The Latest from Afghanistan: The Election

Afghanistan Election: The Videos

EA Soundcheck: Assessing Afghanistan, Iran, and Iraq
EA Soundcheck: 7 Points on Afghanistan’s Presidential Election

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In addition to our ongoing coverage of the post-election crisis in Iran, we'll be keeping an eye on developments in the Afghanistan election. For a guide to the campaign and the issues, see our analysis and listen to our audio at EA Soundcheck, both on the eve of the election and on the night after the vote. Our colleagues at Alive in Afghanistan are providing a full map-based overview of the latest news and incidents. Follow the links for updates for useful poster on Twitter or track the incoming messages at #afghan09. And here is a useful map to keep "at your side" on the computer.



1115 GMT: Pajhwok News Agency is offering a stream of reports pointing to manipulation and fraud in the counting of the vote. In one case in Khost Province, it claims that while residents say less than 500 people, the election commission returned a total of more than 22,000 for Hamid Karzai.

0840 GMT: No, I've Won. Abdullah Abdullah's camp claim that he, not Hamid Karzai, is a first-round winner, taking 63 percent of the vote to Karzai's 31.

If I were a cynic (which, of course, I am not), I would say that all remains to make this situation complete is for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to show up and say he won.

0715 GMT: Jim Sciutto of ABC News reports that the campaign of Abdullah Abdullah, Hamid Karzai's main challenger, has denied the claims of a first-round victory by the Karzai camp.

The election commission has responded, "We have no results yet...This is not official...We don't accept [the Karzai claims]."

0630 GMT: Last night I discussed the election and and its significance with Fintan Dunne. Already I was looking towards the prospect of a first-round Karzai victory,  more because of manoeuvres behind the scenes than because of the up-front vote.

Perhaps more importantly, other questions are opened up. Look, for example, to how Karzai tries to exert his authority, not only with other Afghan groups but against his American "allies". And, for all the cautions about "democracy" in this election, has the process opened up some space --- symbolic or "real" --- for social and political action against corruption and for rights and development?

21 August, 0600 GMT: A Full Glass for Karzai? All day yesterday we used the phrase "half-empty, half-full" for the election, with mixed returns on turnout, "minor" violence which killed at least 27 people, and reports of irregularities and fraud.

The trend continues today, with one important exception. Election authorities say that the national turnout was between 40 and 50 percent, well down on the 70 percent for the 2004 Presidential election but above the 30 percent threshold needed for a valid result. Caroline Wyatt, reporting from Helmand for the BBC, has just engaged in a bit of cheerleading for the "success" and "incredible result", given the issues of security. Other observers, such as Al Jazeera English, are being more measured in their views.

The important exception is President Karzai, whose team are already prepared to celebrate. Karzai's campaign manager told Reuters this morning, "Initial results show that the president has got a majority. We will not got to a second round."

1830 GMT: In one district of Logar Province in eastern Afghanistan five polling centres were burned and 28 rockets were fired at others.

1825 GMT: In his televised address this evening, President Karzai hailed the day as a triumph: "I greet the brave and courageous people of Afghanistan on the successful conduct of elections, which is a propitious sign for establishing a democratically elected government and promoting democracy in the country." This is about as unexpected as the Pope declaring that God is a jolly nice chap.

More intriguing is the statement of Karzai's primary challenge, Abdullah Abdullah, that he found initial results "satisfactory and encouraging".

1700 GMT: Three election centers reported attacked and burned, with all ballot boxes destroyed, in Shindand district of Herat in western Afghanistan.

1535 GMT: Well, the media line is now in. As the Voice of America puts it, "Afghan Election Spared Major Attacks, But Questions Linger Over Turnout". That spares the immediate blushes of the US military, a perspective that was all too painfully clear in Spencer Ackerman's initial piece for The Washington Independent, with its framing of "a testament to Brig. Gen. Damien Cantwell’s security strategy". At the same time, it reflects the doubts over the "Democracy Triumphs" narrative, as voter participation is unlikely to meet the benchmark of 70 percent in the 2004 election. (The BBC is reporting from Kandahar, using unnamed sources, that turnout will struggle to reach 50 percent.) Ackerman's follow-up piece, an interview of Akbar Ayazi of US Government-funded Radio Afghanistan, again tells a tale with Ayazi's commment, “Personally, I feel the psychological war conducted by the Taliban somehow worked...[as evidenced] “by low turnout."

That, however, only sketches the limitations of the media's narrative. The inevitable framings of "security" and "democracy" will miss the power politics that is already going on within Afghanistan. Some media outlets have dared to mention election irregularities but almost none in the mainstream have gotten to the substance, which is the attempt by President Hamid Karzai's camp to ensure he crosses the 50 percent threshold for a first-round win and the opposition attempt by Abdullah Abdullah to take the battle to a run-off. Favours are being swapped, I suspect money is changing hands, and there is evidence that ballots are being stuffed or fabricated or destroyed.

The point is not to throw around the blanket charge of "corruption" but to put up the realities. From the start, this was not as much a question of defeat of the Taliban and (in substance, if not symbolism) the exercise of the vote but of whether Karzai could extend his stay in office and influence for another four years. If so, then he could move from being the Number One Dealmaker in Afghanistan to a renewed attempt to take the lead, including seizing initiative from the Americans, in the political manoeuvres vis-a-vis other factions as well as the Taliban.

1415 GMT: Our friends at Global Post are also providing running coverage today. Their headline tips off their mood: "Clashes, and threats, spook Afghan voters".

1400 GMT: President Karzai is speaking on national television. He has said there were 73 attacks today.

1355 GMT: Here's the 21st-century technology to claim election fraud. Candidate Ashraf Ghani is sending out a stream of messages on Twitter to claim, "Warlords in north, northeast, south and southeast force people at gun point to vote for either Abdullah or Karzai."

1330 GMT: Foreign Policy puts out an interim summary, drawing from various sources, on today's developments. Apart from believing that the tale of "Britney Jamilia Spears" voting in Kandahar is new (it's not --- the fake registration was the source of Internet giggling last week), it's not bad. The one bit we haven't covered here: "A voting official in Kandahar said that turnout appears to be forty percent lower than in 2004, the spiritual homeland of the Taliban, and AP correspondents reported similarly shorter lines in the capital, Kabul."

1320 GMT: Earlier we reported that a Commander Razziq (1000 GMT) had taken the novel step of removing the ballot boxes to his house. Now it is claimed that all vote-counting has been stopped by force in Spin Boldak [southern Afghanistan] by the commander.

1315 GMT: From Pajhwok News Agency: "Taliban attack 5 polling centers in Baghlan capital [northern Afghanistan], steal 25 ballot boxes; fleeing poll workers preserve 10"

1310 GMT: Too early to draw wide conclusions but have to say that concerns are rising. From Atia Abawi of CNN: "Government official told me that provinces reporting high numbers of ballot stuffing in provinces with low turnout."

1300 GMT: The half-full, half-empty turnout today is captured by these reports: "In Ghazni province [east Afghanistan], 10 of 18 districts had no voting at all; but in other 8, all was fine....Wardak [east-central Afghanistan]: Of 9 districts, 2 with normal voting, 2 with no voting [because] Taliban blockd road, 5 with some problems but voting continued."

No half-full in Kandahar, though, where turnout is reported very low.

1203 GMT: Reliable EA source, from witness accounts, says the two people killed in Kabul firefight this morning were not "suicide bombers" but Afghan Army troops.

1200 GMT: Claims that latest rocket attack in Kandahar has killed one and injured three people.

1145 GMT: Election commission says polling stations may extend their hours if they opened late or "for other reasons".

1130 GMT: Conflicting reports over the end of the voting day, with some saying that stations have closed and others saying there has been an extension of one hour. Best estimate is "Polls closing, but voters still in line in many places".

1020 GMT: In Faryab Province in northern Afghanistan, 50,000 voters were reportedly shut out in districts under Taliban control.

Even more troubling news has come out of Baghlan, where the police commander was killed this morning. Reports indicate that intense fighting has continued in the area, with more than 20 insurgents killed.

1010 GMT: If the touchstone for "success" is Kabul, then the verdict is still out. A CNN correspondent claims that, halfway through the voting day, turnout in the capital had reached 30%; turnout in the rural areas of Kabul Province are reportedly higher than expected. The two gunmen who died in a firefight are now being described as "suicide attackers"; media cameras at the scene were confiscated, and some journalists were arrested.

1000 GMT: Developments continue to follow the general pattern. There has been good (and peaceful) turnout in some areas such as Herat, Mazar, Ghazni, and Samangan. Other areas such as Helmand Province and Kandahar have been marred by restrictions on voting, low turnout, and/or violence. Reports of roadside bombs and suicide attacks are continuing.

Difficulties and irregularities in the voting process have been claimed. In one case, a commander reportedly took all the voting boxes from nearby stations into his house. The not-so-indelible "indelible" ink story is still circulating, with candidate Ramazan Bashardost claiming, "This is not an election. This is a comedy." There are reports of children voting.

o830 GMT: Reports coming in of incidents throughout Afghanistan: at least seven improvised explosive devices in Kabul, rockets on a Kunduz polling place, and rockets in Lashkar Gah in Helmand.

0755 GMT: Nothing to See Here, Go Away. General Rashid Dostum, the former militia commander who holds sway in Uzbek areas in northern Afghanistan, has rejected allegations that his return from exile in Turkey is linked to delivery of votes to President Hamid Karzai:

I have no personal agreement with Karzai....The people ... they became somewhat sick while I was away ... I heard them say, 'If General Dostum doesn't come here, we won't vote'....I thought, God forbid people don't vote, so I came here to make sure that people vote.

0745 GMT: More than Fireworks (0710 GMT). Reports of a firefight in Kabul between gunmen and the Afghan army have been confirmed by Governor of Kabul. Two gunmen were killed, one wounded.

0725 GMT: More from Helmand: "8 Rockets hit Lashkar Gah. 2 dead, one wounded at least. Widespread fraud in the city."

0710 GMT: Truth or Spin? From Atia Abawi of CNN: "Governor of Kabul says security situation is fine, just incidents of fireworks to scare people and one dead body found, killed by sniper."

0700 GMT: Al Jazeera reports that, while turnout is good in areas like Bamiyan, concern is growing over low turnout so far in Kabul. It notes incidents and low turnout in Kandahar in the south, played down by the Governor, and repeats the BBC's observation that stations are closed in Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand Province.

0630 GMT: Going by international television at this hour, well into the morning's voting in the Presidential election, there is no real news. With obvious difficulties in covering a large country, especially amidst security considerations, a lot of the coverage consists of reporters standing at polling stations and saying, "There are voters here." Sometimes this becomes, "There are a lot of voters here," with little insight into whether "a lot" consists of a queue at that moment or a significant proportion of the local population. (Media spotcheck: CNN International is really awful at the moment, filling empty space with mainly "Ra-ra-ra Democracy" words, before giving 30 minutes to World Sport. Al Jazeera, recognising that up-to-the-minute news may be patchy, is providing a lot of background, as is BBC Radio. BBC TV, at least here in Britain, is nowhere.)

However, "no real news" could be good news, if that means an absence of violence and disruption. So, appreciating that any glance can only be partial and limited at this time (and for some time to come), what are the signals?

The reports from observers and better-informed sources are decidedly mixed on voter turnout. The report of Voice of America, "At polling station in Kabul mosque, short line of men, few women showng up" has just been followed by Pajhwok Afghan News, "Good voter turnout in Herat". Putting the bits together (and reminding reader that Alive in Afghanistan has an outstanding map-based site to give perspective), it seems that some areas have solid turnout and no need for security whereas other areas will struggle. BBC radio reported 30 minutes ago that more than half the polling stations in Helmand Province, the highlight trouble spot in Afghanistan, have not opened.

There are scattered reports of violence, including a District chief and one other person killed in Kandahar, two killed in or near Khost, and small explosions in Kabul.

Potentially more significant politically are the first indications that election fraud will be alleged. Soon after president candidate Ramazan Basharadost, who has run an energetic campaign based on anti-corruption pledges, voted, he and his supporters claimed that the "indelible" ink used to mark fingers and prevent repeat voting was washing off. The immediate reaction, either from truth or an attempt to limit the allegation, is that "substandard" ink had been used.

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2025 GMT: Green movement youth branch members Saeed Noormohammadi and Zoya Hasani have been released from detention.

