It has become an extraordinary day, at the end of what has been an extraordinary election campaign.
As soon as polls opened in Iran, it became clear that the enthusiasm of the last few days has been translated into what is likely to be a huge turnout.
There were queues snaking round the block from many polling stations.
The crowds gathered outside, in segregated lines of men and women. Even as they waited to vote, they continued the spontaneous debate that has been sweeping Iran in the last week.
At one polling station I visited, some voters came up to me, nervous that the government might be trying to rig the election.
They were worried that a bus being used as a mobile polling station was not as well monitored as the main polling centre.
Other voters say the system under which a reference number has to be written by the candidates' name on the ballot paper is confusing.
Good humour
Much of the mobile phone text message system seems not to be working, a system the opposition had been hoping to use to send back reports from their monitors at polling stations and election counts.
The opposition has complained to the government.
Rumours are sweeping Tehran that some satellite TV stations may have been blocked.
But for the most part election day has continued the good humour of recent days.
One supporter of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a woman in the long black religious chador, made a point of shaking hands with another woman wearing the green colours of the opposition contender, Mir-Hossein Mousavi.
Many of the polling stations are in mosques or other religious buildings.
At the Hosseiniyat Ershad in north Tehran, the number of women, particularly young women, queuing to vote is most striking.
The young voters who have been turning out in force for Mr Mousavi say they want more personal freedom, more opportunities and better relations with the West.
Extended voting
Supporters of Mr Ahmadinejad have praised him for pushing forward the nuclear programme, and say he has earned more respect for Iran internationally.
By mid-morning, the interior ministry announced that already five million people had voted. Voting was extended by two hours, and may be extended longer.
Such a high turnout will make Iranians more confident of the outcome.
They will remember the election in 1997, in which President Khatami defeated a candidate heavily favoured by the establishment.
His victory was so overwhelming it soon became clear that it could not be overturned, even if there had been those trying to do so.
Results are expected to begin coming in during the night. Almost every Iranian you meet is eager for any idea about what is going to happen.
And as for the onewho fears standing in front of His Lord and restrainsthe soul from impure evil desires and lusts, verily, Paradise will be his abode [79:40-41]
Well, he did say that the elections were rigged which caused all the problems. and he isn't clearly telling his supporters to stop the violence. (A website message isn't enough. He should tell them through speeches and through the press, etc). A true muslim would give up the presidencial post simply to stop violence even if he has the right to become ruler, as Ali (R) had done. If Mousavi's a true follower of Ali (R) then that is what he should do.
Also, I think that President Ahmadinejad rightfully won the elections. Most people in Iran support a hardline policy and don't even want relations with the West because of the West's anti-islam attitude. i think that Ahmadinejad could have easily gotten well over 50% of the votes.
Well, he did say that the elections were rigged which caused all the problems. and he isn't clearly telling his supporters to stop the violence. (A website message isn't enough. He should tell them through speeches and through the press, etc). A true muslim would give up the presidencial post simply to stop violence even if he has the right to become ruler, as Ali (R) had done. If Mousavi's a true follower of Ali (R) then that is what he should do.
Also, I think that President Ahmadinejad rightfully won the elections. Most people in Iran support a hardline policy and don't even want relations with the West because of the West's anti-islam attitude. i think that Ahmadinejad could have easily gotten well over 50% of the votes.
Your first paragraph does seem rather conditional on your second; or are you seriously suggesting that whatever the evidence may be for elections being rigged it should just be ignored? If so, I'd argue that licensing tyranny and dictatorship is far too high a price to pay, in the long run the violence will be far worse.
As to the result, I simply can't believe it was as reported. Obviously people are disappointed when their candidate loses, but if he is going to be defeated 2-1 on votes you know it and accept it long beforehand, not take to the streets with hundreds of thousands of others to protest, despite the attempts of the authorities to clamp down on communications. I doubt your explanation as well as, if the Iranian experience is anywhere near typical of elections everywhere else, foreign relations have little to do with who you vote for. You are worried about the economy, prospects for your children, eliminating poverty and improving healthcare; not 'taking a hard line' with anybody about anything.
Well, he did say that the elections were rigged which caused all the problems. and he isn't clearly telling his supporters to stop the violence. (A website message isn't enough. He should tell them through speeches and through the press, etc). A true muslim would give up the presidencial post simply to stop violence even if he has the right to become ruler, as Ali (R) had done. If Mousavi's a true follower of Ali (R) then that is what he should do.
Also, I think that President Ahmadinejad rightfully won the elections. Most people in Iran support a hardline policy and don't even want relations with the West because of the West's anti-islam attitude. i think that Ahmadinejad could have easily gotten well over 50% of the votes.
You really think this is an Islamic government?
And Mousavi didn't start all this.
And about those lines,whaaaaat?
May i ask where you're from?
Your first paragraph does seem rather conditional on your second; or are you seriously suggesting that whatever the evidence may be for elections being rigged it should just be ignored? If so, I'd argue that licensing tyranny and dictatorship is far too high a price to pay, in the long run the violence will be far worse.
As to the result, I simply can't believe it was as reported. Obviously people are disappointed when their candidate loses, but if he is going to be defeated 2-1 on votes you know it and accept it long beforehand, not take to the streets with hundreds of thousands of others to protest, despite the attempts of the authorities to clamp down on communications. I doubt your explanation as well as, if the Iranian experience is anywhere near typical of elections everywhere else, foreign relations have little to do with who you vote for. You are worried about the economy, prospects for your children, eliminating poverty and improving healthcare; not 'taking a hard line' with anybody about anything.
Well it would be better of Mousavi directly tell his supporters to calm down. Might have more of an impact.
The Iranian government are already investigating into this matter. What more do you want them to do?
Majority of the supporters are the middle class educated citizens. Honestly most of the demonstrations have taken place in Tehran. They have access to advance technology that the poorer citizens do not have access to. The particular consitency does not represent the views of every single Iranian. I hear negative points being made about the current President of Iran, however there is no clear reasoning behind these arguments unless if someone can state them.
I am well aware there is corruptions in Iran, however is President Ahmadinejad accountable for everything?
format_quote Originally Posted by MSN
And about those lines,whaaaaat?
May i ask where you're from?
I get the impression you seem to think the election beyond all reasonable doubt, has been rigged.
The truth is no one is exactly sure what has really happened. What are they hope to achieve through these elections?
It is the Ayatollah that makes the decisions. Whoever wins, does it really make a big difference? The Ayatollah had even arrested his own grandson for speaking against him. Should it not be him, people should be challenging?
Well it would be better of Mousavi directly tell his supporters to calm down. Might have more of an impact.
I get the impression you seem to think the election beyond all reasonable doubt, has been rigged.
The truth is no one is exactly sure what has really happened. What are they hope to achieve through these elections?
It is the Ayatollah that makes the decisions. Whoever wins, does it really make a big difference? The Ayatollah had even arrested his own grandson for speaking against him. Should it not be him, people should be challenging?
I think he has.
َAnd i don't think it's been rigged,i KNOW it's been rigged.
You're right about A yatollah,he's the one who calls the shots
َAnd i don't think it's been rigged,i KNOW it's been rigged.
You're right about A yatollah,he's the one who calls the shots
I'm curious, on what basis do you believe the election has been rigged. Like something must have caused some of the Iranian people to believe the elections was a scandal. How many people actually believe what you claim?Tehran is not the only city. There are millions of Iranians. I highly doubt all of them share your views.
The only reasons I believe the elections could have been rigged due to, how quick the voting process was and how both candidates claim to have won. Hope you don't mind me asking, do you live in Iran?
The last statement, why don't people challenge the Ayatollah?
I'm curious, on what basis do you believe the election has been rigged. Like something must have caused some of the Iranian people to believe the elections was a scandal. How many people actually believe what you claim?Tehran is not the only city. There are millions of Iranians. I highly doubt all of them share your views.
