Thousands defy Iran rally ban

Published on Saturday 20 June 2009 22:45

THE odds were stacked against them in the shape of squadrons of riot police and heavily armed civilian militia. But thousands of demonstrators again took to the streets of Tehran yesterday in open defiance of the cleric-led government's orders to end a week of protests against the nation's election.

Witnesses said police used batons, tear gas and water cannons to disperse the protesters, who were chanting "Death to the dictator!" and "Death to dictatorship!" as they rallied to demand a new presidential election.

There were no immediate reports of fatalities and the head of Iran's police said his men had been ordered to act with restraint, although that would not last if protests went on.

"We acted with leniency, but I think, from today on, we should resume law and confront more seriously," said General Esmaeil Ahmadi Moghadam on state television. "We will definitely seriously confront those who violate rules."

In a separate incident, a suicide bomber blew himself up near the shrine of Iran's revolutionary founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, injuring eight other people. The motive was not clear, but could lead the authorities to crack down even harder on political dissent. Meanwhile, supporters of defeated presidential candidate Mirhossein Mousavi set on fire a building in southern Tehran used by backers of president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. A witness said police shot into the air to disperse rival supporters.

The protestors took to the streets despite a planned afternoon rally being called off earlier in the day by the nation's powerful clerics and a warning from the government that any demonstrations would be illegal and dealt with harshly.

Numbers were much reduced from the crowds of tens of thousands earlier in the week, but a witness said protesters spread out into smaller groups in the Iranian capital because of the massive police presence in the central areas.

The witnesses said up to 60 protesters had been seriously beaten by police and pro- government militia and taken to the Imam Khomeini hospital. People could be seen dragging away comrades bloodied by baton strikes.

Helicopters hovered over Tehran, ambulance sirens echoed through the streets and black smoke could be seen rising over the city. Tehran University was cordoned off by police and militia, while students inside the university chanted pro-democracy slogans.

The new tough line by the Iranian authorities followed a speech by Iran's supreme religious leader, Ayatollah Khameini, on Friday in which he said the election won by incumbent president Ahmadinejad was legitimate, despite widespread allegations of vote-rigging.

He warned that if the protests – in which almost a million Iranians, mostly supporters of Mousavi, took part – any "bloodshed and chaos" would be on the beaten presidential candidate's hands.

The past week of protests have been the most widespread expression of anti-government feeling since the revolution and yesterday the first test of the government's resolve to end the demonstrations.

Early yesterday, the Association of Combatant Clerics, a reformist group linked to former president Mohammad Khatami, a Mousavi ally, told supporters to stay off the streets.

Then, the Etemad-e Melli party of losing candidate Mehdi Karoubi said plans for yesterday's rally had been scrapped for lack of a permit.

The Guardian Council, Iran's highest legislative body, also attempted to head off further protests by saying it was ready to recount a random 10 per cent of the votes cast in the 12 June poll to meet the complaints of Mousavi and two other candidates who lost to Ahmadinejad.

"Although the Guardian Council is not legally obliged… we are ready to recount 10 per cent of the ballot boxes randomly in the presence of representatives of the three (defeated] candidates," a council spokesman said.

Mousavi, who has been banned from speaking to media or appearing at rallies, did not attend but his spokesman made clear his supporters should not hold further demonstrations.

But the government took no chances and deployed police and members of the pro- government Basij militia on the streets of Tehran from early morning.

Tehran police chief Ahmad Reza Radan said: "Police forces will crack down on any gathering or protest rally."

English-language state TV said the country's highest national security body had ordered security forces to deal with the situation.

Witnesses said they had seen Basij Islamic militia deploying across Tehran and one resident saw at least three buses full of Basij heading for the capital from the nearby city of Karaj, as well as four lorries full of the motorcycles used by Basij militiamen during previous demonstrations.

State media have reported eight people killed in unrest since the election outcome was published eight days ago.

Since then, scores of reformists have been arrested and authorities have cracked down on foreign and domestic media. Yesterday, photographers, banned from the streets, were only able to take pictures from inside buildings.

On Friday, after Khameini's speech, US President Barack Obama condemned the violence carried out by security forces and said he believed that Iranians should be free to protest, sharpening the White House's rhetoric over the post-election events.

Khamenei called for calm in his country, a major oil exporter embroiled in dispute with major powers over its nuclear programme, which the West suspects could be used to make bombs. Tehran says its nuclear work is peaceful. He also attacked "interference" by foreign powers who had questioned the result of the election.

The election result showed Mousavi won 34 per cent of the votes to Ahmadinejad's tally of nearly 63 per cent.

Iran's national security council dismissed a complaint Mousavi had written earlier this week about plainclothesmen using sticks and metal rods to attack protesters.

"Your national duty and responsibility would require that instead of raising charges against police or army forces … to try to avoid such illegal gatherings and not support them," said secretary Abbas Mohtaj.

Mousavi left the hotbed of Tehran yesterday for the south of the country where he pledged to become a "martyr" in the cause of forcing new elections.

A spokesman said the opposition leader was not under arrest but was not allowed to speak to journalists or stand at a microphone at rallies.

Contact with Mousavi has been difficult. Iranian authorities have interfered with the internet and mobile phone networks and placed strict limits on the ability of foreign media to cover recent events, banning reporting from the street and allowing only phone interviews and information from official sources such as state TV.

Yesterday, Obama returned to the Iran issue, urging the country's government to "stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people".

"The Iranian government must understand that the world is watching. We mourn each and every innocent life that is lost," the president said in a statement.

"The universal rights to assembly and free speech must be respected, and the United States stands with all who seek to exercise those rights."