2015 GMT: A Nice Message to Close the Day. The commander of the Basiji militia, Hossein Taeb, has declared that if Mehdi Karroubi's allegations of sexual abuse of detainees are proven to be a lie, Karroubi is "debauched" and "sinful" and should receive 80 lashes.

1810 GMT: Maryam, from the excellent blog Keeping the Change notifies us that she has translated into English a graphic, moving account by the Iranian journalist Babak Dad, "The Rapes Inside Iran's Prisons: The Story of One Anonymous Victim and a Call to the People of Iran". She introduces it, "It is, in short, a beautifully written and lyrical piece, providing the personal, yet socially critical, perspective on the rape allegations that we did not know we were missing until Mr. Dad brought it to our attention."

Dad has also been interviewed by the Voice of America about the account.

1720 GMT: In the morning, we're going to offer a detailed analysis --- after today's appointment of Mohammad Sadeq Larijani as the head of Iran's judiciary --- on the battle over the judiciary, and its wider implication for the political manoeuvres between the Supreme Leader, the President, Hashemi Rafsanjani, the Green opposition, and even (perhaps especially) the Revolutionary Guards.

For now, here's a teaser from the announcement on Ayatollah Khamenei's website that points to the tightrope walked by the Supreme Leader:

His Eminence Ayatollah Khamenei, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, has appointed Ayatollah Agha Hajj Shaykh Sadegh Larijani to the head of the judicial system. The text of the decree of the Supreme Leader of the Revolution follows:

In the name of God,

The Gracious Hojatoleslam Agha Shaykh Sadegh Amoli Larijani, esteemed scholar ... given that the extended period of leadership of Ayatollah Hashemi Shahroudi within the judiciary has come to an end....

Note the titles we've put in boldface. "Ayatollah" is a higher clerical rank than "Hojatoleslam". Larijani can be referred to as "Ayatollah" initially by the Supreme Leader, not by virtue of his religious standing but because of his membership on the Assembly of Experts and the Guardian Council. After that, Khamenei retreats to the title "Hojatoleslam".

An EA correspondent interprets, "Khamenei was trying to keep the Najaf and Qom seminaries from openly criticising him on the choice with the careful use of the titles. Meanwhile, he has nominated a non-specialist to lead the judiciary and kept other conservatives at bay, such as Ali Larijani and [Mayor of Tehran] Qalibaf by giving them a consolation prize."

More --- much more --- tomorrow morning.

1600 GMT: Mir Hossein Mousavi's website, Ghalam News, is still down. It has been out of service for at least 24 hours.

1500 GMT: Barazou Daragahi of the Los Angeles Times reports, from the Iranian Labor News Agency that Mir Hossein Mousavi has announced a "Green Path of Hope" to organise the political movement that arose before and after the Presidential election. Speaking to a group of doctors, Mousavi said, “Numerous volunteer and independent social networks throughout the society form the body of this movement. The Green Path of Hope is in fact aimed at regaining people’s denied rights.”

Building on the theme of recent weeks, Mousavi used the issues of detentions, confessions, and trials as a touchstone for political concerns, “We would not have witnessed so many crises today had [the authorities] adopted fair positions and respected people’s rights, instead of humiliating people on state television. Instead of accusing million-strong demonstrators of connection to foreigners, you have to find those who are waging a poisonous propaganda war on our people."

What is uncertain is how much Mousavi's announcement amounts to a "political front", even though that is label used by Daragahi, with no indication yet by other opposition leaders of their approach to the Green Path of Hope.

1425 GMT: Report from Etemade Melli (political party) website that security forces around Etemade Melli (newspaper) are increasing but situation under control.

1340 GMT: Reuters is reporting, from the Supreme Leader's official site, that Ayatollah Khamenei has appointed Mohammad Sadegh Larijani as head of Iran's judiciary, saying "in a letter to Larijani that he hoped the judiciary would flourish under him".

What Reuters does not ask is why the appointment was made today in a letter rather than in the ceremony scheduled for today. Indeed, the news agency garbles the story, "Some reformist websites had recently reported that Larijani was hesitant to accept the position because of the mass arrests of moderate detainees."

In fact, and in line with the analysis we posted in a separate entry today, Khamenei is pushing through the appointment --- albeit with little fanfare --- against the opposition of supporters of President Ahmadinejad. What is unclear is whether Larijani's reported demand, the cessation of cases against political detainees, will be met.

