Ahmadinejad: Iranian people will not be intimidated
Reelected Iranian president responds to accusations of election fraud, says vote was 'example for democracy,' blames Western media of waging 'psychological warfare,' adds it has no right to contents results
Earlier in the day, renewed altercations broke out in the country as 200 supporters of pro-reform presidential challenger Mir Hossein Mousavi clashed with police in Tehran.
Tens of thousands of people were thought to have taken part in the post-election riots and fatalities had been reported. In response, one senior police official said that "a number of disruptive organizations would be arrested soon."
In a televised speech Sunday, Ahmadinejad said that the Iranian elections were an "example for democracy, based on sacred humanitarian values," adding that Iran was "a brave nation" and that it "will not be intimidated by threats."
"The Iranian public hates lies and injustice and is resistant to the psychological warfare in the media," he said. Ahmadinejad also blamed the Western media for broadcasting "made-up news" as part of its anti-Iranian propaganda.
Ahmadinejad slammed the West for "expecting our nation to cave in to its propaganda. The world must realize that the Iranian people are smart and the Iranian nation is aware of its goals.
"The Iranian people have expressed their desire in an election. In a liberal democracy you have several parties that rule the people – here it is the people who rule. The Iranian nation will not let others determine its fate.
"Forty million people took part in this election and I don’t understand how the foreign media can doubt the results. They don’t know the Iranian people. I trust the results are accurate," he said.
Iran, he continued "haste lies, injustice and aggression. This nation has never infringed on any other nation's rights and it opposes selfish actions."
Roee Nahmias contributed to this report
