Iran election

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Iran Picks Slate to Replace President Killed in Crash

Populist, moderates are blocked, while hard-line speaker will be on ballot

(Newser) - Iran's Guardian Council on Sunday approved the country's hard-line parliament speaker and five others to run in the June 28 presidential election following a helicopter crash that killed President Ebrahim Raisi and seven others. The council again barred former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a firebrand populist known for the crackdown...

Iran Elections: Looks Like a Win for Hard-Line Judiciary Chief

Ebrahim Raisi's opponents are conceding

(Newser) - The moderate candidate in Iran's presidential election has conceded he lost to the country's hard-line judiciary chief, the AP reports. Former Central Bank chief Abdolnasser Hemmati wrote on Instagram to judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi early Saturday. Hemmati wrote: “I hope your administration provides causes for pride for...

Iran Leader Votes, Says 'to Hell With' US

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has refused to endorse a candidate

(Newser) - Voting kicked off today in Iran's presidential election, with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei casting his ballot bright and early—and offering a not-exactly-diplomatic message to the US. "Recently I have heard that a US security official has said they do not accept this election," state-run media quoted the...

686 Hopefuls Vying to Replace Ahmadinejad

Rafsanjani enters race at last minute

(Newser) - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's time is nearly up and nearly 700 candidates are vying to replace him as president of Iran, CNN reports. Iranian authorities say 686 hopefuls have registered for the election next month—but all the candidates need to be vetted by the Guardian Council controlled by Supreme Leader...

Anti-Ahmadinejad Faction Wins Big in Iran Elections

Attempt to confront Iran's Supreme Leader led to Ahmadinejad's losses

(Newser) - In a battle of conservative hardliners versus conservative hardliners in Iran's elections on Friday , the winners were ... the conservative hardliners. But in this case, it is the conservatives opposed to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who appear to have come out on top, taking upward of 80% of the seats in...

Iranians Head to the Polls
 Iranians Head to the Polls 

Iranians Head to the Polls

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urges high turnout

(Newser) - Iran's supreme leader urged Iranians to vote in large numbers as the country holds parliamentary elections today, saying a high turnout would send a strong message to the enemies of the nation amid the nuclear standoff with the West. The balloting for the 290-member parliament is the first major...

Iran Disrupts Internet as Elections Loom

Authorities take early steps to prevent protests, say experts

(Newser) - With parliamentary elections looming in Iran next month, authorities are ramping up censorship of the opposition, disrupting much of the country's Internet in the process, reports Reuters . Millions are having trouble accessing their email and social networking sites, which played an important role in the protests that followed the...

Iran Hangs 2 Over June Election Unrest

Lawyer claims client wasn't even connected to protests

(Newser) - Two Iranians were hanged today in connection with last year's election protests. It was the first report of executions in connection with the unrest and may signal increased efforts to intimidate the opposition ahead of new anti-government demonstrations expected next month. The two executed men were among a group of...

Neda's Grave Defaced—Again
 Neda's Grave Defaced—Again 

Neda's Grave Defaced—Again

State-sponsored doc says slain Iranian was US agent, blood was fake

(Newser) - Neda Soltan's gravestone has, once again, been defaced. The black marble stone bearing her likeness is riddled with bullet holes. It is the second time Iranian government supporters have targeted the slain student's heavily guarded grave; her family put up a new headstone just weeks ago, after the first was...

Iran Activists Arrested as Death Toll Hits 10

Aides to opposition leader detained in major security crackdown

(Newser) - The death toll from yesterday's clashes between Iranian protesters and security forces has hit 10, as police today rounded up and arrested some 300 people, including three top aides to opposition leader Mir Hussein Moussavi. Hundreds of protesters were wounded in yesterday's confrontations across the country. Police opened fired directly...

Top Iranian Dissident Montazeri Dies
 Top Iranian 
 Dissident 
 Montazeri Dies 
OBITUARY

Top Iranian Dissident Montazeri Dies

Cleric had been in line to succeed supreme leader, fell from favor

(Newser) - Iran's most senior dissident cleric, Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, who emerged as the spiritual father of its reform movement, died in his sleep overnight. He was 87. Once slated to succeed Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Montazeri instead led the charge in accusing the country's ruling Islamic establishment of imposing dictatorship...

Iran Cracks Down Ahead of Rally

Internet access slows, foreign media warned on eve of annual event

(Newser) - An annual rally is shaping up as another battle between Iran's government and citizens, with Internet access in Tehran restricted and foreign reporters warned not even to go outside for the next 3 days. Dec. 7 is Students Day, marking the anniversary of the deaths of three student protesters in...

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