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Iran: Foreign media supporting ‘hooligans'
• Story Highlights
• Iran accuses foreign journalists of being “mouthpieces” for “hooligans”
• Revolutionary Guard says Web sites are inciting people to riot
• Authorities have banned international journalists from filming rallies
TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iran on Wednesday accused international journalists in the country of being the “mouthpiece” of “hooligans” who
have created unrest at post-election rallies in Tehran.
“Hundreds” of international reporters were allowed into Iran to cover last week's election as “a sign of the total transparency in the trends of
the elections and the effective performance of the system of religious democracy,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
“But certain countries have rushed to judgment and have supported the illegal gatherings and the disturbances that a number of
opportunists had created,” the ministry said.
“They have turned themselves into the mouthpiece for these hooligans, and have damaged and targeted the radiant face of the Islamic
republic.”
k ari's Revolutionary Guard corps said Wednesday it will pursue legal action against Web sites that it said were inciting people to riot.
The Guard also blamed U.S. and Canadian companies, including American intelligence agencies, for financially and technically supporting
the Web sites. iReport.com: On the ground in Iran
‘We will very soon inform the public the details of these destructive Internet networks and we warn the people who want to use cyberspace
to incite riot, threaten people and create rumors that legal action will be taken against them and the penalty they will pay is very heavy,” the
Guard said in a statement carried by the official Islamic Republic News Agency. - Watch how cyberspace is used by opposition s
Even as the Guard made its announcement, thousands of Iranians planned to head to Haft-e-Tir Square in central Tehran on Wednesday
evening despite a stepped-up government crackdown.
The demonstrators, who back opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi , are demanding that the government throw out the results of last
week's balloting that kept hardline incumbent president, Mahmoud Ahmadineiad , in power.
Authorities in Tehran hauled dozens of protesters to jail Tuesday, banned international journalists from filming the rallies and blocked
access to social networking sites, such as Twitter and Facebook .
All About lran • Mir Hossein Moussavi • Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
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