LATEST: Dead protestor photo released online

A photo allegedly showing the dead body of a protestor shot by Iranian security forces has been released on the website, 'twitpic'. The image has been published by a user in Iran has the caption "we wont stay silent , we will react ... crime crime crime".

The pictures have not been independently verified but witnesses report that at least one person has been shot dead and many others have been wounded when security forces opened fire. The crowds had gathered in protest at Friday's election result which saw the re-election of President Ahmidenjad.

The announcement of the result came amidst claims of vote rigging and "obvious violations" of electoral procedure by Mir Hossein Mousavi and his fellow opposition candidates. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Iranians have taken to the streets, with many reports of violent scuffles with police, outraged by the Ahmadinejad's re-election.

Protestor's assembled in Tehran's Revolution square chanting "Down with the dictatorship" and "We want freedom". Demonstrators held placards reading "Where's my vote?" and "Ahmadinejad is NOT my president!"

Advances in technology such as facebook, youtube, blogging and twitter mean that it is no easier for opponents to organise these protests and spread dissent online. The government has tried to prevent this new cyber-dissent by banning webpages and downing SMS networks. Reports say that in response hackers have downed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's website, the site, www.ahmadinejad.ir, now simply displays the message 'The maximum number of user reached, Server is too busy, please try again later...'. One hacker has declared "There is a Cyberwar going on" and encouraged others to overload government websites.

Despite, Government filters trying to block sites many are Iranians are able to access banned sites by through the use of proxy servers. Codes and ports for access to these have been plastered across the internet by those who want to help Iranians get information out of the country. Comedian and broadcster, Stephen Fry has tweeted "Our Iranian friends can access Twitter from 148.233.239.24 Port:80 in Tehran. Can avoid govt filters from here." Another tweeter said "I hope that a web service that allows you to tell people that you've just made a cup of tea can also bring down a government."


The image can be viewed at the following web address VERY DISTRESSING IMAGE http://twitpic.com/7hmx2

Shots fired at Mousavi rally

Reports from Tehran say that shots have been fired into crowds of demonstrators protesting at the results of Friday's election. Some witnesses have said that one person has been shot and many other wounded. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, have taken to the streets despite a government ban on protests.

The Iranian government told Mr Mousavi and his supporters to stay of the street and warned that Mousavi would be held responsible for the actions of those who choose to violate the ban. Zahra Rahnavard, Mousavi's wife, says that they will continue with the protests. In a statement she said "We will stand until the end".

Mr Mousavi claims that there were several "obvious violations" of electoral procedure in Friday's poll, claims denied by Mr Ahmadinejad.

The demonstrators congregated with Mr Mousavi, who was making his first public appearance since the election, in Tehran's Revolution Square. The crowd chanted pro-Mousavi slogans and shouted "Down with the dictatorship" and "We want freedom. These protests follow the violence seen on Saturday following the announcement that President Ahmadinejad had been re-elected to office. Many Iranians believe that voting rigging has occurred and refuse to accept the election result. Mr Mousavi and his fellow opposition candidates have called for a re-run of the polls.

Today's demonstrations were triggered by Mohsen Rezai, a fellow oppostion candidate, filed an official complaint to Iran's guardian council. It is claimed that a lack of ballot papers denied millions of people the right to vote and that elsewhere voting rigging has occurred. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of Iran, was upheld Friday's election result and has urged the 12-member guardian council to "consider precisely" their decision on the ballot. The council has said that they will meet opposition candidates on Tuesday and expect to make a ruling next week.

Mousavi defys protest ban

Mir Hossein Mousavi and his supporters have merged on the streets of the Iranian capital, Tehran, in defiance of a government ban on protests. Mr Mousavi claims that there were several "obvious violations" of electoral procedure in Friday's poll, claims denied by Mr Ahmadinejad.

The demonstrators congregated with Mr Mousavi, who was making his first public appearance since the election, in Tehran's Revolution Square. The crowd chanted pro-Mousavi slogans and shouted "Down with the dictatorship" and "We want freedom. These protests follow the violence seen on Saturday following the announcement that President Ahmadinejad had been re-elected to office. Many Iranians believe that voting rigging has occurred and refuse to accept the election result. Mr Mousavi and his fellow opposition candidates have called for a re-run of the polls.

Despite the government warning Mr Mousavi that he would be held responsible for the actions of his supporters, he has pressed ahead with today's rally. Zahra Rahnavard, Mousavi's wife, says that they will continue with the protests. In a statement she said "We will stand until the end".

Today's demonstrations were triggered by Mohsen Rezai, a fellow oppostion candidate, filed an official complaint to Iran's guardian council. It is claimed that a lack of ballot papers denied millions of people the right to vote and that elsewhere voting rigging has occurred. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of Iran, was upheld Friday's election result and has urged the 12-member guardian council to "consider precisely" their decision on the ballot. The council has said that they will meet opposition candidates on Tuesday and expect to make a ruling next week.

Advances in technology such as facebook, youtube, blogging and twitter mean that it is no easier for opponents to organise these protests and spread dissent online. The government has tried to prevent this new cyber-dissent by banning webpages and downing SMS networks. Reports say that in response hackers have downed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's website, the site, www.ahmadinejad.ir, now simply displays the message 'The maximum number of user reached, Server is too busy, please try again later...'. One hacker has declared "There is a Cyberwar going on" and encouraged others to overload government websites.

Netanyahu sets terms for two-state solution

Israel's Prime Minister has laid out his plans for a two-state solution to solve the Arab-Israel conflict. However, he said that the new Palestinian state would have to be demilitarised.

