OPPOSITION, POLICE CLASH AGAIN IN TEHRAN
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
04.08.2009 11:07 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Iranian riot police and opposition supporters clashed
in Tehran Monday, hours after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was endorsed as
president for a second term.
A correspondent for Iran’s state-run Press TV says riot police used
tear gas to disperse about 2,000 demonstrators who gathered between
Valiasr and Vanak Squares in the capital.
Iran has barred foreign news organizations from sending reporters to
cover opposition protests.
Earlier, Iran’s supreme leader formally endorsed the second-term
presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, despite opposition claims of fraud
in his re-election.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei approved Mr. Ahmadinejad’s presidency at
an official ceremony Monday in Tehran. Several hundred people
were present, but there were notable absences including two former
presidents, Mohammed Khatami and Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. Defeated
reformist candidates, Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, also
did not attend the event.
The supreme leader Monday praised the election’s
outcome. Mr. Ahmadinejad will be sworn in by parliament on Wednesday.
The president has two weeks from that date to announce his new Cabinet.
After Mr. Ahmadinejad’s first election four years ago, a photograph
was circulated of the new president kissing Khamenei’s hand in a show
of loyalty. But this year, Iranian media report the supreme leader
stepped back when Mr. Ahmadinejad approached in an apparent attempt
to kiss his hand Monday. The ayatollah instead allowed the president
to kiss his shoulder.
After the June 12 presidential election, Iranian security forces
arrested hundreds of activists, politicians and protesters. A mass
trial for more than 100 of the detainees began Saturday.
Former President Khatami, who now heads one of the largest reform
parties in Iran, said Sunday the mass trial is unconstitutional.
He called the judicial proceedings a "show" trial, and said prosecutors
are relying on confessions that were illegally obtained, VOA News
reported.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress