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Iran Parliament speaker calls for 'thorough' probe

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-06-21 16:24

TEHRAN: Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani has urged the Guardian Council to "thoroughly" investigate complaints over the recent presidential election, the satellite channel Press TV reported Sunday.

"The Guardian Council should use every possible means to build trust and convince the protestors that their complaints will be thoroughly looked into," Larijani was quoted as saying on Saturday.

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He also said that "a majority of people are of the opinion that the actual election result is different from what was officially announced."

"The opinion should be respected and a line should be drawn between them and the rioters and miscreants," Larijani said.

The Iranian parliament speaker called on the Guardian Council, which is tasked with supervising the election, to remain impartial in its investigation and verdict.

"Although the Guardian Council is made up of religious individuals, I wish certain members would not side with a certain presidential candidate," Larijani said.

The Guardian Council's Spokesman Abbas Ali Kadkhodai said Saturday that the council was ready to recount up to 10 percent of the ballot boxes randomly in last week's presidential election.

On June 13, Iran's Interior Minister Sadeq Mahsouli said incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won 62.63 percent of the total ballots on June 12, while his main rival Mir-Hossein 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 the cancellation of the election result.

Mousavi's supporters have participated in massive rallies in Tehran and other cities over the past days.

On Saturday, Iran's police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse demonstrators at a main square of Tehran in the latest violent clash between protestors and security forces.