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Last update - 00:00 14/06/2009
Report: Defeated Ahmadinejad rival arrested in Iran
By Yossi Melman, Haaretz Correspondent, and News Agencies
Tags: Israel News 

Iranian presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi was reportedly arrested Saturday following the reformist's defeat at the polls by hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Supporters of Mousavi, the main challenger to Ahmadinejad, have responded to the election with the most serious unrest in Tehran in a decade and claim that the result was the work of a dictatorship.

There have been a number of contradictory reports from Iran, in large part due to the heavy restrictions imposed on the media in the Islamic Republic and in particular on foreign reporters.

Mousavi's arrest was reported by an unofficial source, who said that the presidential contender had been arrested en route to the home of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Pro-reform Mousavi has denounced the election as rigged and vowed he will not accept defeat. He and key aides could not be reached by phone Saturday.
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Several hundred demonstrators - many wearing the trademark green colors of Mousavi's campaign - chanted "the government lied to the people" and gathered near the Interior Ministry as the final count from Friday's presidential election was announced.

As night fell Saturday, the rioting and fires continued on the streets of Tehran. The city's cell phone network appeared to be down Saturday night. When users tried to call cell phones, a message appeared saying error in connection. There were also reports of difficulties accessing social networking sites - used by Mousavi to rally supporters.

There was no immediate comment from Iran's Telecommunications Ministry and it did not appear that cell phones were down throughout the country. Residents in several provinces say their service is working.

The result gave 62.6 percent of the vote to Ahmadinejad and 33.75 to Mousavi - a former prime minister who has become the hero of a youth-driven movement seeking greater liberties and a gentler face for Iran abroad.

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 the election. In a message on state TV, he urged the nation to unite behind Ahmadinejad, calling the result a "divine assessment."

"I'm warning that I won't surrender to this manipulation," said a statement on Mousavi's Web site. "The outcome of what we've seen from the performance of officials ... is nothing but shaking the pillars of the Islamic Republic of Iran's sacred system and governance of lies and dictatorship," it added.

Mousavi warned people won't respect those who take power through fraud. The headline on one of his Web sites read: "I won't give in to this dangerous manipulation."

Mousavi appealed directly to Khamenei to intervene and stop what he said were violations of the law. Khamenei, who is not elected, holds ultimate political authority in Iran and controls all major policy decisions.

It was also reported Saturday that former Iranian president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a Mousavi supporter, had resigned from all of his official positions in protest against the results of the election.

'Healthy election'

Ahmadinejad, in a nationally televised victory speech, said that the election process had been "free and healthy," and accused the foreign media of coverage that harms the Iranian people. There was more rioting at night and fires continued to burn on the streets of Tehran.

"People voted for my policies," the conservative president said in his first post-election comment. "It was a free and healthy election," he said, without making direct reference to electoral violation assertions by Mousavi.

As he was speaking, supporters of Mousavi clashed with police in various places in Tehran, chanting anti-Ahmadinejad slogans, witnesses said.

"Everybody should respect people's vote ... we need a calm atmosphere to build the country," Ahmadinejad said. He also took a swipe at his opponents in the election, which was marked by unprecedented mudslinging.

Ahmadinejad, who swept to power in 2005 pledging to revive the values of the 1979 Islamic revolution, accused his opponents of corruption during the campaign. They accused him of lying about the economy, which is suffering from high inflation.

"I named some people during the campaign. I was accused of insulting them, but it is not an insult," he said, referring to his comments about Rafsanjani. "Those who have revolutionary background are not allowed to
have extravagant demands," he said.

"All political and propaganda machines abroad and sections inside the country have been mobilized against the nation," he said. "They have launched the heaviest propaganda and psychological war against the Iranian nation. Many global networks continuously worked, employing very complicated methods, that work against our nation and arranged a full-fledged battle against us."

Without mentioning the unrest on the streets, Ahmadinejad proclaimed that a new era has begun in the history of the Iranian nation.

"A bright and glorious future is ahead for the Iranian nation. ... I invite everyone to join me in constructing Iran," he said.

