International   

Ahmadinejad rejects charge of electoral fraud

TEHRAN: Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has hailed the massive turnout in Friday’s presidential election and has strongly denied allegations of electoral fraud.

During his first press conference which took place after his re-election for a second successive term, Mr. Ahmadinejad also dismissed the unrest which has followed the announcement of the election results. He pointed out that “the election is like a football match played by two teams. The loser should just let it go.”

“The fact that some protest and question the election results is not important; rather it is natural because they thought that they would win but they did not,” Mr. Ahmadinejad said. “So, it is routine that they will be upset and show reaction or write letters.” Mr. Ahmadinejad said that Friday’s election was a blow to the “oppressive system ruling the world.”

In the aftermath of the ongoing violence that started on Saturday, the police said they had made 170 arrests. The authorities denied that Mr. Ahmadinejad’s lead challenger Mir Hosain Mousavi has been put under house arrest.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Western analysts missed the “silent majority” in Iran
Ahmadinejad rejects charge of electoral fraud
Help arrest LTTE leader K. Pathmanathan: Colombo
Madhes parties resent Ministry allocation
Pakistanis die in U.S. strike

Copyright © 2009, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu