国际英语新闻：Supporters of Ahmadinejad, Mousavi hold separate rallies in Tehran: TV

TEHRAN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Supporters of both Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and defeated presidential candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi held separate massive rallies in Tehran on Tuesday, state television reported.

    Thousands of pro-Ahmadinejad Iranians gathered at the Vali Asr Square in downtown Tehran for a "unifying rally," while supporters of Mousavi also held a massive rally at the Vanak Square upper north in the city.

    At the Vali Asr Square, most of the people were supporters of Ahmadinejad and they were also protesting against recent "riots" on Iran's streets, mostly in Tehran.

    Many demonstrators were holding pictures of Ahmadinejad and Iran's national flags, a sign the incumbent president had been using during his campaigns for the presidential election.

    The pro-Ahmadinejad ralliers were chanting slogans in support of the president while inviting supporters of Mousavi to national unity by chanting "We are of the same nation," state-run Press TV's reporter said.

    Addressing the crowds at the Vali Asr Square, former Parliament Speaker Gholam Ali Haddad Adel urged defeated presidential candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi to accept his failure in the presidential race.

    Press TV's reporter said later at the Vanak Square that the gathering of Mousavi's supporters had also turned into a massive rally and the demonstrators, who were carrying green banners of the Mousavi campaign, were calm.

    Earlier Tuesday, Mousavi's supporters were reportedly planning to hold a massive rally at the Vali Asr Square, but later Mousavi urged them not to go there, warning that people "should be careful not to be trapped in the preplanned confrontation."

    All the parties and groups in support of Mousavi were trying to get permission to stage rallies in protest against "the election irregularities, the violence and the martyrdom of some of our countrymen," according to Mousavi's statement.

    On Monday evening, at least seven people were killed at a mass rally held by tens of thousands of supporters of Mousavi, according to Press TV's report earlier Tuesday.

    The protesters were killed after they tried to attack a military post near Tehran's Azadi (Liberty) Square, the report said, adding that dozens of others were also wounded when protesters were trying to destroy public properties.

    Meanwhile, Press TV quoted Tehran's police as saying that security forces had arrested a number of "armed rioters" in connection with the recent clashes in Tehran.

    On Saturday afternoon, Iran's Interior Minister Sadeq Mahsouli said Ahmadinejad won 62.63 percent of the total ballots during Friday's vote, while his main rival Mousavi got 33.75 percent.

    After the official declaration, Mousavi protested "strongly" the "obvious" violations in Iran's presidential election. He also appealed to the Guardian Council for a cancellation of the election result.

    During a meeting with Mousavi on Sunday evening, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said he had ordered the Guardian Council to investigate the claims of fraud in the recent presidential election.

    He also told the former prime minister to pursue his appeal against the election result in a legal way.

    Iran's Guardian Council, which is tasked with supervising the election, said on Tuesday that it was ready to recount disputed polling boxes, according to Press TV.

    The council has agreed on a recount of disputed ballot boxes in last week's presidential election if it finds irregularities in the vote count, Press TV said.

    "If it is necessary, exact recount will be done," the local IRNA quoted the Guidance Council spokesman Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei assaying on Tuesday in another report.

    Recount may lead to changes in the candidates' tally, the council said.