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18 Jun 2009 20:56

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World: The scale of the Million Iran March is so massive it can’t be ignored

Mousavi is claiming that a million people were out supporting him today. Think that’s enough people to take over a government? source

18 Jun 2009 10:37

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World: Iran’s Guardian Council is ready to listen to the opposition

  • We decided to personally invite the esteemed candidates and those who have complaints regarding the election to take part in an extraordinary session of the Guardian Council to discuss their concerns with the members directly so that we will be able to make a decision.
  • Abbas Ali Kadkhodai • A spokesman for the Guardian Council, which is investigating allegations of fraud in the Iranian election. They’ve agreed to meet with the four presidential candidates, including Mir Hossein Moussavi, whose supporters have largely been leading the opposition protests. Whether this will change anything is anyone’s guess. • source

17 Jun 2009 11:03

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U.S., World: Also being blamed for Iran’s 99 problems: The U.S.

  • Iran’s Foreign Ministry is trashing on Obama for speaking out. The ministry got a hold of the Swiss ambassador, who handles U.S. affairs in the country, complaining about “interventionist” statements Obama made regarding the hotly-contested election. The U.S. hasn’t had consistent ties with Iran since shortly after the Islamic revolution in 1979, though Obama is trying to get his foot in the door. source

17 Jun 2009 10:51

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World: Blame the media? That’s what Iran is doing right now.

Feeling that the Western media’s influence has turned the public against them, Iran is looking to slow the flow of information. source

16 Jun 2009 10:18

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World: A few quick answers to some pressing Iran election questions

  • Where’s the oversight? This is why things are so complicated right now. There’s no independent monitoring of the results – the Guardian Council is in charge of this, and they’re closely tied to the government. Plus, everything’s counted by hand. source
  • Where’s the oversight? This is why things are so complicated right now. There’s no independent monitoring of the results – the Guardian Council is in charge of this, and they’re closely tied to the government. Plus, everything’s counted by hand.
  • Was it rigged? Probably. Current president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad does have large-scale support in Iran, especially in rural areas, but not to the degree that his 63% vote tally suggested. And they sure counted those votes quickly. source
  • Where’s the oversight? This is why things are so complicated right now. There’s no independent monitoring of the results – the Guardian Council is in charge of this, and they’re closely tied to the government. Plus, everything’s counted by hand.
  • Was it rigged? Probably. Current president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad does have large-scale support in Iran, especially in rural areas, but not to the degree that his 63% vote tally suggested. And they sure counted those votes quickly.
  • How is the U.S. affected? That’s still up in the air. But in some ways, the results might help them gain footing in Iran. Having Ahmadinejad in power for an election widely perceived stolen could boost their leverage against a nuclear power. source

16 Jun 2009 10:05

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World: Iran’s getting a recount. But it likely won’t change things.

  • It’s only a partial recount. And even then, just of disputed votes. Iran’s Guardian Council, who is in charge of the results for the disputed Iranian election, partially caved in on the dispute, by agreeing to recount in heavily contested areas. According to the opposition, millions of votes have turned up missing. This isn’t as far as some would like, though: Some moderate candidates want the election completely thrown out. That’s not looking like it will happen. source

16 Jun 2009 01:58

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World: The supremacy of Iran’s Supreme Leader is getting challenged

The fact that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei allowed for an presidential election investigation is a huge sign of weakness for the leader. source
 

15 Jun 2009 22:41

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U.S., World: Ready guys? Obama finally has something to say about Iran

  • I can’t state definitively what happened one way or another with respect to the election. But what I can say is there appears to be a sense on the part of people who were so hopeful and so engaged and so committed to democracy, who now feel betrayed.
  • President Barack Obama • Finally speaking out on the Iranian election which has gripped large portions of the world and the Twittersphere so tightly that it’s unavoidable in some circles (unless you’re CNN). • source

15 Jun 2009 22:31

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Tech, World: Twitter listens to its customers when it comes to Iran

  • Twitter planned a necessary upgrade for today at a somewhat strange hour (9:45 p.m. Pacific time). source
  • However, Twitter has become essential as a way for people in Iran to communicate with the outside world. source
  • People complained (loudly) about the downtime, so Twitter changed the time. Good for them! source

15 Jun 2009 18:01

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World: Check out these big and bold Iran photos and the stories they tell

Some of these photos are a couple days old, but The Boston Globe’s “Big Picture” makes them fresh again. source