Mousavi leads mass protest in Tehran
Defeated reformist candidate announces he is prepared to face President Ahmadinejad once again, leads hundreds of thousands in protest through central Tehran alongside ally Mehdi Karroubi
In his first public appearance since losing the presidential elections, reformist candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi led hundreds of thousands of Iranians through central Tehran in protest of rival Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's claim of victory. Mousavi said he is prepared to challenge Ahmadinejad again if new elections are held.
"Give back our votes!" Mousavi we support you! We will die but retrieve our votes!" shouted protesters, many decked in the signature green of Mousavi's election campaign, as riot police stood by in central Tehran's Enghelab (Revolution) Square.
Tehran on Monday (Photo: Reuters)
Protesters called on security forces to join them. "Law enforcers, support us, support us!" they shouted, especially when a police vehicle passed by, an AFP reporter said. "You are green like us!" they screamed at police.
The march from Enghelab Square to Azadi (Freedom) Square went ahead despite the authorities announcing a ban on such gatherings. So far there has been no live coverage of the protest on state television.
"No authorization for a march or gathering has been issued and any kind of gathering or march is illegal," an interior ministry spokesman said.
Members of the crowd also called for a day of industrial action: "Tuesday! Tuesday! Strike! Strike!" they shouted. "As long as Ahmadinejad is there, it will be like this every day... Listen to the voice of the people!"
Iran's state television says the supreme leader has ordered an investigation into claims of fraud in last week's presidential election.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is ordering the powerful Guardian Council to examine the allegations by pro-reform candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi, who claims widespread vote rigging in Friday's election. The government declared President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the winner in a landslide victory.
It is a stunning turnaround for Iran's most powerful figure, who previously welcomed the results.
Mousavi wrote an appeal Sunday to the Guardian Council, a powerful 12-member body that's a pillar of Iran's theocracy. Mousavi also met Sunday with Khamenei.
AFP and Reuters contributed to this report