Instead, as the Iranian Students News Agency reports, trials for another 25 detainees will begin on Sunday. They will join the more than 100 prisoners who have already been in the dock.

1325 GMT: Safety Valve. The Iranian regime, according to Mehr TV, is trying to ease pressure by firing and pressing criminal charges against 12 police officers and a judge associated with the Kahrizak detention facility.

1145 GMT: The Conclusion of a Pre-Election Story. Rather quietly, Iranian-American graduate student Esha Momeni returned to the United States on Tuesday after detention and then a ban on leaving Iran. In April, we profiled the arrest of Momeni, who was working on a thesis on the women's right movement in Iran. She was detained in October 2008 when her research included the filming of a documentary on the activists and charged with “endangering national security” as an “agent of Western powers”.

Momeni has given an extended interview to journalists at her university, California State, Northridge. We've posted the video as a separate entry.

0930 GMT: When the Threat to a Supreme Leader Becomes "Real". This morning's interview with Al Jazeera English went well. AJE is an excellent operation, so we were able to set out the challenge to Ayatollah Khamenei both from former MPs, who are no doubt acting as a vanguard for other groups within the secular establishment, and from some senior clerics.

What struck me after the discussion was how a story becomes "mainstream". Enduring America had this information Thursday night and ran an extended analysis yesterday morning. However, the "threat" only becomes real when the big boys of the media decide to give it that label. So this morning, Al Jazeera English decided to feature the story when the Associated Press put it on their newswires. The Wall Street Journal and the Los Angeles Times also have detailed articles.

So I guess it's time to take the analysis to the next level. In the interview with Al Jazeera English, I suggested that the move against Khamenei should be seen in the context of a rebuttal to the campaign that has been waged against former President Hashemi Rafsanjani. That is especially true in the Assembly of Experts, where some pro-Ahmadinejad members had tried to limit Rafsanjani's influence. So one logical way "forward" is a settlement between Khamenei and Rafsanjani. But, in that case (and remembering the complexity of such a settlement, which would have to consider the Supreme Leader's power and authority), who would be the big loser?

Step up, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

0920 GMT: We have now posted Mehdi Khalaji's provocative analysis of Mohammad Sadegh Larijani and Iran's judiciary, adding our own interpretation.

0755 GMT: More on one of our last stories from yesterday. In response to the leaflets, spread by the Ansar-e Hezbollah groups at Friday prayers, calling for a "gathering" in front of the Etemade Melli newspaper, Karroubi has stated, "We always welcome the opinions and presence of critics and we will hear all of their suggestions and criticisms and we shall reflect these opinions in Etemade Melli." Karroubi also requested that the friends and supporters of Etemade Melli "refrain from gathering in front of the newspaper on Saturday so that our rerporters can interview these critics under calm conditions". Karroubi concluded with a message to his supporters " I will join you in the gathering taking place in front of the offices of Etemade Melli on Monday at 16:00 local time to thank those in charge of the newspaper and to get feedback from you".

The editor-in-chief of Etemade Melli has asked Tehran's prosecutor and head of police to provide security for the newspaper.

0745 GMT: Another Stick for "Conservatives" to Beat Themselves. The proclamation of Ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi, a staunch supporter of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, that "obedience to the President is like obedience to God" has angered many "conservatives". The newspaper Jomhoori Eslami has pointed out the inherent hypocrisy in Mesbah's proclamation: "If Mr. Mesbah-Yazdi's statement is accepted, he must confess that he himself is a great sinner because, during the eight years that Mr Khatami was President, he encouraged everyone to disobey and confront the President....Even during the last four years, Mr Mesbah has also occasionally sinned against God by expressing his disagreements with Ahmadinejad."

0727 GMT: A slow-ish start to the day, but an unexpectedly busy Friday which exposed the challenges that persist for the regime. The Friday prayer address of Ahmed Khatami, despite his hard-line rhetoric against the "devil's tools and facilities" of the opposition and its leaders, was overshadowed by both secular and clerical challenges to the Government.

