day.
Reuters Irans election result staggers analysts
Hard-liner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad defeated moderate challenger Mirhossein Mousavi by a surprisingly wide margin in Irans presidential election, official results showed on Saturday. Mousavi derided the tally as a dangerous charade.
Fox News: U.S. Monitoring Irans Election Results
U.S. officials are casting doubt over the results of Irans election, in which the government declared President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the winner Saturday U.S. analysts find it not credible [Notice the usual UN-NAMED "US Officials and Analysts]
MSNBC: Violence flares as Ahmadinejad wins Iran vote
Riot police battled with protesters Saturday as officials announced that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had won a landslide election victory. His opponent denounced the results as treason .Ahmadinejad had the apparent backing of the ruling theocracy.
CNN: Ahmadinejad wins landslide in disputed election
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been declared the big winner in the countrys election, but his chief rival and supporters in the Tehran streets are crying foul.
NY Times: Ahmadinejad Is Declared Victor in Iran
The Iranian government declared an outright election victory for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Saturday morning, and riot police officers fought with supporters of the opposition candidate, Mir Hussein Moussavi, who insisted that the election had been stolen.
Time Magazine: Protests Greet Ahmadinejad Win in Iran: Its Not Possible!
Irans Interior Minister announced Saturday that incumbent president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had won 63.29% of the vote in the nations closely watched presidential poll. The announcement, greeted with widespread skepticism by Iranian opposition supporters and by foreign analysts, has brought thousands of people onto the streets where they have encountered a strong police presence and the threat of violence.
Was the election stolen? According to the Iranian Interior Minister Sadeq Mahsouli, there has been no written complaint about voter fraud. He declared that the presidential elections were conducted in a manner that ruled out the possibility of voter fraud. No violations that may have influenced the vote have been reported, and we have received no written complaint, he said in response to a question posed by an Italian reporter.
Its also worth mentioning that contrary to what our media would have us believe, Ahmadinejad doesnt have much power in Iran. The President is not the most powerful person in the country. He is not the commander in chief and does not control the army and the intelligence and security services. He does not have the power to go to war. Those powers are reserved for the supreme leader of Iran Ayatollah Khomeini.
US Media Campaign to Discredit Iranian Election : Information Clearing House - ICH
Cheetah786
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'Shots fired' at Iran protest
At least one person is thought to have been killed in Tehran after clashes erupted as tens of thousands of people rallied in support of Mir Hossein Mousavi, the defeated presidential candidate.
Hours after the rally began on Monday, armed men reportedly opened fire on protesters who had gathered in the Iranian capital in defiance of a ban imposed by the interior ministry.
An Associated Press photographer in Tehran's Azadi Square said one person had been shot dead and several others appeared to be seriously wounded.
The incident occurred in front of a local base of the Basij, Iran's volunteer paramilitary force, which had been set ablaze.
Police fired tear gas as dozens of protesters set several motorbikes on fire.
"There has been sporadic shooting out there ... I can see people running," said a reporter of Iran's English-language Press TV from Tehran's Azadi Square.
Peaceful protest
The demonstration, attended by tens of thourands of people, had been largely peaceful.
Sadegh Zibakalam, who was present at the rally, told Al Jazeera: "Every now and then people wanted to chant slogans in favour of Mousavi or against Ahmadinejad ... but for most of the time the crowd was very quiet."
Alireza Ronhagi, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Tehran, said there had been an obvious police presence at the rally.
"There were several kinds of police there - riot police were easily distinguishable from the rest of them with their gear and vests and helmet," he said.
"There were normal police, with their green outfits. There were also plainclothes police who you could only recognise because they were carrying wireless communicators. And there were also others, who were just walking but looked like they didn't belong to the rally."
Mousavi addressed the crowd in his first public appearance since he was defeated in the presidential elections by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the incumbent.
There have been several clashes between Mousavi supporters and riot police since Ahmadinejad was declared the landslide winner.
The official results of the election, held on Friday, gave Ahmadinejad 63 per cent of the vote and Mousavi just 34 per cent, figures which Mousavi has dismissed as a "dangerous charade".
Poll backlash
The results prompted a wave of street protests by Mousavi's supporters and Iran has faced a growing international backlash over the validity of the polls.
Chris Saeedi, a journalist who witnessed the rally, called the protest a "cry for help" but said he had not seen any shooting.
"We want the vote to count. It is a blatant lie - it's an impossibility ... where ever you go in town this is a known thing that this [Ahmadinejad's election victory] is a fraud," he told Al Jazeera.
