Al Khaleej stuns Al Hilal with 3-2 victory, ending 57-match unbeaten run    Turki Al-Sheikh crowned "Most Influential Personality in the Last Decade" at MENA Effie Awards 2024    Saudi Arabia arrests 19,696 illegals in a week    SFDA move to impose travel ban on workers of food outlets in the event of food poisoning    GACA: 1029 complaints recorded against airlines, with least complaints in Riyadh and Buraidah airports during October    CMA plans to allow former expatriates in Saudi and other Gulf states to invest in TASI    11 killed, 23 injured in Israeli airstrike on Beirut    Trump picks billionaire Scott Bessent for Treasury Secretary    WHO: Mpox remains an international public health emergency    2 Pakistanis arrested for promoting methamphetamine    Move to ban on establishing zoos in residential neighborhoods    Moody's upgrades Saudi Arabia's credit rating to Aa3 with stable outlook    Al Okhdood halts Al Shabab's winning streak with a 1-1 draw in Saudi Pro League    Mahrez leads Al Ahli to victory over Al Fayha in Saudi Pro League    Saudi musical marvels takes center stage in Tokyo's iconic opera hall    Saudi Arabia and Japan to collaborate on training Saudi students in Manga comics Saudi Minister of Culture discusses cultural collaboration during Tokyo visit    Al Khaleej qualifies for Asian Men's Club League Handball Championship final    Katy Perry v Katie Perry: Singer wins right to use name in Australia    Sitting too much linked to heart disease –– even if you work out    Denmark's Victoria Kjær Theilvig wins Miss Universe 2024    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



"No vote fraud" insists Ahmadinejad, unrest continues
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 14 - 06 - 2009


Following a night of violent protest in which
thousands took to Tehran's streets, Iran's President Mahmoud
Ahmedinejad insisted Sunday his re-election was not a fraud, according to dpa.
Ahmadinejad also insisted there would be no change in Iran's
nuclear policies, and he challenged US President Barack Obama to a
debate on the nuclear dispute.
The 52-year-old was addressing a press conference for the first
time since Friday's vote after which his main challenger, Mir-Hossein
Moussavi, accused the president and interior ministry of having
cheated in the counting process.
"The election was free and there is no document proving these
charges," Ahmadinejad said. "It is really ridiculous that the loser
of the election claims a majority of the votes belong to him."
Moussavi said in a statement on his website that he had forwarded
an official request to Iran's Guardian Council asking it to nullify
the results.
Besides Moussavi, several opposition parties and groups have as
well doubted the election results and even an influential clergy
group has called on new elections.
Also on Sunday, US Vice President Joe Biden weighed in, saying
that the United States finds the recent Iranian re-election of
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad "questionable," but would accept the
results "for the time being."
Police meanwhile confirmed dozens of demonstrators were arrested
in overnight clashes in Tehran. The official news agency IRNA quoted
deputy police chief Ahmad Radan as saying ten "organizers" and 50
demonstrators were held and more arrests would follow.
A number of demonstrators were reported injured in the clashes,
but owing to a news embargo in the local media no clear details were
immediately available.
Clashes began again Sunday as tens of thousands of Ahmadinejad
supported celebrated in downtown Tehran, while Moussavi supporters
gathered in the northern part of the capital in a counter-march.
Addressing crowds chanting "Eyval, eyval, Ahmadi(nejad), eyval"
(well done, well done, Ahmadinejad), the president again rejected
fraud charges by the opposition, and claimed Friday's election had
been even more democratic than in the West.
"There is not one single document, not even by the other
candidates, protesting against the election process," Ahmadinejad
said.
He accused the opposition and Western press of wrongly reporting
about election fraud, saying the West only wanted democracy when the
result suited them, too.
"Their (Western press) standpoint is if the candidate they
propagated does not win, then there has definitely been cheating," he
said. "In the West they even seek support from homosexuals to get a
few more votes. In Iran however our democracy is based on ethics."
Ahmadinejad was defiant at his news conference that there would be
no change in Iran's nuclear policies. "Negotiations on the nuclear
issue (suspension of uranium enrichment) are history," he said.
"As I said last month, I am ready to have a debate with the
American president," he said. He had expressed readiness last month
to debate with Obama at UN headquarters in New York.
Iran insists that its nuclear projects are solely for civil and
peaceful purposes, but the West fears that Tehran would avail itself
of its nuclear know-how to pursue a secret military programme.
Referring to Saturday night's street unrest, Ahmadinejad said
there was no crisis, and compared the protestors to football fans
whose team had lost and who could not tolerate the defeat.
"That is natural, these are short-term emotional reflections," he
said, terming the demonstrators a minority compared to the majority
who had voted in his favour.
The labour news agency ILNA earlier quoted deputy police chief
Radan as categorically denying reports that Moussavi and his wife,
Zahra Rahnavard, had been put under house arrest in order to avoid
further unrest.
However, eyewitnesses said that despite tight police control,
sporadic protest gatherings had again started Sunday in several parts
of Tehran with Moussavi supporters shouting "Death to the dictator"
and "We want our votes back."
Thousands of opponents of Ahmadinejad took to the streets on
Saturday setting off a cycle of protests and violence after the
Interior Ministry announced Ahmadinejad had won Friday's election
with more than 62 per cent of votes.
Opposition circles said several members of the reformist party
Islamic Iran Participation Front which supported Moussavi in the
election were arrested. The judiciary denied there had been arrests,
but said that some were "summoned" to the judiciary.
Some disruption of internet links remained Sunday after SMS and
mobile telephone networks, heavily used by opposition supporters in
the runup to the election, were switched off for a while Saturday.
Tehran witnessed protests before during the student-led riots of
1999, but observers said Saturday's demonstrations were bolder.
Moussavi said on his website he would not "surrender to the
manipulation."
With communications disrupted, few details emerged of those
injured in the clashes - but television reaching the outside world
showed police making heavy use of sticks to beat demonstrators.
While police banned demonstrations and cancelled a press
conference for foreign correspondents, the protesters - mainly
Moussavi supporters - refused to back down.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had earlier confirmed the
election result and congratulated Ahmadinejad. "The elected president
is the president of all Iranians and also his opponents should now
support and help him," he said in a message on state television.
"With their presence, the people turned the election into an epic
day," he said, referring to the 85-per-cent record turnout.
Meanwhile, an influential Iranian clergy group said the counting
process was fraudulent and called for the nullification of the
election.
The Islamic Combatant Clergy Association (ICCA), which is close to
former president Khatami and supported Moussavi in Friday's vote,
said on its website that the election should be held again in a
calmer, more logical and more just atmosphere.
The Interior Ministry has rejected all fraud charges. Interior
Minister Sadeq Mahsoul said Ahmadinejad got 24.5 million votes and
secured himself an absolute majority of 62 per cent. Moussavi
received 33.7 per cent - 13.2 million - of the votes.


Clic here to read the story from its source.