Three stories, all of which we noted yesterday and feature today, continue to lead that challenge. The first is the "Karroubi letter" on abuse of detainees, now taken up by Hashemi Rafsanjani in a demand for action. In a separate entry, we highlight an interview with Rafsanjani's brother, Mohammmad Hashemi, which sheds some light on the former President's concerns and motives.

The second story is the unexpected delay in the confirmation of Mohammad Sadegh Larijani as head of Iran's judiciary, which points to fighting between President Ahmadinejad and "conservative" and "principlist" critics of his politics and actions. Although Fars News says that Larijani's ceremony will take place on Monday, the tension is still present. We have a profile of Larijani and an analysis of Iran's judiciary in a separate entry.

The third story is the emerging challenge to the Supreme Leader's position, with both individual Ayatollahs and former MPs calling for a review of his authority. I am interviewing live with Al Jazeera English in 60 seconds on this, so will be back later with details.

The Afghanistan Election: Scott Lucas on Al Jazeera English (12 August)

I have been unable to write as much on Afghanistan recently as I would like to, especially with the Presidential election scheduled for 20 August. So it was a pleasure yesterday to exchange views on Al Jazeera English's Inside Story with the Independent Member of Parliament, Daoud Sultanzoy. Despite some technical problems, we were able to consider the election, wider political issues inside Afghanistan, the possibility of disruption of the vote, and the plans of other key players such as the US Government.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxvoIVw8afg[/youtube]

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2300 GMT: Ayatollahs Sanei and Bayat Zanjani have echoed Ayatollah Montazeri's statements denouncing the trials held last Saturday.

2200 GMT: A third journalist working for the Etemade Melli newspaper has been arrested. Mehdi Yazdani Khorram, the editor of the literature and art section, was arrested by plainsclothes officers at 2030 GMT.

2130 GMT: An important clarrification. Although Rafsanjani is scheduled to deliver a sermon at next week's Friday prayers, it is far from clear that he will take up this opportunity. It should be remembered that Rafsanjani turned down several opportunities to speak at Friday prayers before his last appearance on June 17.

1725 GMT: The resumption of the Tehran trials, scheduled for tomorrow, has been delayed until Saturday. The reason is unclear.

1715 GMT: Even the choice of Ayatollah Emami Kashani, a "conservative" cleric, to lead this Friday's prayers is far from a firm guarantee of support for the President and the regime. In  a sermon at Jamkaran Mosque, the ayatollah admitted, "The brightness of velayat-e-faqih (supreme leadership) has diminished....[Since the supreme leadership can not solve the problems of the country] may you [Mahdi, the 12'th Imam] reemerge and solve the country's problems."

1700 GMT: Friday's prayers will be led by Ayatollah Mohammad Emami-Kashani. That, however, is just a preliminary to the big news:  next week's will be led by Hashemi Rafsanjani.

1450 GMT: A summary of today before we return to our vacation. Riz Khan of Al Jazeera posted a question which, for Riz Khan, is remarkably ill-phrased: "As Mahmoud Ahmadinejad takes his oath, Will Iran again spiral into another cycle of violent demonstrations?"

The issue, as demonstrated again today, is not another ominous spiral into violence. Gatherings today, which persisted despite the state's attempt to close down visible opposition to the inauguration, continue to express clear concerns and demands (and, notably, without violence). Ahmadinejad's speech, which has already faded into a lack of significance, does nothing to check those concerns.

So the inauguration in fact becomes a sideshow, one boycotted by some politicians and attended by others with ill humour. With the Tehran trial resuming tomorrow, and more importantly with opposition politicians and clerics renewing their challenge, we'll get back to serious business.

1448 GMT: Mir Hossein Mousavi has posted a statement on his website declaring:

These hectic trials just reflect the deep problem which exists in our country. It is definitely not a source of pride to publicly expose such personalities in a mass trial. We made a [Islamic revolution in 1979] revolution so that trials were against criminals. We wanted trials with lawyers, trials with rights for the defendants, trials where the judge acts independently and trials which make the people feel justice prevailing.

Mousavi again denied any links between the opposition and foreign countries, asserting that the problem was an attempt to limit political views: "We have to learn to face other standpoints, listen to what they say, elaborate our own viewpoints and pay attention to their elaborations as well."