The only reasons I believe the elections could have been rigged due to, how quick the voting process was and how both candidates claim to have won. Hope you don't mind me asking, do you live in Iran?
The last statement, why don't people challenge the Ayatollah?
Oh boy!That's like playing with fire.
What gave it away?
I think one of Mousavi's promises in case he should win was to reform the presidential system and take power from the ayatollah to a certain extent.
noway - otherwise Mousavi wouldnt be able to run - even if he had to pass that he had to get it through the supreme leader anyway - hes the real ruler of Iran.
Do you think the pious don't sin?
They merely:
Veiled themselves and didn't flaunt it
Sought forgiveness and didn't persist
Took ownership of it and don't justify it
And acted with excellence after they had erred - Ibn al-Qayyim
What is happening in Iran is really terrible. Seriously i think that anyone who encourages violence or doesn't tell his supporters to stop violent protests isn't fit to rule to start with. He should be disqualified simply because of that.
This election was rigged, it does not take a rocket scientist to figure that out. There was no way that they could have handcounted 40 million paper ballots in only a matter of hours. In the US even with our high tech voting system it takes a least a few hours to count votes. If it was a fair election than we would not have all of these protests and violence going on. This isnt a small number of sore losers, it is a pretty good amount of people protesting. These people have had their votes stolen. I was listening last night to a talk show on the radio and they had an Iranian expert on Iran who said what is going on now is very similar to when he was living there and the people were calling for the overthrow of the Shah. Over half of Irans population is under the age of 30 and they are wanted some form of democratic government and have had it with the hardliners in power. All we can do is watch and wait and hope for the best.
This election was rigged, it does not take a rocket scientist to figure that out. There was no way that they could have handcounted 40 million paper ballots in only a matter of hours. In the US even with our high tech voting system it takes a least a few hours to count votes. If it was a fair election than we would not have all of these protests and violence going on. This isnt a small number of sore losers, it is a pretty good amount of people protesting. These people have had their votes stolen. I was listening last night to a talk show on the radio and they had an Iranian expert on Iran who said what is going on now is very similar to when he was living there and the people were calling for the overthrow of the Shah. Over half of Irans population is under the age of 30 and they are wanted some form of democratic government and have had it with the hardliners in power. All we can do is watch and wait and hope for the best.
The Supreme Leader like congratulated(other words kind of confirmed?!) his presidency BEFORE the Guardian Council.And it's the Guradian council's responsibility to confrim it.And i don't think they have yet.But again like i said,the Supreme Leader calls the shots.
noway - otherwise Mousavi wouldnt be able to run - even if he had to pass that he had to get it through the supreme leader anyway - hes the real ruler of Iran.
What violent confrontations have there been? They aren't rioting in the street right? The whole thing seems pretty peaceful so far.
There have been no suicide bombings, killing of police or governmental officials, no attacks on governmental buildings, no rocket attacks and no mass riots.
The only person killed so far was one of the protesters. The only violence has been from the government.
are you kidding, or are you intentionally lying? you didnt see the footage of protestors burning things and smashing up places, as well as attacking a millitia headquarter? the goverment were restoring order to a violent mob, funny how you twist it and say its the other way round.
ppl keep saying a protestor was shot to death, yes he was, only after thousands of them were trying to storm a millitia headquarter, what did they expect?
but its ok, you can keep intentionally lying, ive to expect it from your kind.
are you kidding, or are you intentionally lying? you didnt see the footage of protestors burning things and smashing up places, as well as attacking a millitia headquarter? the goverment were restoring order to a violent mob, funny how you twist it and say its the other way round.
ppl keep saying a protestor was shot to death, yes he was, only after thousands of them were trying to storm a millitia headquarter, what did they expect?
but its ok, you can keep intentionally lying, ive to expect it from your kind.
