Rally in Iran by opposition supporters 'postponed'
- 00:01:24
- ITN
Rally in Iran by opposition supporters 'postponed'
A rally planned in support of Iran's defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi has been cancelled amid fears it could spark more violence. Mr Mousavi's website said the rally, called in protest against the official result of Friday's presidential election, had been delayed after Iran's Interior Ministry declared it illegal. Unrest has rocked Tehran and other cities since the Interior Ministry released results on Saturday that showed hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had defeated Mr Mousavi by a landslide in Friday's presidential election. Mr Mousavi has appealed to the Islamic Republic's top legislative body to annul the result because of what he alleges were irregularities, a charge the Interior Ministry and Mr Ahmadinejad have dismissed. On Sunday, supporters of Mr Mousavi handed out leaflets calling for the rally later in downtown Tehran. They also clashed with police in protests that have underscored political rifts exposed by the disputed vote. The unrest in Tehran and other cities is the sharpest expression of discontent against the Islamic Republic's leadership for years. In a statement on his website, Mr Mousavi said he had formally asked the Guardian Council, a legislative body, to cancel the election result. "I urge you, Iranian nation, to continue your nationwide protests in a peaceful and legal way," he added. The election result has disconcerted Western powers trying to induce the world's fifth biggest oil exporter to curb its nuclear programme. US Vice President Joe Biden cast doubt on the election result but said Washington is reserving its position for now.
ITN | June 15, 2009
