Tehran is Burning (II)

Despite the authorities banning gatherings and protests, yesterday hundreds of thousands of Iranians marched on the capital in support of opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi, who officially lost the election.

It is being reported that seven or eight people are dead after riot police and militias loyal to the regime opened fire on the largest protest.

Now, however, the mullahs have declared that some of the votes will be re-counted.

From the Telegraph:

Iran's Council of Guardians has said it is ready to recount votes from last week's disputed election in the wake of clashes at mass protests that have led to the deaths of at least eight people.

In a statement released through state media, the powerful committee of 12 clerics said the move may lead to changes in the candidates' tally.

A spokesman said it was "ready to recount the disputed ballot boxes claimed by some candidates, in the presence of their representatives".

"It is possible that there may be some changes in the tally after the recount," Abbasali Kadkhodai, a spokesman, was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency.

But a senior reformist ally of the defeated candidates Mir-Hossein Mousavi, the former prime minister, and Mehdi Karoubi said they wanted a rerun rather than a recount of "a few ballot boxes".

The council was asked to formally cancel the result by Mr Mousavi.

He has promised not to give up the struggle despite President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad being declared the winner with 63 per cent of the vote at the weekend.

The result has triggered three days on unrest in Tehran and elsewhere in the country.

Seven people have died in clashes in the capital after an "unauthorised gathering" following a mass rally over alleged election fraud.

Reports on state radio said they were killed in shooting after several people in the west of the capital "tried to attack a military location" on Monday evening.