Tehran, Iran – Iran’s Guardian Council has announced that it will recount disputed votes from Friday’s presidential election, as the huge protests against the re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad continue.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
Hundreds of thousands of Iranians have protested since the election over allegations of vote-rigging. Ballots will now be recounted in disputed areas but the council ruled out a rerun of the election, as demanded by moderate candidates.
The Guardian Council, made up of 12 senior clerics, is the country’s most powerful body, wielding a veto power over parliamentary legislation and over presidential candidates. The election results are only final once formally approved by the council.
Seven people were killed in protests last night after shots were fired at supporters of the defeated presidential candidate Mir Hosein Mousavi, in west Tehran.
According to Iranian state radio, the supporters reportedly “tried to attack a military location”.
“Several thugs wanted to attack a military post and vandalise public property in the vicinity of Azadi Square,” the radio report said.
However, witnesses say this account distorts the largely peaceful protest, suggesting a violent crackdown by the regime.
More than 500,000 are estimated to have taken part in the protest, making it the largest demonstration since the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Responding to the events in Iran, President Obama said he was “deeply troubled” by the deaths.
“I think that the democratic process, free speech, the ability for folks to peacefully dissent, all those are universal values and need to be respected,” he said.
He added that Washington would attempt to engage in “tough, direct” dialogue with Tehran.
Gordon Brown urged the Iranian government to avoid using violence against the protesters, who he said had “legitimate grievances”.
“Iran has got to look at this very carefully because the relations they will have and the response they will have from the rest of the world will depend on how they respond to what are legitimate grievances being expressed,” he told Sky News.
The Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, said that the loss of life was “to be deplored very clearly”.
But he added: “We are all determined not to fall into the trap of being seen to back one side or the other”.
“Obviously the long thesis of the conspiracy of foreign powers in Iran is one deeply ingrained in the popular imagination,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
Protests by supporters of both President Ahmadinejad and Mousavi will take place in Vali Asr Square in central Tehran today.
I hope that soon will iran look like samalai!!
The “Hitler” of our time will not just walk away if that’s what we think. He has full control over his people and cabinet and just like “king OBAMA & king Bloomberg” it will be hard to overthrow/remove a man like this it must be done with force or we are domed.the people of Iran don’t like him (his own people) want him out of office so what to do wait let’s see how this plays out any attack on Iran will cost! But if it must be done then “do it” ! Good morning America
Yeah, so who exactly will be doing the “recount”. The same people who cheated on the first count? It’s all corrupt, and sad to say, America might also have the same issue in another 3.5 years. I see it coming.