At least 1 protestor shot in Tehran
Pro-government militia tied to Revolutionary Guard open fire at massive rally in support of reformist candidate Mousavi in central Tehran, journalists at the scene reporting at least one killed
Gunfire from a pro-government militia killed one man and wounded several others Monday after hundreds of thousands of chanting opponents of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad marched in central Tehran to support their pro-reform leader in his first public appearance since disputed elections.
The outpouring in Azadi, or Freedom, Square for reformist leader Mir Hossein Mousavi followed a decision by Iran's most powerful figure for an investigation into the vote-rigging allegations.
Security forces watched quietly, with shields and batons at their sides.
Later, a group of demonstrators with fuel canisters set a small fire at a compound of a volunteer militia linked to Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard as the crowd dispersed from the square. As some tried to storm the building, people on the roof could be seen firing directly at the demonstrators at the northern edge of the square, away from the heart of the rally.
An Associated Press photographer saw one person fatally shot and at least two others who appeared to be seriously wounded.
Disputes over alleged vote rigging in last week's elections have touched off days of rioting in Tehran.
Iranian state television also said shots were fired, and reported that people were running away.
"There has been sporadic shooting out there ... I can see people running here," a reporter of Iran's English language Press TV said in a live call from Tehran's Azadi Square.
Evacuating wounded protestor (Photo: AP)
"A number of people who are armed, I don't know exactly who they are, but they have started to fire on people causing havoc in Azadi Square," he said.
The chanting demonstrators had defied an Interior Ministry ban and streamed into central Tehran — an outpouring for Mousavi that swelled as more poured from buildings and side streets.
'Election, not selection'
The crowd — many wearing the trademark green color of Mousavi's campaign — was more than five miles (nine kilometers) long, and based on previous demonstrations in the square and surrounding streets, its size was estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands.
"I am ready to pay any price to materialize the ideals of you dear people," he said, speaking though a portable loudspeaker. "People feel their wisdom has been insulted. We have to pursue legal channels to regain our trampled rights and stop this last lie, and stand up to fraud and this astonishing charade."
Mousavi, wearing a gray striped shirt, said his solution was "canceling the result of this disputed election."
"This will have the least cost for our nation. Otherwise, nothing will remain of people's trust in the government and ruling system."
The crowd roared back: "Long live Mousavi."
One placard said, in English: "This is not election. This is selection." Other marchers held signs proclaiming "We want our vote!" and they raised their fingers in a V-for-victory salute.
As darkness fell, cries of "Allahu akbar!" — "God is great!" — were heard across central Tehran as people gathered on rooftops for a second straight night. On Sunday night, Ahmadinejad opponents shouted "Death to the dictator!" The protest bore deep historic resonance — it was how the leader of the Islamic
Revolution Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini asked Iran to unite against the Western-backed shah 30 years earlier.
Meanwhile the US State Department said on Monday it was "deeply troubled" by reports of violence and voting irregularities in Iran's election and urged Tehran to thoroughly investigate accusations of problems in the poll.
"We are deeply troubled by the reports of violence, arrests and possible voting irregularities," said State Department spokesman Ian Kelly, adding that Washington was still assessing what had happened in the election.