In his speech at Bar-Ilan university, Mr Netanyahu said that he would back the creation of a Palestinian state only if it had no army, no control over its air space and no way of smuggling weapons into the country. He also said that Palestinians must accept Israel's existence as a Jewish state if there was to be a solution to the problem.

His comments have sparked outrage from Palestinian leaders who have accused him of sabotaging the peace talks. Despite this the Obama administration had praised Mr Netanyahu's endorsement of the two-state solution as an "important step forward" on the road to peace. Hamas, however, has said that the statement from the Israeli PM has shown his "racist, extremist" ideologies.

For Palestinians recognising Israel rules out any hope for the resettlement of Palestinian refugees, displaced in the 1940s when the state of Israel was created. Many Palestinians currently live in asylum in neighbouring Arab nations or in the overpopulated West Bank and Gaza Strip, where the population density is 4,118 per sq. km (10,665/sq mile).

Mr Netanyahu's speech comes just weeks after President Obama set out his administration's plans for relations with the Middle East. Obama's speech urged leaders on both sides to push forward with a two-state solution and also called for Israel to end it's settlement activity.

Whilst Netanyahu did agree to talk with Palestinian leaders without preconditions, he made clear that he would not prevent the "natural growth" of existing settlements and stressed that it was not the settlers who were "enemies of peace".

Iranian election results spark police clashes

The re-election of Mahmoud Ahmedinejad has led to violent clashes between police and supporters of the opposition candidate, Mir Hossein Moushavi. Thousands of protestors have flooded the streets of Tehran causing riot police to use batons and tear gas against them.

The violence, described as the worst for a decade in the city, came after Mir Hossein Moushavi claimed that the election results were a 'charade'. The Obama administration has expressed their doubts about the results, descring them as "not credible". Mr Moushavi has declared that he is the winner of the polls despite Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declaring Mr Ahmadinejad as president. Ayatollah Ali Khamanei has also praised the high turnout of 85% and said that the "sweetness of this event" should not be spoiled. He said that there should be a "real celebration" amid calls for calm in the country.

Mr Moushavi has claimed that the election results are invalid as he said that there were a number of "obvious violations" of electoral procedure. He says that a lack of ballot papers in some polling stations meant that millions were denied their right to vote. He added "The result of such performance by some officials will jeopardise the pillars of the Islamic Republic and will establish tyranny." All three of Ahmidenjad's opponents are calling for a re-run and have asked Iran's Guardian Council, a powerful body of clerics, to cancel the result, calling it "illegitimate and unacceptable".


Electoral officials say that Mr Ahmidenejad recieved 63% of the vote with Mr Moushavi polling 34% and the other candidates 1%.
These results have been met with skepticism by some Iranians leading some to take to the streets in protest. Mir Hossein Moushavi's supporters have made the bulk of crowd shouting "Down with the dictarship" as police reacted violently hitting the protestors with batons and using tear gas.

Iranian election: Ahmadinejad leads in polls

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has recieved 70% of all votes currently counted in the Iranian presidential elections, officials have said.

The current president has faced a tough election race against reformist candidate Mir Houssein Mousavi, who earlier claimed he had one by a substantial margin. Mousavi has also made allegations of voting irregularities, claiming that a lack of ballot papers has led to millions being denied their right to vote.In a statement he said "[We] are waiting for the counting of votes to officially end and explanations of these irregularities to be given,"

Electoral officials have said that Mr Ahmadinejad has recieved over two-thirds of the vote in an election that has held the international media's attention and drawn a large turnout of voters. At many polling stations there were long queues and voting hours were extended to account for the 'unprecedented' amount of voters, estimates say that turnout could be as high as 75%.

With the US pursuing a new relationship with Iran the timing of the election and its result is critical. The current president, Ahmadinejad, is a traditionalist, who has had a hardline approach to the West. He mainly draws his support from poor, rural voters where as his main rival Mir Houssein Mousavi is a reformist, attracted votes from the educated, urban middle-classes. The role of women in the election is being observed closely, as many are expected to vote for moderate candidates who stand for social freedoms and equality.

Four candidates appeared on the ballot sheets with Mehdi Karroubi and Mohsen Razai trailing the two front-runners. To win a candidate needs a clear majority of over 50%, if no candidate achieves this then there is a run-off vote between the top two.

Tough sanctions for N Korea

The United Nations security council has unanimously passed a resolution that will impose further sanctions on the isolated dictatorship. The sanctions come in response to North Korea's nuclear tests last month in clear violation of previous UN resolutions. The new resolution imposes restrictions on the country's arms exports, financial dealings and gives greater powers to inspect, seize and destroy suspect cargo in ports and on the high seas.

All fifteen council members voted in favour of the resolution, which was tabled by the US, Britain, South Korea, Japan and France. Despite Russia and China's previous reluctance to increase the sanctions against North Korea, they both supported this resolution. US ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, expressed concerns that Pyongyang may react "in a fashion that would be further provocation,". The British Deputy Ambassador said that North Korea needed to re-engage with the international community in fresh negotiations and added "We urge North Korea to refrain from any further provocative actions,".

This decision came after the country's second nuclear weapons test on 25 May, followed by a series of short-range missile tests. The North Korean leadership has also declared that the 50 year armistice with the South has come to an end. They also commented that they would respond "mercilessly" to any provocation of war including the use of nuclear weapons.


The resolution says that the security council "condemns in the strongest terms" the North Korean nuclear test and "demands that the DPRK (North Korea) not conduct any further nuclear test or any launch using ballistic missile technology" and added that the country "shall abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner and immediately cease all related activities.". North Korea has previously said that it would respond to such measures with "due corresponding self-defense measures" and US intelligence officials expect a further nuclear test in response to the UN's decision.