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This article was first published 14 years ago

Protesting Iranians have something to cheer

June 22, 2009 16:52 IST

Image: A protester cries as another flashes a victory sign during a demonstration in support of the Iranian opposition
Photographs: Pawel Kopczynski/Reuters

It was a shot in the arm for thousands of protesting Iranians when the Guardian Council the religious body entrusted with overseeing the election in the country -- said the number of votes counted in about 50 cities exceeded the number of eligible voters there.

The council's spokesman Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei, while speaking on the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting Channel 2 on Sunday, said: 'Statistics provided by the candidates, who claim more than 100% of those eligible have cast their ballot in 80-170 cities are not accurate -- the incident has happened in only 50 cities.'

Crackdown on protestors continues

Image: Security personnel look at a woman sitting on the ground as they ride past in Tehran
Photographs: Reuters via Your View
However, Kadkhodaei clarified that the voter turnout of above 100% in some cities is a normal phenomenon because there is no legal limitation for people to vote for the presidential elections in another city or province to which people often travel or commute. 

Rafsanjani's daughters joins protestors

Image: Faezeh Rafsanjani (C), daughter of former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, attends an opposition rally
Photographs: Reuters via Your View
Meanwhile, Press TV reported Iranian security officials as saying that they did not open fire on protestors during the post-election violence that killed over a dozen people. On Saturday, widespread violence had been reported from Teheran.

They march on defying authority

Image: Protesters gesture on a street in Tehran in this undated photo uploaded onto Twitter
Photographs: Reuters/Twitter
'Terrorist elements' infiltrated the rallies, officials said, adding that the insurgents set fire to a mosque, two gas stations and a military post in Western Tehran, leaving 13 people dead and 22 wounded. 

Blood is being spilt on Teheran's streets

Image: An injured man is assisted in Tehran in this undated photo uploaded onto Twitter
Photographs: Reuters/Twitter
Opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi has told his supporters, who have been protesting on streets of Teheran ever since the verdict came out in favour of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to continue their protests but not to put their lives in danger