Rechercher

/ languages

Choisir langue
 

Iran

Guardian Council rules out cancelling election

Article published on the 2009-06-23 Latest update 2009-06-23 11:42 TU

Demonstrators outside the White House on June 21, 2009. Iran has accused foreign governments of fuelling post-election protests. (Photo: Reuters/Molly Riley)

Demonstrators outside the White House on June 21, 2009. Iran has accused foreign governments of fuelling post-election protests.
(Photo: Reuters/Molly Riley)

The Guardian Council, Iran’s legislative-approval body, has ruled out cancelling this month’s disputed elections. Guardian Council spokesman Abbasali Kadkhodai told English-language state televisio, Press TV, that they had witnessed “no major fraud or breach” during the vote on 12 June.

Print the article

Send the article

Comments on article


World leaders continued to voice alarm on Tueday at the violent suppression of protestors who support defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged an end to the violence, calling for “an immediate stop to the arrests, threats and use of force.”

Another defeated candidate, Mehdi Karroubi, called for a ceremony and rallies to be held on Thursday across in memory of protestors who were killed in the post-election demonstrations.

Meanwhile, pro-government students cancelled a planned demonstration outside the British Embassy in Tehran on Tuesday. They were due to protest at what they see as British interference since President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected.

Iran has accused Britain of fuelling demonstrations over the election result but the Iranian interior ministry said Tuesday’s protest had not been officially authorised.

"The interior ministry condemns this interference, but informs our dear compatriots that no permit has been issued for a rally and a march on Tuesday," it said on its website.

The Fars news agency had earlier quoted student leader Esmail Tahmouressi warning of another “November 4” - the date when students seized the US embassy in Tehran after the 1979 revolution.

Both Britain and the European Union rejected calls of interference. However, Britain is pulling out relatives of embassy staff and, along with Italy and Germany, has warned its citizens against travelling to Iran unless entirely necessary.