"It might be harder for people outside the country to see with the press blocked, but for people within the country 60 per cent is an impossibility."
Washington voiced "concerns" on Monday, and both France and Germany have summoned the respective Iranian ambassadors to account for events.
Ahmadinejad delayed attending a regional security summit in Russia as a result of the protests.
Election complaints
Elsewhere, pro-Ahmadinejad protesters gathered outside both the British and French embassies in Tehran to protest against interference in Iranian affairs by foreign powers.
Some chanted slogans against the "plots of Iran's Western enemies", a witness said.
Mohammad Khatami, Iran's reformist former president, criticised the authorities for denying permission for the pro-Mousavi rally to be held and said the election had dented the trust of the public.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, has ordered officials to look into the election complaints.
The 12-man Guardian Council said it would rule within 10 days on the two official complaints it had received from Mousavi and Mohsen Rezaie, another losing candidate.
The council headed by Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, who endorsed Ahmadinejad before the vote, vets election candidates and must formally approve the results for the outcome to stand.
'Pandora's box'
Earlier in the day, about 400 pro-reform students, many wearing green face masks to conceal their identity, gathered at a mosque in Tehran University and demanded Ahmadinejad's resignation.
Some said a religious armed group had attacked their dormitory.
"They hit our friends and took away at least 100 students. We have no news about their whereabouts," said another student.
University officials denied the reported incident, but Iran's ISNA news agency later reported that MPs had called for an investigation into the attack.
Ebrahim Yazdi, the leader of the banned opposition Freedom Movement, said Ahmadinejad's attacks on his opponents had opened a "Pandora's box" which had led to a deep crisis within the Islamic state's establishment.
"The result of such a crisis now is that the rift among the ... personalities in the revolution is getting deeper," he said.
"It is also between people and their government ... a rift between state and the nation. It is the biggest crisis since the [1979] revolution."
Al Jazeera English - Middle East - 'Shots fired' at Iran protest
At least one person is thought to have been killed in Tehran after clashes erupted as tens of thousands of people rallied in support of Mir Hossein Mousavi, the defeated presidential candidate.
Hours after the rally began on Monday, armed men reportedly opened fire on protesters who had gathered in the Iranian capital in defiance of a ban imposed by the interior ministry.
An Associated Press photographer in Tehran's Azadi Square said one person had been shot dead and several others appeared to be seriously wounded.
The incident occurred in front of a local base of the Basij, Iran's volunteer paramilitary force, which had been set ablaze.
Police fired tear gas as dozens of protesters set several motorbikes on fire.
"There has been sporadic shooting out there ... I can see people running," said a reporter of Iran's English-language Press TV from Tehran's Azadi Square.
Peaceful protest
The demonstration, attended by tens of thourands of people, had been largely peaceful.
Sadegh Zibakalam, who was present at the rally, told Al Jazeera: "Every now and then people wanted to chant slogans in favour of Mousavi or against Ahmadinejad ... but for most of the time the crowd was very quiet."
Alireza Ronhagi, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Tehran, said there had been an obvious police presence at the rally.
"There were several kinds of police there - riot police were easily distinguishable from the rest of them with their gear and vests and helmet," he said.
"There were normal police, with their green outfits. There were also plainclothes police who you could only recognise because they were carrying wireless communicators. And there were also others, who were just walking but looked like they didn't belong to the rally."
Mousavi addressed the crowd in his first public appearance since he was defeated in the presidential elections by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the incumbent.
There have been several clashes between Mousavi supporters and riot police since Ahmadinejad was declared the landslide winner.
The official results of the election, held on Friday, gave Ahmadinejad 63 per cent of the vote and Mousavi just 34 per cent, figures which Mousavi has dismissed as a "dangerous charade".
Poll backlash
The results prompted a wave of street protests by Mousavi's supporters and Iran has faced a growing international backlash over the validity of the polls.
Chris Saeedi, a journalist who witnessed the rally, called the protest a "cry for help" but said he had not seen any shooting.
"We want the vote to count. It is a blatant lie - it's an impossibility ... where ever you go in town this is a known thing that this [Ahmadinejad's election victory] is a fraud," he told Al Jazeera.
"It might be harder for people outside the country to see with the press blocked, but for people within the country 60 per cent is an impossibility."
Washington voiced "concerns" on Monday, and both France and Germany have summoned the respective Iranian ambassadors to account for events.
Ahmadinejad delayed attending a regional security summit in Russia as a result of the protests.
Election complaints
Elsewhere, pro-Ahmadinejad protesters gathered outside both the British and French embassies in Tehran to protest against interference in Iranian affairs by foreign powers.
