World

No New Iran Vote as Gov Scrambles to Negate Neda Soltan's Death

by Rob Walker | June 23, 2009 at 05:12 am

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A day of announcements in Iran, as the local official news agency said that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will be sworn in by mid-August after a probe finds no major fraud occurred in the election.

They have also banned a public funeral for Neda Salehi Agha Soltan and prevented gatherings in her name. Neda Soltan was shot and killed during the protests and the video footage of her death has sparked outrage around the world.

The government has also told Neda's family to take down the black mourning banners outside their home to prevent it from becoming a focal point in the protests. Posters of Neda Soltan's face have begun to appear all over Tehran.

IRNA, the official Iranian news agency, said Ahmadinejad, who won a "closely contested and disputed 10th presidential election", would be sworn in before parliament between 26 July and 19 August.

The council of 12 clerics issued an announcement on state television that following its probe into the election results, Iranians will not vote over again.
"No major fraud or breach in the election," was found, said Abbas Ali Kadkhodaei, spokesman for the Guardian Council. "Therefore, there is no possibility of an annulment taking place."

The authorities had already banned a public funeral or wake and have prevented gatherings in her name while the state-controlled media has not mentioned Miss Soltan's death.
Today it was reported that they had also told her family to take down the black mourning banners outside their home in the Tehran suburbs to prevent it becoming a place of pilgrimage. They were also told they could not hold a memorial service at a mosque.