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The sky above Tehran is shrouded by black smoke as tires, trash cans, and other items burn throughout the city. Iranians came out in droves to protest what they suspect was a rigged election. (Photo: AP/Ben Curtis)
The hotly-contested 2009 presidential election in Iran has ended, with incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared winner, but his reformist opponent Mir Hossein Mousavi and his supporters allege the vote was manipulated, according to CNN.
Both Ahmadinejad and Mousavi declared victory midway through the vote, before any tally of the votes was final. However, as the official results rolled in from across the country, Ahmadinejad remained in a comfortable lead, never falling below 60 percent of the counted ballots. He finished with 62.63 percent of the total vote, to Mousavi's 33.75 percent.
Voter turnout was unprecedented, with 85 percent of the 46 million eligible voters taking part. Analysts and observers expected the high frequency to catapult the reformist Mousavi to the presidency with an upswelling of young and women voters impassioned by his campaign. Nevertheless, Ahmadinejad still commands much support in the Iranian countryside despite presiding over four years of economic turmoil.
While Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini praised the high turnout and strong support for the president-elect as a genuine demonstration of Iranian "pride" and "honor," Mousavi issued a sharp letter demanding the counting to cease due to "blatant violations" of the electoral process. He accused "untrustworthy monitors" of helping to manipulate the ultimate outcome in favor of Ahmadinejad who, despite economic policies that were questionable at best, remained closer to the religious establishment strong stance against granting concessions to the West or Israel. Independent monitors were not permitted at the polling stations, CNN said.
"The results announced for the 10th presidential elections are astonishing," Mousavi said in a statement. "People who stood in long lines and knew well who they voted for were utterly surprised by the magicians working at the television and radio broadcasting."
Mousavi took a cue from U.S. President Barack Obama's campaign strategy of using technology to mobilize support, but text messages were conspicuously out of service throughout Iran in recent days, including the day of and day after the election. Nevertheless, people came in droves across Tehran, Iran's capital, to demonstrate against what they suspect was a rigged vote. CNN said that the protests have been massive and loud, but largely peaceful. Still, riot police had to remove some people from the crowd after a few stone-throwing incidents and some trash cans, tires, and other material was set ablaze across the city.
Whether or not the opposition's allegations of vote manipulations turn out to be true, it must be known that despite the high-profile of the Iranian presidential title, it is the clergy that retains much power in Iranian affairs. It is likely, though not certain, that the clerics will not re-examine the ballot count or allow any independent investigation. For the time being, it seems Ahmadinejad and his fiery rhetoric are here to stay for four more years, and with him continued tension and confrontation between Washington and Tehran.
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