Some chanted slogans against the "plots of Iran's Western enemies", a witness said.
Mohammad Khatami, Iran's reformist former president, criticised the authorities for denying permission for the pro-Mousavi rally to be held and said the election had dented the trust of the public.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, has ordered officials to look into the election complaints.
The 12-man Guardian Council said it would rule within 10 days on the two official complaints it had received from Mousavi and Mohsen Rezaie, another losing candidate.
The council headed by Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, who endorsed Ahmadinejad before the vote, vets election candidates and must formally approve the results for the outcome to stand.
'Pandora's box'
Earlier in the day, about 400 pro-reform students, many wearing green face masks to conceal their identity, gathered at a mosque in Tehran University and demanded Ahmadinejad's resignation.
Some said a religious armed group had attacked their dormitory.
"They hit our friends and took away at least 100 students. We have no news about their whereabouts," said another student.
University officials denied the reported incident, but Iran's ISNA news agency later reported that MPs had called for an investigation into the attack.
Ebrahim Yazdi, the leader of the banned opposition Freedom Movement, said Ahmadinejad's attacks on his opponents had opened a "Pandora's box" which had led to a deep crisis within the Islamic state's establishment.
"The result of such a crisis now is that the rift among the ... personalities in the revolution is getting deeper," he said.
"It is also between people and their government ... a rift between state and the nation. It is the biggest crisis since the [1979] revolution."
Al Jazeera English - Middle East - 'Shots fired' at Iran protest
H2O3C4Nitrogen
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The Iranians should behave responcibly and accept the result. The whole world perticularly the west has its eyes on the Iranian Election
Vassnti
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Record turn out of 85% 40 million votes and yes as was pointed out earlier they are paper ballots. Two hours after the poles close the result is anounced.
Damn thats fast 5,500 balots a second counted, not counting time trucking balot boxes from out lying areas. You must need to spray the balots down with water to stop them bursting into flames during the count.
Its pretty obvious it was rigged and done with the arogance of a military dictator pretending to have an election. There are lots of reasons to hammer the cia but you would have to be kidding or a hay'ah to belive this was one of them.
Damn thats fast 5,500 balots a second counted, not counting time trucking balot boxes from out lying areas. You must need to spray the balots down with water to stop them bursting into flames during the count.
Its pretty obvious it was rigged and done with the arogance of a military dictator pretending to have an election. There are lots of reasons to hammer the cia but you would have to be kidding or a hay'ah to belive this was one of them.
Cheetah786
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You have this info casue before counting started they called u and after the counts were done they called u or u have this info from westren media.
Oh wait Another expert Americans had lots of these experts watching the world while there own economy tanked Right under the noses of these experts.
International polling(CIA) experts
(funny this is the same expert that was missing when Gord clearly won the election and bush took it) and Iran analysts said the speed of the vote count, coupled with a lack of detailed election data normally released by officials, was fueling suspicion around President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's landslide victory.Mousavi's newspaper, Kalemeh Sabz, or the Green Word, reported on its Web site that more than 10 million votes 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.
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Cheetah786
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Mousavi sees election hopes dashed
By three am local time on Saturday, it was clear that the hopes of Iran's green army, and the anticipation of the international media, had been thoroughly dashed.
What was not clear was quite what had happened in those few hours between the close of voting and the announcement of the initial results, how an enormous wave of sentiment had vanished so completely when faced with the ballot box.
Was it just the failing of the world's press, allowing themselves to become unwitting victim to a clever marketing campaign or allowing itself to be ruled by its own prejudices and preferences?
Or was something else at work?
A walk through the timeline of events might shed some light.
High turnout
From the opening of the polling stations on Friday morning, the length of the queues suggested something unusual was under way.
By the time the Guardian Council began speaking in the early evening of a turnout approaching 70 per cent, most people had concluded even this was a low-ball estimate.
Opinions having long gelled around the proposition that high turnout equals reformist victory, the mood among journalists gathering at the interior ministry - roads blocked, access restricted, riot police in evidence - was of anticipation and bemusement.
Could it be that, yet again, an outside candidate had come from behind to win in the first round?
Word was circulating that Mir Hossein Mousavi, the main reformist challenger, would be giving a press conference late on Friday night when, at 11pm [18:30 GMT], the ministry press room was told to expect Kamran Daneshjou, the elections chief.
Few people anticipated much more than general background information, and perhaps some hints as to the progress of the count; it was assumed to be far too early for any definitive results.
Conflicting claims
Daneshjou failed to appear. Instead, a buzz spread around the room. The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) had a new lead story: Ahmadinejad was streaking ahead in the vote in the countryside.
IRNA is a government controlled agency, and some of the local media were sceptical of the story.
But the pro-Ahmadinejad camp was lifted in particular by the claim that the city of Rafsanjan, home town of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a former president, had voted 90 per cent in favour of Ahmadinejad.
They were relishing the symbolism of such a heavy rejection of the arch foe.
Moments later word came through that Mousavi had held a news conference to declare outright victory.
A senior member of his campaign told me that their election monitors at polling stations were certain that the trend strongly favoured their candidate.
Moments later, at 11.50pm [19:20 GMT], Daneshjou appeared.
We were told there would be no questions. The counting so far, he said, involved 8,000 ballot boxes, some five million votes, and the returns showed Ahmadinejad with 69 per cent of the vote and challenger Mousavi with less than 30 per cent.
Vote recount
The pattern had been established. As in US presidential elections, it would be the television stations and news wires that led with figures that would only later be confirmed by the interior ministry.
The state-run TV station is regarded as a reliable reflection of official numbers, and the news from sources inside was that they were close to declaring outright victory for Ahmadinejad.
At 12.20am [19:50 GMT], Daneshjou had an update.
A further 8,000 boxes had been counted in the past 30 minutes, and the president was still leading with almost 69 per cent of the vote.
At this point, one of the more alert journalists pointed out that the initial announcement had spoken of "baazshomari" - recounting.
The numbers we were hearing were not a running tally, but a reconfirmation of what was an already established result.
Indeed, not long after, the Ahmadinejad camp not only declared outright victory, but framed its claims in historic terms: this victory erased the record turnout that had swept Mohammad Khatami, the previous reformer, to power in 1997, and confirmed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a principalist, as the most popular leader in the history of the Islamic Republic.
Breakdown of the vote in individual districts was still patchy, but there were a few results that raised eyebrows.
Incumbent victorious
Ahmadinejad had apparently taken the northwestern city of Tabriz with some ease.
Tabriz is the heart of East Azerbaijan, and Azeris are among the tightest ethnic groups in the country, unfailingly voting along ethnic lines.
In the 2005 presidential election, Mohsen Mehralizadeh was a largely unknown and wholly unsuccessful candidate. He came in seventh and last, and yet he still won the Azeri vote in the Azerbaijani provinces. Mir Hossein Mousavi is an Azeri from Tabriz.
Elsewhere, Mehdi Karroubi failed to take his home state of Lorestan; in Khuzestan, Mohsen Rezai, a local scion, was expecting at least two million votes. His total for the entire country has failed to breach one million.
And with each updated count, Ahmadinjad's lead did not waver from a very stable range of 66-69 per cent, irrespective of which districts were reporting.
After 3am [22:30 GMT], the interior ministry went quiet for the night. Out on the streets, some groups of youths were driving the streets in celebration. But not 69 per cent of them.
Al Jazeera English - Middle East - Mousavi sees election hopes dashed
By three am local time on Saturday, it was clear that the hopes of Iran's green army, and the anticipation of the international media, had been thoroughly dashed.
What was not clear was quite what had happened in those few hours between the close of voting and the announcement of the initial results, how an enormous wave of sentiment had vanished so completely when faced with the ballot box.
Was it just the failing of the world's press, allowing themselves to become unwitting victim to a clever marketing campaign or allowing itself to be ruled by its own prejudices and preferences?
Or was something else at work?
A walk through the timeline of events might shed some light.
High turnout
From the opening of the polling stations on Friday morning, the length of the queues suggested something unusual was under way.
By the time the Guardian Council began speaking in the early evening of a turnout approaching 70 per cent, most people had concluded even this was a low-ball estimate.
Opinions having long gelled around the proposition that high turnout equals reformist victory, the mood among journalists gathering at the interior ministry - roads blocked, access restricted, riot police in evidence - was of anticipation and bemusement.
Could it be that, yet again, an outside candidate had come from behind to win in the first round?
Word was circulating that Mir Hossein Mousavi, the main reformist challenger, would be giving a press conference late on Friday night when, at 11pm [18:30 GMT], the ministry press room was told to expect Kamran Daneshjou, the elections chief.
Few people anticipated much more than general background information, and perhaps some hints as to the progress of the count; it was assumed to be far too early for any definitive results.
Conflicting claims
Daneshjou failed to appear. Instead, a buzz spread around the room. The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) had a new lead story: Ahmadinejad was streaking ahead in the vote in the countryside.
IRNA is a government controlled agency, and some of the local media were sceptical of the story.