Street battles in Tehran

The clashes in central Tehran were the more serious disturbances in the
capital since student-led protests in 1999. They showed the potential for the showdown to spill over into further violence and challenges to the Islamic establishment.

The demonstrations began Saturday morning shortly before the government
announced the final results.

Protesters set fire to tires outside the Interior Ministry and anti-riot
police fought back with clubs and smashed cars. Helmeted police on foot and others on buzzing motorcycles chased bands of protesters roaming the streets pumping their fists in the air. Officers beat protesters with swift blows from their truncheons and kicks with their boots. Some of the demonstrators grouped together to charge back at police, hurling stones.

Plumes of dark smoke streaked over the city, as burning barricades of tires and garbage bins glowed orange in the streets. Protesters also torched an empty bus, engulfing it in flames on a Tehran street.

An Associated Press photographer saw a plainclothes security official beating a woman with his truncheon. Italian state TV RAI said one of its crews was caught in the clashes in front Mousavi's headquarters. Their Iranian interpreter was beaten with clubs by riot police and officers confiscated the cameraman's tapes, the station said.

In another main street of Tehran, some 300 young people blocked the avenue by forming a human chain and chanted Ahmadi, shame on you. Leave the government alone. There was no word on any casualties from the unrest.

There were also protests by Mousavi supporers in the southern city of Ahvaz in the oil-rich province of Khuzestan who shouted, "Mousavi, take our votes back!" witnesses said.

It was not clear how many Iranians were even aware of Mousavi's claims of
fraud. Communications disruptions began in the later hours of voting Friday - suggesting an information clampdown. State television and radio only broadcast the Interior Ministry's vote count and not Mousavi's midnight news conference.

Mousavi's campaign headquarters urged people to show restraint.

Interior Minister Sadeq Mahsouli, who supervised the elections and heads the nation's police forces, warned people not to join any unauthorized gatherings.

The powerful Revolutionary Guard cautioned Wednesday it would crush any
revolution against the Islamic regime by Mousavi's green movement. The
Revolutionary Guard is directly under the control of the ruling clerics and has vast influence in every corner of the country through a network of volunteer militias.

Police stormed the headquarters of Iran's largest reformist party and arrested several top reformist leaders, said political activists close to the party.

There was no immediate confirmation from authorities of the raid on the party, the Islamic Iran Participation Front. The activists spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

Even before the vote counting began, Mousavi declared himself definitely the winner based on all indications from all over Iran. He accused the government of manipulating the people's vote to keep Ahmadinejad in power and suggested the reformist camp would stand up to challenge the results.

It is our duty to defend people's votes. There is no turning back, he said, alleging widespread irregularities.

Mousavi's backers were stunned at the Interior Ministry's claim that
Ahmadinejad won after widespread predictions of a close race - or even a
slight edge for the reformist candidate.

Turnout was a record 85 percent of the 46.2 million eligible voters.

"Many Iranians went to the people because they wanted to bring change," said Mousavi supporter Nasser Amiri, a hospital clerk in Tehran. "Almost everybody I know voted for Mousavi but Ahmadinejad is being declared the winner. The government announcement is nothing but widespread fraud. It is very, very disappointing. I'll never ever again vote in Iran."

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      1.   The United States supports the people of Iran 01:08  |  binny 12/06/09
      2.   Big fever over two equal pawns of Khamanei. 01:13  |  Fortuna Benmayor 12/06/09
      3.   Bitter fight 01:51  |  Lagunan 12/06/09
      4.   Ahmedin/jat is the honest representation of the shia entity 02:40  |  17 12/06/09
      5.   Mir Hossein Mousavi will meet Obama..... 03:46  |  Geo 12/06/09
      6.   to 17 04:23  |  zack 12/06/09
      7.   BINNY.Whoever Iranians vote for they still get Mullah dictators 05:08  |  PETER SM 12/06/09
      8.   Tienamen, Hippies, and Tehran 05:20  |  Mark Lincoln 12/06/09
      9.   # 6 Zack - "is Bibi the honest representation of the jewish entit 05:30  |  17 12/06/09
      10.   I Only Support The Hot Chicks Over There... 06:05  |  Yosemite 12/06/09
      11.   "U.S. officials have meagre expectations for change" 06:30  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 12/06/09
      12.   US support kiss of death after Bush Boy 09:40  |  American in Paris 12/06/09
      13.   God bless you as our partnership to make apeace to gather 11:13  |  Zaina Kayed Shehab 12/06/09
      14.   And the winner is - velayat e-faqih 13:30  |  The Prophet 12/06/09
      15.   My Dear 17 17:04  |  Persian Kitty 12/06/09
      16.   Fortuna Benmayor 17:15  |  Taghayee 12/06/09
      17.   Peter SM 17:16  |  Taghayee 12/06/09
      18.   The Obama effect 17:21  |  WHG 12/06/09
      19.   The peoples choice. 17:29  |  Stephen. 12/06/09
      20.   Fortuna Benmayor - shades of democracy 17:39  |  Mark Lincoln 12/06/09
      21.   #12 what year was your birth -?hostage crisis- Iran-US? 18:39  |  world observer 12/06/09
      22.   democrose 18:57  |  meit 12/06/09
      23.   to 17 ..... There are more than 13000 Freedom Fighters in Israel 19:00  |  Antonio da Silva 12/06/09
      24.   to Zaina Kayed Shehab.....Do israelis wish the same for ... 19:04  |  Antonio da Silva 12/06/09
      25.   #13 19:26  |  anticar 12/06/09
      26.   I bet Bibi is rooting for Ahmadinejad to win!! 19:42  |  JustMe 12/06/09
      27.   #14Actually they already had it before the US reinstated the Shah 19:45  |  Kris Lazar 12/06/09
      28.   Khamenei vs Khamenei: YOU GET TO CHOOSE ! 20:45  |  Fortuna Benmayor 12/06/09
      29.   Iran votes?? Ayatollah still boss! 21:11  |  Texas Tina 12/06/09
      30.   Khamenei brings in New World Government! 21:16  |  Texas Tina 12/06/09
      31.   More encouraged by the election than by the candidates, Cipora 21:28  |  Morris Valentine 12/06/09
      32.   Kris Lazar - "US reinstated the Shah" --????? 21:41  |  17 12/06/09
      33.   #10 Yosemite, I hope you don`t mind if she isn`t blond, but... 22:15  |  christoph 12/06/09
      34.   NEOCONS PRAYING FOR AHMADINEJAD 22:29  |  Bernie 12/06/09
      35.   #PeterSM. You have got "Mullahs" on the brain! 22:44  |  Maureen Ann 12/06/09
      36.   IRAN N. KOREA 23:32  |  The Teacher/Instruct 12/06/09
      37.   It looks like electoral fraud by the Supreme Mullah 00:17  |  Realist 13/06/09
      38.   If Ahmadinejad wins i I hope there`s a peaceful revolt 00:17  |  Zach 13/06/09
      39.   rigged 00:34  |  bashar 13/06/09
      40.   Sanctions on North Korea 01:29  |  Gully Foyle 13/06/09
      41.   Great News. 01:42  |  Fortuna Benmayor 13/06/09
      42.   Change in Iran? 01:58  |  Keith 13/06/09
      43.   Its not yet over, those are the rural votes. 02:17  |  Stephen. 13/06/09
      44.   possible explanations for iran election results 02:17  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 13/06/09
