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In Tehran, rivals hold rallies

DUBAI: Supporters of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who has been declared elected in Fridays controversial presidential polls and his nearest rival Mir Hosain Mousavi continued to mobilise their street power in tit-for tat rallies in Tehran for a third successive day on Tuesday.

A day after a million people rallied for Mr. Mousavi on Monday, thousands of Mr. Ahmadinejad’s supporters congregated at a massive rally at the city’s prominent Vali Asr square. The rally took place amid imposition of additional curbs on reporting by the foreign media.

Foreign journalists have been denied extension of their visas, resulting in their exit from Iran in large numbers on Tuesday.

There have been reports that the movement of overseas media personnel has been curbed inside the city, restricting the coverage of live events.

Speakers at Tuesdays State-sponsored gathering said that the unrest that followed the announcement of election results posed a challenge to the Islamic Revolution.

“This nation will protect and defend its revolution in any way,” said Gholam Ali Haddad Adel, a senior lawmaker and close associate of President Ahmadinejad, at the rally.

“Those who voted for Mr. Mousavi. Those who are creating unrest. Those who break glass, smash windows, and vandalise. Those who threaten people. It is not the right thing to defend these people,” he observed.

Mr. Mousavi’s supporters had earlier planned to hold their rally at the same venue, raising prospects of street clashes.

Consequently, they moved further up to the Vanak square in large numbers, according to Iran’s state-run Press TV.

Mr. Mousavi’s supporters, sporting their trademark green insignia rallied peacefully as had been requested by their leader.

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