But the pro-Ahmadinejad camp was lifted in particular by the claim that the city of Rafsanjan, home town of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a former president, had voted 90 per cent in favour of Ahmadinejad.
They were relishing the symbolism of such a heavy rejection of the arch foe.
Moments later word came through that Mousavi had held a news conference to declare outright victory.
A senior member of his campaign told me that their election monitors at polling stations were certain that the trend strongly favoured their candidate.
Moments later, at 11.50pm [19:20 GMT], Daneshjou appeared.
We were told there would be no questions. The counting so far, he said, involved 8,000 ballot boxes, some five million votes, and the returns showed Ahmadinejad with 69 per cent of the vote and challenger Mousavi with less than 30 per cent.
Vote recount
The pattern had been established. As in US presidential elections, it would be the television stations and news wires that led with figures that would only later be confirmed by the interior ministry.
The state-run TV station is regarded as a reliable reflection of official numbers, and the news from sources inside was that they were close to declaring outright victory for Ahmadinejad.
At 12.20am [19:50 GMT], Daneshjou had an update.
A further 8,000 boxes had been counted in the past 30 minutes, and the president was still leading with almost 69 per cent of the vote.
At this point, one of the more alert journalists pointed out that the initial announcement had spoken of "baazshomari" - recounting.
The numbers we were hearing were not a running tally, but a reconfirmation of what was an already established result.
Indeed, not long after, the Ahmadinejad camp not only declared outright victory, but framed its claims in historic terms: this victory erased the record turnout that had swept Mohammad Khatami, the previous reformer, to power in 1997, and confirmed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a principalist, as the most popular leader in the history of the Islamic Republic.
Breakdown of the vote in individual districts was still patchy, but there were a few results that raised eyebrows.
Incumbent victorious
Ahmadinejad had apparently taken the northwestern city of Tabriz with some ease.
Tabriz is the heart of East Azerbaijan, and Azeris are among the tightest ethnic groups in the country, unfailingly voting along ethnic lines.
In the 2005 presidential election, Mohsen Mehralizadeh was a largely unknown and wholly unsuccessful candidate. He came in seventh and last, and yet he still won the Azeri vote in the Azerbaijani provinces. Mir Hossein Mousavi is an Azeri from Tabriz.
Elsewhere, Mehdi Karroubi failed to take his home state of Lorestan; in Khuzestan, Mohsen Rezai, a local scion, was expecting at least two million votes. His total for the entire country has failed to breach one million.
And with each updated count, Ahmadinjad's lead did not waver from a very stable range of 66-69 per cent, irrespective of which districts were reporting.
After 3am [22:30 GMT], the interior ministry went quiet for the night. Out on the streets, some groups of youths were driving the streets in celebration. But not 69 per cent of them.
Al Jazeera English - Middle East - Mousavi sees election hopes dashed
sob
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Well there is more than what meets the eye. Looks like there was some fire beneath the smoke.
Iran's powerful Guardian's Council has hinted at a recount of the polls.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/8102400.stm
Iran's powerful Guardian Council says it is ready to recount disputed votes from Friday's presidential poll.
Moderate candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi has contested President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election, alleging widespread fraud.
The BBC's Jon Leyne in Tehran says the council's announcement is a complete U-turn. The official results sparked three days of huge protests.
Iranian radio says seven people were killed during demonstrations on Monday.
The Guardian Council - Iran's supreme legislative body - said votes would be recounted in areas contested by the losing candidates.
Our correspondent says it is not clear whether the offer will be accepted by Mr Ahmadinejad's rivals, who want the election annulled.
The opposition says millions of ballots may have gone astray.
The council, which is considering an appeal by Mr Mousavi and another defeated candidate, had earlier said the results were only provisional.
Iran's powerful Guardian's Council has hinted at a recount of the polls.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/8102400.stm
Iran's powerful Guardian Council says it is ready to recount disputed votes from Friday's presidential poll.
Moderate candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi has contested President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election, alleging widespread fraud.
The BBC's Jon Leyne in Tehran says the council's announcement is a complete U-turn. The official results sparked three days of huge protests.
Iranian radio says seven people were killed during demonstrations on Monday.
The Guardian Council - Iran's supreme legislative body - said votes would be recounted in areas contested by the losing candidates.
Our correspondent says it is not clear whether the offer will be accepted by Mr Ahmadinejad's rivals, who want the election annulled.
The opposition says millions of ballots may have gone astray.
The council, which is considering an appeal by Mr Mousavi and another defeated candidate, had earlier said the results were only provisional.
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