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OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK RUEHTRO
DE RUEHC #8539/01 1822131
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 012108Z JUL 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO IRAN COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 068539 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM IR
SUBJECT: IRPO ELECTION SPOT REPORT JULY 1 
 
¶1. (U). In an effort to improve dissemination, following is 
the unedited Post election spot report prepared by the Iran 
Regional Presence Office in Dubai (IRPO).  These reports 
comprise input from all Iran Watchers as well as press 
reports.  Note carefully that much of this information may be 
unconfirmed.  Feedback on these reports is welcome; please 
send to NEA-Iran-DC-DL@state.gov. 
 
July 1  -- 4:30 PM in Iran: 
 
(U) Ahmadinejad Cancels Trip to AU Summit (U) According to 
Fars News, a spokesman from Ahmadinejad,s office announced 
this morning that Ahmadinejad,s trip to the African Union 
summit in Libya July 1 -3 has been cancelled.  The spokesman 
provided no explanation for why the trip was called off. 
 
(U) Etemad-e Melli Prevented from Printing Newspaper after 
Karrubi Refuses to Recognize Ahmadinejad,s Win  -- Last 
night, after Karrubi's statement was released, 
representatives of the Tehran Prosecutor and the Culture 
Ministry prevented the publication of Etemad-e Melli 
newspaper,8 Etemad-e Melli said on its website.  Karrubi,s 
statement last night, which symbolically began with a phrase 
from the Qur,an that is used to announce someone,s death, 
denounced Ahmadinejad,s victory as illegitimate and 
engineered and condemned the violent crackdown on protesters. 
 Karrubi said that he would not be attending Ahmadinejad,s 
swearing-in ceremony.  He ridiculed the idea that he and 
Mousavi, two leading figures of the Islamic Republic, could 
lead a &velvet revolution.8  Karrubi asked his supporters 
not to lose their &political spirit8 and encouraged them to 
strengthen NGO,s and join political parties, because Iran,s 
republicanism, Islamism, and nationalism are all at stake. 
 
(U) Mousavi,s Chief of Staff Calls Guardian Council Verdict 
&Illegal --  According to Radio Farda and Tabnak, last 
night, Ali Akbar Mohtashami Pour, Mousavi,s Chief of Staff, 
denounced the Guardian Council,s confirmation of 
Ahmadinejad,s victory and suggested a number of solutions to 
further evaluate the election results, including comparing 
the vote counts recorded by the candidates, representatives 
at each polling location. 
 
(U) Guardian Council Says 75% Fewer Poll Complaints Compared 
to 2008 Majles Election --  According to Fars News, Guardian 
Council Spokesman Kadkhodaei announced in a press conference 
yesterday that the June 12 presidential election had 75% 
fewer polling complaints than the 2008 8th Majles election. 
Kadkhodaei went on to describe the Guardian Council,s 
verdict as a confirmation of the Islamic Republic,s system. 
 
(U) Reformist Parties Condemn Guardian Council Confirmation 
of Election Results -- According to Radio Farda, Rouhanioun 
Mobrez denounced the verdict as &unfair,8 while Jebehey 
Mosharekat and Sazman Mojahedin Enghelab Eslami called 
Ahmadinejad,s government &illegal.8 
 
(U) Prominent Cleric Denounces Guardian Council Investigation 
-- BBC Persian reports that Ayatollah Taheri Esfehani issued 
a message yesterday calling Ahmadinejad,s government an 
&illegal usurper.8 
 
(U) Press TV Anchors Resigns over &Bias -- Presenter Nick 
Ferrari has quit his show on Press TV due to the station,s 
political bias.  &I imagine they,ve been told what to do, 
and I can,t reconcile that with working there,8 Ferrari 
told the London Times. 
 
(U) Continued Dispute over Tehran University Attacks -- 
Tabnak reports that the head of the Majles committee tasked 
with investigating the Tehran University dormitory attacks 
said that Farhad Rahbar, the president of the university, 
gave the police and Basijis permission to enter the 
dormitories.  Rahbar denies allowing them entry.  At least 
seven students were killed in the attack, while an unknown 
number of students were detained. 
 
(U) Numerous Reformers Reportedly Ready to Confess -- 
According to media reports, a number of leading Reformers who 
are being detained have confessed under torture.  Javan News 
reports that Mohammad Ali Abtahi, an advisor to Karrubi, has 
been held in detention for at least 10 days and is ready to 
confess.  Fars News reports that Mostafa Tajzadeh has already 
confessed to crimes.  When Fars asked Tajzadeh,s wife for a 
comment after his confession, she said &maybe he was under 
torture by mercenaries like you. 
 
(U) Ahmadinejad Advisor Says Obama Changed his Tune due to 
Zionist Pressure -- In an interview with Press TV last night, 
 
STATE 00068539  002 OF 002 
 
 
Mojtaba Samareh-Hashemi, an advisor to Ahmadinejad, said 
President Obama,s recent remarks show that he is under 
pressure from the Zionists.  Hashemi urged Obama to 
reconsider his stance on Iran in order to pave the way for 
positive interactions between the two countries. 
 
(U) Fars News Provides More Information on UK Embassy Staff 
-- Fars News reported today that two of the British Embassy 
staff recently detained had played a &remarkable role8 in 
recent unrest and were &main elements8 behind the protests. 
 The report identified the staff members by their initials 
and claimed that one previously worked for Press TV.  EU 
member states have threatened to recall their ambassadors for 
seven days this weekend if the embassy staff is not released. 
CLINTON