Iran deadlock drags on as Mousavi rejects part recount

It's important that Mousavi speak up now about the election. Not that it will get him very far, but it sows the seeds. More info on how technology has fueled the protests here.

TEHRAN (AFP) – Political deadlock continued in Iran as opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi on Saturday rejected a panel set up to hold a partial recount of votes in the disputed presidential election.

Refusing to be cowed by a raid on the offices of a party that backed him or by an aide turning against him and blaming him for deaths during protests, Mousavi again demanded a full re-run of the election.

"Limiting the probe into complaints about electoral irregularities to recounting 10 percent of the ballot boxes cannot attract people's trust and convince public opinion about the results," the moderate candidate said on his campaign website Ghalamnews.ir.

Top political arbitration body the Expediency Council urged all candidates to cooperate with the panel, set up by electoral watchdog the Guardians Council.

But Mousavi said: "Reaching a just judgement is not within the domain of the Guardians Council and above all a board which is appointed by this council.

"I insist again on cancelling the election (results) as the most suitable way out of the problem," he said.

Iranian Government Media Declares Mousavi a 'Criminal'

Ugh, things are deteriorating fast. The photographer who took the above picture is now missing, along with upwards of 20 other journalists.

TEHRAN, June 21 -- Iranian government media Sunday launched a campaign against Mir Hussein Mousavi and his supporters, calling the leader of the protests over Iran's disputed election a "criminal" and comparing demonstrators to members of a hated terrorist group.

(snip)

Authorities appeared to be seeking to blame the violence on radicals. State television charged that "the presence of terrorists . . . was tangible" in Saturday's events. It asked viewers to send viceoclips of protestors in order to help authorities to arrest them.

Scenes of the violent protest were shown frequently on Iranian state television and in a special broadcast the rioters were said to be members of the Paris based Mudjehadin-e khalq organization, an Islamist Marxist group that is labeled by the United States as a terrorist organization. After siding with Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq war and a series of terrorists attacks, the group has little support among most Iranians.

Audio clips were played of alleged telephone recordings in which people said to be members of the organization urge others to get information about the protests to Western news organizations. Despite the media claims, involvement of the group seems highly unlikely since supporters are rare in Iran.

Video- Iran's supreme leader defends election

Guess we're just in "wait and see" mode now.

TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iran's supreme leader passionately defended last week's presidential election process Friday, praising President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's election as a "definitive victory" and sloughing off charges of vote-rigging.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei addressed a crowd at Tehran University in a sermon during Friday prayers.

His speech was greatly anticipated amid massive protests from supporters of opposition leaders such as Mir Hossein Moussavi, who disputed the government's assertion that Ahmadinejad won in a landslide.

While Khamenei called on those who don't believe the results to use proper legal avenues, such as requesting the recounting of ballots in their presence, he did not issue a call for a new vote.

He also criticized the street protests and said those who caused violence during demonstrations would be held accountable.

Video- Iranian election protests turn deadly

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Video- 15th June 2009 Millions protest against election fraud in Iran

I wish I could believe that this will really make some change. Check out some amazing photos here. h/t WT for the vid.

Video- Iran's Supreme Leader Orders Election Probe

I had to put something up as soon as possible to get that weird Obama gif off the top. Brrr.

TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iran's election authority said Monday it will probe allegations presidential elections were marred by ballot rigging as chaos following hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's declared victory continued for a third day.

The country's government-funded Press TV reported that Iran's Guardian Council -- a body of top clerics and judges -- will investigate reformist opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi's claims.

Meanwhile, Moussavi was expected to ask followers to call off the demonstrations and appeal for calm, sources told CNN.

Moussavi's supporters Monday defied a government ban on their rallies, gathering for a demonstration at Tehran University.

Video- Ahmadinejad won't explain opposition arrest or guarantee Mousavi's safety

Not a good sign. More here and here.

Breaking: All Telephone Cut Off Teheran, Mousavi Arrested: Rafsanjani Resigns

By GottaLaff

Via DKos:

Link Telephone communication between Tehran and the rest of Iran has been completely disconnected. This corresponds with the beginnings of the arrests of the opposition. It is suspected that this is being orchestrated by the son of Mojtaba Khamenei son of The Supreme Leader, Ali.

[...]

Pyknet: Mousavi has been place under house arrest. He was arrested on his way to Khamenei's house. All communication has been shut off. Khamenei has issued a statement claiming that HE that he is leading this coup to SAVE the Islamic Government (Nezam)

Sianat az ara (Protectors of Votes) Iran' Election Commission, have called the result fraud and are calling for new election. [...]

peiknet.com is reporting;
Translation -

Rafsanjani has resigned all duties in protest to Supreme Leader Khamenei's endorsement of Ahmadinejad as winner of yesterday's election.

Much more at Kos.

Disputed Iran Election Prompts Rioting

All sorts of rumours running around, one that Mousavi has been house arrested. (He is also supposed to speak publicly at 2p Tehran time, but I can't figure out what time that is EST) Laura Rozen has more here.

(CBS/AP) Supporters of the main election challenger to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad clashed with police and set up barricades of burning tires Saturday as authorities declared the hard-line president was re-elected in a landslide.

Opponents responded with the most serious unrest in the capital in a decade and charges that the result was the work of a "dictatorship."

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, closed the door on any chance he could use his limitless powers to intervene in the disputes from Friday's election. In a message on state TV, he urged the nation to unite behind Ahmadinejad, calling the result a "divine assessment."

But Ahmadinejad's main challenger, Mir Hossein Mousavi, has rejected the result as rigged and urged his supporters to resist a government of "lies and dictatorship."

Ahmadinejad Declared Winner of Iran Election

Not what we were looking forward to yesterday.

TEHRAN, June 13 -- Iran's Interior Ministry declared Saturday that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won a decisive victory in Friday's presidential election, but the incumbent's leading challenger protested the results, and clashes broke out between the two candidates' supporters.

Mir Hossein Mousavi, a former prime minister who waged a heated campaign against Ahmadinejad's bid for reelection, urged his supporters to reject a "governance of lie and dictatorship." He attributed the results to widespread vote fraud and vowed to resist a "dangerous manipulation" of the balloting.

Later, fighting broke out at Tehran's Vanak Square among hundreds of Iranians who backed the rival candidates, Reuters news agency reported. Up to 2,000 Mousavi supporters sat down in the street, chanting: "Mousavi take back our vote! What happened to our vote?"

Police wielding batons then moved to disperse the protesters, the news agency said.

Looks like Pro Western Mousavi has won in Iran

Strong turnout looks like it made a difference. More as I get it.

Added- Here is an interesting interview with Mousavi that Joe Klein got. Below is Obama's comments on the election-