World

Streets Stay Calm in Tehran Over Weekend, Situation Remains Tense

by albertacowpoke | June 22, 2009 at 03:32 am

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There was a tense calm on the streets of Tehran on Sunday. Saturday saw violent clashes between protesters against the election on June 12th and Military and State Police forces.

The war of words was stepped up between Hossein Moussavi and the Iranian Government. At least 10 people were killed and at least another 100 injured in clashes on Saturday.

State run media turned up their rhetoric against Moussavi, suggesting that his actions were illegal. Terrorists were blamed for the violence on Saturday.

The semi-official News Agency Fars, with strong links to Ahmedinejad, suggested that Moussavi's actions criminal.

"Through uncivil and illegal means, he created an environment for unrest and hooliganism," Firouz Aslani told Fars News. "Contrary to his claims of lawfulness, he acted against the security of the nation and the interests of the system."

Moussavi made no appearances on Sunday.

TEHRAN, June 21 -- The Iranian government and opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi stepped up their war of words Sunday after at least 10 people were killed in clashes on Saturday, while an uneasy calm prevailed on the streets of Tehran on Sunday for the first time since Iran's worst political crisis in 30 years began a week ago.

Government media lashed out Sunday at Mousavi, suggesting that some of his actions were illegal and blaming "terrorists" for Saturday's violence, in which at least 100 people were injured. The semiofficial Fars News Agency, which has strong ties to the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, quoted a law professor at Tehran University as saying that Mousavi's actions were criminal.