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Moussavi stays firm: no recognition of Ahmadinejad re-election
July 1 - Iranian opposition leader Mir-Hossein Moussavi said in a statement Wednesday that he did not acknowledge the re-election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
"From now on we will have a government the legitimacy of which the majority of the people, including me, will not acknowledge," Moussavi said in a first reaction to the official confirmation of Ahmadinejad‘s re-election, Moussavi further said on his website that he would make no compromise on the rights of his supporters.
The Guardian Council had on Monday re-confirmed the results of the June 12 election and Ahmadinejad’s re-election.
“The Guardian Council’s approval was de facto closing its eyes on numerous irregularities,” said Moussavi whose demand for annulment of the results and holding new elections was harshly rejected by the establishment.
The council said that that with the final confirmation, neither Moussavi nor the other moderate candidate, Mehdi Karriubi, had any rights anymore to veto the election process and continue their protests over election fraud.
“It is not too late and it is still possible to restore the people's trust … the safety of our system depends on doing this,” said Moussavi addressing the Guardian Council.
Calling on his supporters, Moussavi said that “as long as our protests go on, this government will have no legitimacy.”
“Hope in the future is our clearest protest … if you want to remain real Iranians, protect the flames of hope in your hearts, as hope is seed of the identity of Iranians worldwide,” Moussavi said.
“It is our historic duty to continue our protests for gaining the people’s legitimate rights,” he added.
Referring to the political prisoners, he called on the release of "the children of the revolution."
“How can the people trust a government which jails their friends, colleagues and children solely on the pretext of paranoia,” Moussavi said.
According to police reports, more than 1000 people, including former officials, dissidents, journalists and demonstrators, have been arrested.
Although most of them habe been released, but those still detained will be tried in revolutionary courts, is mainly in charge of offences against national security, and might face heavy sentences.
“Creating a security atmosphere in the society will only lead to people’s distrust towards the system.” Moussavi warned, referring to increased security measures in Tehran for preventing further protest demonstrations.
Referring to massive restrictions of local and international media, Moussavi said that a free press was “oxygen for a healthy society” and called on the government to stop blocking media activities.
The local press is currently authorized news and the foreign press is banned from directly covering the protests or contacting the opposition.
“The green colour we chose a symbol for our movement meant a life with more freedom and welfare than we have today,” Moussavi said in his seven-page statement.
At the end of his statement, Moussavi called on stopping the “security approach” towards people, amendment of the election law for preventing further manipulations and guaranteeing the impartiality of the relevant election bodies.
He further demanded freedom for protest gatherings, press, websites, as well as stop to governmental interference in the country’s communication system – switching off mobile phones and SMS system – tabbing people’s conversations and prevent state television from spread of baseless accusations against protestors./-
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Khatami denounces Iran election, arrests
July 1 - Moderate former president Mohammad Khatami criticised the outcome of Iran's disputed election and called for the release of people arrested since the June 12 vote in a hard-hitting statement on Wednesday.
Khatami was the third leading pro-reformer to publicly denounce the vote and its turbulent aftermath since Iran's top legislative body on Monday confirmed the victory of hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
"Many people voted because we called for a high turnout. With this result and the way of confrontation (with post-election protests) you can be sure that even us (reformers) cannot ask people to take part in the next election," he said.
"This is not in in the interest of the establishment," he added.
"If you want to calm the atmosphere, why are you carrying out mass arrests? Oppressing people will not help end the protests," Khatami said.
Addressing the judiciary, he said: "If these people have committed crimes, why are their legal rights as citizens not preserved, why don't they have access to a lawyer, why are they not tried in a court, why haven't they been charged?"
Khatami added: "Obtaining confessions in front of cameras is a useless old method ... confessions under pressure are not valid."/-
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EU not qualified for nuclear talks-Iranian commander
July 1 - Iran's chief of staff said on Wednesday the European Union was not qualified to hold talks over the country's disputed nuclear programme after its members interfered in the Islamic state's internal matters.
"Because of the interference of this group in the post-election riots ... they have lost their qualification to hold nuclear talks with Iran," Hassan Firouzabadi was quoted as saying by the semi-official Fars news agency./-
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Iran, Russia to expand nuclear cooperation
July 1 - Iran and Russia on Tuesday discussed new ways for the expansion of peaceful nuclear cooperation. Deputy Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Mohammad Saeedi held talks in Moscow with Sergei Kiriyenko, head of Russia`s Rosatom State Atomic Corporation.
"The Iranian delegation and officials of Rosatom held talks in a positive and constructive atmosphere," Saeedi told.
"During the talks, the two sides drew plans for future cooperation in nuclear field," he added.
The inauguration of Iran`s Bushehr nuclear power plant by Russia, which had already been set for mid-summer 2009 was discussed by the two sides.
In April, Iran`s Energy Minister Parviz Fattah said Bushehr nuclear power plant would start to generate 500 megawatt electricity from mid-summer.
Iran and Russia, after reaching an agreement on nuclear cooperation in 1992, signed a contract in January 1995 to finish the construction of the plant, the completion of which has been repeatedly delayed. Moj News./-
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