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| Iran probes 646 poll complaints | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Iran's top legislative body says it is investigating 646 complaints from the three defeated presidential candidates over last week's election. | Iran's top legislative body says it is investigating 646 complaints from the three defeated presidential candidates over last week's election. |
| The powerful Guardian Council said it had invited Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi and Mohsen Rezai to a meeting on Saturday to discuss the complaints. | The powerful Guardian Council said it had invited Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi and Mohsen Rezai to a meeting on Saturday to discuss the complaints. |
| Another key body has raised eyebrows by failing to endorse the election result. | Another key body has raised eyebrows by failing to endorse the election result. |
| Thousands are again rallying in Tehran after a call for a "day of mourning" for eight protesters killed on Monday. | Thousands are again rallying in Tehran after a call for a "day of mourning" for eight protesters killed on Monday. |
| [End] the violent actions against people and free those arrested Mousavi letter to judiciary How Iran is ruled In pictures: Protests unabated Reporters' log | |
| Mr Mousavi, the leading presidential challenger, issued the call and has also demanded the release of a growing number of opposition politicians and journalists who have been arrested. | Mr Mousavi, the leading presidential challenger, issued the call and has also demanded the release of a growing number of opposition politicians and journalists who have been arrested. |
| President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected with almost two-thirds of the votes during the 12 June presidential election, but the opposition claims there was widespread fraud. | President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected with almost two-thirds of the votes during the 12 June presidential election, but the opposition claims there was widespread fraud. |
| Power play? | Power play? |
| Guardian Council spokesman Abbasali Khadkhodai said a "careful examination" of the 646 complaints from the three candidates had begun. | Guardian Council spokesman Abbasali Khadkhodai said a "careful examination" of the 646 complaints from the three candidates had begun. |
| "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 on Saturday," he said. | "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 on Saturday," he said. |
| ANALYSIS Jim Muir, Former BBC Tehran correspondent | |
| The crisis in Iran has moved far beyond a dispute over election results. It has turned into a struggle over the balance of power in the country, and Iran's future orientation. | |
| That balance is being fought over in a symbiotic struggle that is taking place both behind the political scenes and, through rival displays of people power, on the streets of Tehran and other cities. | |
| Years of contradictions have come to a head in the current crisis. | |
| The Iranian leadership has in the past shown ingenuity and flexibility in facing serious challenges. | |
| This is probably greater than any, and it goes to the heart of the system. It is unlikely to be easily or quickly resolved. | |
| Crisis to decide Iran's future | |
| It is not known if the three candidates have accepted the invitation. | It is not known if the three candidates have accepted the invitation. |
| The BBC's Jon Leyne in Tehran says the candidates are unlikely to be wildly optimistic about the outcome. The Guardian Council - made up of six clerics and six lawyers - is traditionally loyal to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. | The BBC's Jon Leyne in Tehran says the candidates are unlikely to be wildly optimistic about the outcome. The Guardian Council - made up of six clerics and six lawyers - is traditionally loyal to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. |
| The council earlier this week said it would carry out a partial recount, but had ruled out a re-run of the poll demanded by Mr Mousavi. | The council earlier this week said it would carry out a partial recount, but had ruled out a re-run of the poll demanded by Mr Mousavi. |
| However, opposition supporters are likely to be more encouraged by a statement from the Assembly of Experts - Iran's top clerical body responsible for appointing the supreme leader and, in theory, monitoring his performance. | However, opposition supporters are likely to be more encouraged by a statement from the Assembly of Experts - Iran's top clerical body responsible for appointing the supreme leader and, in theory, monitoring his performance. |
| "We congratulate the excited, epic-making and alert presence of 85% of the revolutionary people" in the election, the statement said. | "We congratulate the excited, epic-making and alert presence of 85% of the revolutionary people" in the election, the statement said. |
| It made no mention of the disputed result. | It made no mention of the disputed result. |
| The Assembly of Experts is headed by former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who is a strong supporter of Mr Mousavi and a key rival of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. | |
| The question now, our correspondent says, is whether Mr Rafsanjani will make his power play, and possibly challenge the supreme leader himself. | The question now, our correspondent says, is whether Mr Rafsanjani will make his power play, and possibly challenge the supreme leader himself. |
| 'No compromise' | |
| Thousands of people were attending the latest protest rally in Tehran on Thursday after Mr Mousavi urged them to turn out in black in memory of those shot by members of the pro-government Basij volunteer militia on Monday. | |
| EBRAHIM YAZDI Former aide to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, leader of the 1979 revolutionFormer deputy prime minister and the Islamic Republic's first foreign ministerNow leader of the banned but tolerated pro-democracy Freedom Movement of IranAged around 76 and in ill health | EBRAHIM YAZDI Former aide to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, leader of the 1979 revolutionFormer deputy prime minister and the Islamic Republic's first foreign ministerNow leader of the banned but tolerated pro-democracy Freedom Movement of IranAged around 76 and in ill health |
| The BBC's Marcus George in Tehran says supporters of Mr Mousavi have been telling each other to stick closely together for better protection and that the pro-government militia squads will be out in force at the protest. | |
| Witnesses told AFP news agency the protesters were chanting "Peace be upon (the Prophet) Muhammad and his family" and were carrying placards with such slogans as "We have not had people killed to compromise and accept a doctored ballot box". | |
| In a counter-rally outside the prosecutor's office in Tehran on Thursday, hard-line students protested against the role of Mr Rafsanjani and his family. | |
| Mr Mousavi and reformist former President Mohammad Khatami have sent a joint letter to the head of the judiciary asking for an end to "the violent actions against people and to free those arrested". | |
| Iranian authorities have rounded up pro-reform figures and tried to further muzzle web sites and social networks used by opposition supporters to broadcast information and images of events in Tehran. | |
| Ebrahim Yazdi, a foreign minister after the 1979 revolution and now leader of the Freedom Movement of Iran, was arrested while undergoing tests at a hospital in Tehran, a spokesman for his organisation said. | Ebrahim Yazdi, a foreign minister after the 1979 revolution and now leader of the Freedom Movement of Iran, was arrested while undergoing tests at a hospital in Tehran, a spokesman for his organisation said. |
| On Friday, Iranians will be listening closely to the address of Ayatollah Khamenei, who is due to deliver the sermon at Friday prayers. | |
| Heavy restrictions have been placed on the BBC and other foreign news organisations. Reporters are not allowed to cover unauthorised gatherings or move around freely in Tehran - but there are no controls over what they can write or say. | |
| Are you in Iran? What do you think of the current situation? If you have any information you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below: | Are you in Iran? What do you think of the current situation? If you have any information you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below: |
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