      45.   #21, Fortuna Benmayor 02:19  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 13/06/09
      46.   No wanting to be a party pooper,To Keith@22 This is what I think 02:22  |  Stephen`s Admirer 13/06/09
      47.   #.20. Gully Foyle. On N.Korea sanctions. 02:37  |  Stephen. 13/06/09
      48.   Wealthy Iranian Cliques Satisfied W/Ahmedi-Bye-Bye! 03:22  |  HaveYouGotDecency? 13/06/09
      49.   Ahmadinejad`s Massive Welfare System Pays Off 03:57  |  Jeff Northridge 13/06/09
      50.   HaveYouGotDecency? 04:27  |  Persian Kitty 13/06/09
      51.   Keith in Toronto 05:02  |  Persian Kitty 13/06/09
      52.   I TOLD YOU, IRANIAN IS A PROUD NATION 05:35  |  indrajaya 13/06/09
      53.   Another defeat for Obama 06:07  |  Voice of Reason 13/06/09
      54.   Polarization 06:21  |  Lexikranz 13/06/09
      55.   CJK #23 06:34  |  Persian Kitty 13/06/09
      56.   this result is better for Israel. here`s why 06:41  |  pioneer 13/06/09
      57.   Sour loser 06:46  |  Bazmann 13/06/09
      58.   Midget Jokes Are Much Easier Anyway... 06:47  |  Yosemite 13/06/09
      59.   Women In Large Numbers Voted For Mahmoud Because... 06:56  |  Yosemite 13/06/09
      60.   The peoples candidate elected by the peopl 07:38  |  Socialist 13/06/09
      61.   Congratulations to the Iranian People! 07:59  |  Dan 13/06/09
      62.   Meanwhile. Israel gets to keep its Boogyman... 08:10  |  BBSNews 13/06/09
      63.   Stuff those ballot boxes Brothers!!!! 08:35  |  M 13/06/09
      64.   Great 08:39  |  Richard 13/06/09
      65.   As Far As I Know 08:46  |  Brendan 13/06/09
      66.   Persian Kitty, I have to disagree 08:48  |  Westwell 13/06/09
      67.   Voice of reason #33, not necessarily 09:01  |  Westwell 13/06/09
      68.   Jeff Northridge # 29, Come on, enough already! 09:08  |  Westwell 13/06/09
      69.   God bless you too Zaina 09:23  |  Mr. Red 13/06/09
      70.   # 31 lol...don`t put anyone into shock, persian kitty 09:33  |  eric 13/06/09
      71.   good news & bad news 09:59  |  Observer 13/06/09
      72.   To Persian Kitty 10:15  |  S 13/06/09
      73.   It makes no difference who is elected 10:21  |  Daniel Leopold 13/06/09
      74.   This myth has finally been debunked. 14:12  |  Amnon 13/06/09
      75.   US & ISRAEL have done a super job radicalizing Muslims 14:25  |  Niclas 13/06/09
      76.   #9 is bibi honest 14:28  |  mohamed 13/06/09
      77.   Now |israel has no choice but to go for the nuclair sites ...fast 14:36  |  Tom Lobo Meyer 13/06/09
      78.   Election 15:31  |  Americanguy 13/06/09
      79.   This is going to be very interesting 16:00  |  Mark Lincoln 13/06/09
      80.   IRAN : rigged up `victory` 16:03  |  The Teacher/Instruct 13/06/09
      81.   Persian Kitty 16:13  |  Mark Lincoln 13/06/09
      82.   Circle of Life 16:14  |  James Carter 13/06/09
      83.   This is healthy news. 16:14  |  Fortuna Benmayor 13/06/09
      84.   Message To Israel 16:20  |  Cool B 13/06/09
      85.   In islamic societies the one who mistreats own get the votes 16:20  |  Johnny 13/06/09
      86.   Muslims throughout history have tended to embrace despots 16:24  |  Johnny 13/06/09
      87.   #40 Tom Loba Meyer 16:46  |  BDS 13/06/09
      88.   iran style 16:55  |  oz 13/06/09
      89.   Iranian greets Israelis 16:56  |  Ali 13/06/09
      90.   indrajaya is right.......... you must know that 16:59  |  Tony Silver 13/06/09
      91.   # 43, THE TEACHER/INSTRUCT 17:02  |  indrajaya 13/06/09
      92.   # 44, FORTUNA BENMAJOR 17:10  |  indrajaya 13/06/09
