*See updates at the bottom of the entry.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad need not defend winning a second term despite accusations of electoral anomalies. Iran isn’t a democracy, despite the fact that its constitution claims that the people are “the source of power”. Iran is governed under a system called “Rule by the Supreme Jurist”, which means that power ultimately rests with one man – Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has urged all Iranians to back Mr. Ahmadinejad’s re-election despite claims of voting irregularities.
According to local reports made via Twitter, a host of social networking apps were blocked as protests escalated, including Facebook, YouTube, Friendfeed, and then, finally, Twitter itself. Numerous foreign websites were also blocked, as connection speeds were reduced to a crawl. Cell phone service throughout the country was also suspended.
Some Iranians have been able to continue tweeting updates using third party applications, some of whom have reported deaths in the capital and elsewhere. Mir-Hossein Mousavi, who initially complained of numerous irregularities on election day, has now lodged an official complain with Iran’s Guardian Council. But being that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has already endorsed Mr. Ahmadinejad’s victory, official complaint will no doubt prove pointless.
The government’s PR reaction to the protests has been immediate, with a pro-Ahmadinejad rally staged in the capital attended by tens of thousands, according to the BBC. This comes as no surprise given that the initial protests launched following the election were the most provocative in decades, with those involved even going so far as to openly confront members of Iran’s secret police.
Update 1:
Since posting this entry, unconfirmed reports that Mir-Hossein Mousavi has been placed under house arrest have come to light. Similar reports claim that other opposition figures have been arrested as well.
Update 2:
Iran’s former Foreign Minister interviewed by The Nation’s Robert Dreyfuss.
