From Reuters:
By Parisa Hafezi and Fredrik Dahl Parisa Hafezi And Fredrik Dahl – 22 mins ago
TEHRAN (Reuters) – Iran's top legislative body on Tuesday ruled out annulling a disputed presidential poll that has prompted the biggest street protests since the 1979 Islamic revolution, but said it was prepared for a partial recount.
(Editors' note: Reuters coverage is now subject to an Iranian ban on foreign media leaving the office to report, film or take pictures in Tehran.)
In what appeared to be a first concession by authorities to the protest movement, the 12-man Guardian Council said it was ready to re-tally votes in the poll, in which hardlinePresident Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the runaway winner.
But the powerful Council rejected reformist calls to annul Friday's election, which set off swift-moving political turmoil, riveting attention on the world's fifth-biggest oil exporter.
And Ahmadinejad's supporters appeared to have denied the opposition the chance to keep up the momentum of mass street protests by mobilizing thousands of demonstrators in central Tehran where Mirhossein Mousavi's supporters had planned to gather again.
State television said the "main agents" in post-election unrest had been arrested with explosives and guns.
U.S. President Barack Obama, who has sought to engage Iran and asked its leadership to "unclench its fist," said he was deeply troubled by the post-election violence, and that protesters who had taken to the streets had inspired the world.
FOREIGN JOURNALISTS BANNED
more at link
2 comments:
This is be no surprise.
The election of the opposition would have made very little difference in the two main issues we have with Iran:
1) Nuclear weapon development
2) Support of terrorist organizations
You're right.
However, let us be clear, this is not a non-story. The story here is not about Mousavi, it is not about the Mullahs, it is, instead, about the people who make up the population of Iran.
And, it is about an opportunity that we have to overthrow the Mullahs.
The opportunity is not going to last very long. We had better do something about it, or it will slip away for quite awhile.
Post a Comment