      93.   monkeys of the world unite 17:11  |  steve 13/06/09
      94.   It just goes to show... 17:13  |  Daniel 13/06/09
      95.   #43 I agree with you there 17:16  |  Maria 13/06/09
      96.   He wins by landslide? 17:20  |  Maria 13/06/09
      97.   President Jimmy Carter`s group should have been there... 17:23  |  Smadar 13/06/09
      98.   to Fortuna.....Thanks to israeli apartheid policy 17:30  |  Tony Silver 13/06/09
      99.   Theocracy = no democracy. What a travesty ! 17:31  |  Akiva P 13/06/09
      100.   Ahmadinejad wins iran 17:39  |  David 13/06/09
      101.   Chance of Iran nuking Israel: exactly Zero 17:58  |  Stephen L 13/06/09
      102.   #50...Smadar 17:59  |  Malone 13/06/09
      103.   # 53, DAVID 17:59  |  indrajaya 13/06/09
      104.   85% turnout 18:00  |  Fahim 13/06/09
      105.   The spirit of democracy rises in Iran 18:20  |  Morris Valentine 13/06/09
      106.   #32 Indrajaya, a proud nation under oppression 18:22  |  Conroy 13/06/09
      107.   Indrajaya 18:24  |  Arnold 13/06/09
      108.   Ahmadinejad 18:38  |  American 13/06/09
      109.   # 70, ARNOLD 18:38  |  indrajaya 13/06/09
      110.   tony silver 18:39  |  danish 13/06/09
      111.   Iran and Israel = Much more similar than both would like to admit 18:46  |  Swiss (Dino) 13/06/09
      112.   indrajaya 18:48  |  oz 13/06/09
      113.   from Tehran 18:50  |  Mohammad 13/06/09
      114.   fahim 18:51  |  bar kochva 13/06/09
      115.   Has Anybody Noticed? 18:54  |  FOX 13/06/09
      116.   #1 binny 19:14  |  Iranian 13/06/09
      117.   Israeli greets Ali & Iranians 19:24  |  yona 13/06/09
      118.   #65 Malone Not advocating intervention, but... 19:32  |  Smadar 13/06/09
      119.   Dumb, dumber, and dumbest 19:36  |  Mark Lincoln 13/06/09
      120.   They wanted Wylat Al Faquih- They can have it. 19:36  |  Tarek 13/06/09
      121.   To Swiss Dino 19:37  |  Yosi 13/06/09
      122.   Indrajaya, hear Mohammed #76 19:37  |  yona 13/06/09
      123.   TO 67 FAHIM 19:38  |  DANNY 13/06/09
      124.   Cheating in Iran election 20:09  |  ABD 13/06/09
      125.   Indrajaya- Military homecomings 20:14  |  Arnold 13/06/09
      126.   oz 20:16  |  Noor 13/06/09
      127.   Iran Nuclear will turn Israeli people hostage 20:31  |  Pedro 13/06/09
      128.   #66 Indrajaya 20:33  |  H 13/06/09
      129.   # 76 mohammad 20:34  |  ehud 13/06/09
      130.   great victory 20:40  |  oz 13/06/09
      131.   Amnon #37 You Should be Ashamed Of Yourself 20:42  |  Michael 13/06/09
      132.   Dino and A-Jad = Much more similar than both would like to admit 20:48  |  flyingdoc57 13/06/09
      133.   Dino: Easier to see Iran from California than from Switzerland! 20:48  |  Morris Valentine 13/06/09
      134.   What about Israel`s election result? 20:55  |  Maureen Ann 13/06/09
      135.   Riots In Tehran Don`t Sound Good 20:56  |  Jeff Northridge 13/06/09
      136.   persian proverbs 21:00  |  oz 13/06/09
      137.   # 31 lol...don`t put anyone into shock, persian kitty 21:08  |  eric 13/06/09
      138.   To Morris Valentine, Re Swiss Dino. 21:17  |  flyingdoc57 13/06/09
      139.   Lies by Haaretz keep coming 2try 06:14  |  an enraged bystander 14/06/09
      140.   80 Michael from the big apple, Iran 06:21  |  an enraged bystander 14/06/09
      141.   n. 17.......6 nameless 06:24  |  an enraged bystander 14/06/09
      142.   #134 14:37  |  Rab Burns 16/06/09
      143.   To eric@137 IF THIS COMES OUT,I HAVE SOMETHING NEEDS CONFIRMING 17:55  |  Whiskey/Bravo 16/06/09
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