I think the people are just fed up in general with how things are in Iran, especially economically. I think this election was the straw that broke the camels back. It seems almost like the 1979 Revolution and the people want change.
lol heres the funny thing, everyone saying its impossible to count all the votes so fast like they did, then how in the world was it possible for mosavi to be calling himself the victor by the next day????????? plz do let us know. nobody is saying anything about that, very strange.....mosavi is a politician, and he is playing like a politician, he knew he was going to lose, so he started this whole mess, first by calling himself the winner before anything was over, then by refusing the result like a baby and taking advantage of his sore loser base, and he knew the western media and governments would be very supportive of his losers demonstrating etc and he uses that to himself and then calls everything rigged.
mosavi, who is mosavi? most of you ppl on here saying wowwww its rigged oh oh so bad poor mosavi he is the reformist hero who will bring the dicatorship down bla bla. you guys never even heard of this mosavi guy until after the election result, and a few truthful journalists have even now admitted that mosavis silly election campaign was nothing special at all, and that it really only kicked off a week before the voting because of some comments that were being made during the debates.
since many dont actually know about mosavi, he was actually close with khomeini, yes that evil mullahhhhhh khomeini who overthrew the shah, yes, your hero, the hero you think who will bring the Islamic regime down actually worked and helped them get there, and he has no intention of ending it neither, so to all you ignorant westerners stop thinking that this mosavi guy is your messiah in Iran who will do your work and end all your problems from Iran.
perhaps when westerners here someone being called a reformist in Iran they think it equals= western puppet who wants to bring western secular way of life to Iran. sorry to burst your bubble, but thats not what it actually means. reformists in Iran are just the group who want to lighten a few laws, they dont actually want to get rid of the Islamic republic and total system, many of mosavis's supporters who are rioting are chanting Islamic shia slogans!!!! so many of you seem to have it twisted, you seem to think that this is a demonstration and fight against the Islamic republic, when its only a fight against ahmedinijad, as robert frisk just mentioned on the news.
Well, he did say that the elections were rigged which caused all the problems. and he isn't clearly telling his supporters to stop the violence. (A website message isn't enough. He should tell them through speeches and through the press, etc). A true muslim would give up the presidencial post simply to stop violence even if he has the right to become ruler.
Does that apply only to Mousavi? By your definition it seems that Ahmadinejad might not be a true muslim. For if he was you say that as a true Muslim he would give up the presidential post simpy to stop violence, even if he the right to become ruler. Since he presently is the president, and since he has declared that he has the right to become ruler, and since his giving up that right would no doubt bring an end to the present protests and violence associated with it, which do you think will happen:
Ahmadinejad will prove himself to be a true Muslim and step down?
Ahmadinejad will not step down and prove himself to not be a true Muslim?
BTW, I'm not sure that I agree with your assertion that a true Muslim would step down. But since you are the one who proposed it, I'm curious how you might apply that standard to Ahmadinejad?
l you seem to think that this is a demonstration and fight against the Islamic republic, when its only a fight against ahmedinijad, as robert frisk just mentioned on the news.
Erm... nobody thinks that at all. It's 'Fisk', BTW.
I think the people are just fed up in general with how things are in Iran, especially economically. I think this election was the straw that broke the camels back. It seems almost like the 1979 Revolution and the people want change.
Yes but it does not justify some of the violent actions they have taken. Well it certianly does not help to address the issue.
since many dont actually know about mosavi, he was actually close with khomeini, yes that evil mullahhhhhh khomeini who overthrew the shah, yes, your hero, the hero you think who will bring the Islamic regime down actually worked and helped them get there, and he has no intention of ending it neither, so to all you ignorant westerners stop thinking that this mosavi guy is your messiah in Iran who will do your work and end all your problems from Iran.
I can't speak for others, but I was already aware of all of this. As to who wins the election in Iran, I don't have a vested interest. I only know one person in Iran, a graduate student in university in Tehran, and she didn't think much of Ahmadinejad, but I never talked to her about Mousavi. So, whether he is the right leader for Iran, I'll let Iranians decide. I just hope that their votes are the actual deciding factor, and find it hard to believe that Mousavi lost his home city as has been reported.
If Amadenajad was fairly elected than he deserves to be President, the US and the rest of the world will just have to work with him. However this election was anything but fair and the people who voted have a right to have their vote count.
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