1445 GMT: The Islamic society of  engineers, of which Ahmadinejad is a former member, has sent a letter to Ayatollah Rafsanjani. The head of the society, Seyyed Hasan Sobhani-nia, commented that "This letter asks about recent events and Ayatollah Rafsanjani's position regarding them. This letter also states the concerns and worries that this society has regarding the future of individuals attached to the revolution who have played a crucial role in its formation. The society has requested Mr. Rafsanjani to clarify his position regarding these recent events."  The society had previously sent a letter to Ahmadinejad, which Enduring America also posted, asking for his own clarrification.

1440 GMT: A Twitter activist has created a Google map showing the locations of protests across the capital today.

1430 GMT: Gooya. com are reporting that "tens of thousands" of security forces were out on Tehran streets today, especially near Parliament building. Shops in the area were closed.

1415 GMT: The lawyer for detained politicians Behzad Nabavi, Mostafa Tajzadeh, and Mohsen Mirdamadi says he will not attend tomorrow's trial because it is illegal.

1355 GMT: Another Arrested Journalist. In addition to last night's seizure of Mir Hamid Hassanzadeh, the head of Ghalam News, Reza Nourbakhsh, the chief editor of the newspaper Farhikhtegan, was arrested. His office was searched, and some material was taken. 

1330 GMT: Reports that women's rights activist Haleh Sahabiwas arrested in Baharestan Square today.

0800 GMT: BBC World is leading with the story of Ahmadinejad's inauguration. The footage is telling: there is a distinct lack of enthusiasm amongst members of Parliament.

The BBC also has some images of protest outside the Parliament building.

The analysis is not as useful. Jon Leyne, expelled from Iran earlier in the crisis, is saying, somewhat bizarrely, that "most" of the President's speech was directed "at the outside world".

0645 GMT: It appears that the pattern of protest will be repeated today. Instead of a mass gathering, which will be disrupted if not prevented by security forces, there will be a number of "flash" gatherings across Tehran. We'll be back later to give a full assessment.

0627 GMT: More on the "boycott" in Parliament (see 0612). Parleman News revises its report: 57 of the 70 members of the Imam Khomeini Line walked out as Ahmadinejad started his speech.

0616 GMT: Mehdi Karroubi, in an interview with Spanish newspaper El Pais says that he and Mousavi will never work with Ahmadinejad's Cabinet and that protests will continue. Karroubi said:

We do not want to destroy the government; however, we criticise the actions of the government and we have no intention to help this government....The reality is that the majority of the people do not accept the methodologies and language of Mr. Ahmadinejad. We consider this government to be illegitimate.

0615 GMT: Kazem Jalali, the head of the special Parliamentary committee investigating the conditions of detainees, has resigned, and there are reports that other committee members have quit. No official reasons for the resignations have been given, but there is speculation that the lack of cooperation from judiciary and security officals may be a key factor.

0612 GMT: Parleman News reports only 242 of the 290 members of Parliament attended the inauguration. This suggests that all 46 "reformist" MPs stayed away.

0608 GMT: There is heavy Twitter chatter of protesters demonstrating at the main Tehran Bazaar, effectively trying to shut it down. Cellphone service has reportedly been cut off in central Tehran.

0600 GMT: Even as Ahmadinejad was speaking, the text scroll on the screen announced the next battle within the Establishment. The President has two weeks to assemble the names of proposed Cabinet Ministers and put them before Parliament. Given the furour over his recent choice of First Vice President Esfandiar Rahim-Mashai and his effective takeover of the Ministry of Intelligence, that will not be an easy process.

0555 GMT: Live coverage by Press TV English is available. They are assessing Ahmadinejad's speech, which made claims to "social justice".

0545 GMT: Opposition activists are pointing to images inside the Parliament of empty seats, which would indicate that (as on Monday, when the Supreme Leader confirmed Ahmadinejad) many have stayed away from the ceremony, and of growing demonstrations elsewhere in Tehran.

Morning Update (0535 GMT): Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been inaugurated as President of the Islamic Republic of Iran for a second term, despite a disputed election result almost eight weeks ago.

The President was not deterred by such questions in his acceptance speech, claiming the mandate of 25 million votes (even the suspect official tally gave him "only" 23 million).

Reuters is reporting a demonstration of "hundreds" in Baharestan Square in front of the Iranian Parliament building.