Ahmadinejad mocks rivals and trumpets 'free' vote

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivered an uncompromising riposte to questions over his political legitimacy tonight by casting his re-election as a democratic triumph and mocking his opponents for failing to provide evidence to support their claims of fraud. His appearance came hours after Iran's opposition movement took another step towards concerted action with a defiant call from Mir Hossein Mousavi, the defeated presidential candidate, for the release of all those detained in the country's post-election unrest. Mousavi was backed by fellow candidate Mehdi Karoubi as well as the reformist former president Mohammad Khatami in a statement posted on his website. In a live address on state television, Ahmadinejad made scant reference to the bitter divisions and mass demonstrations provoked by his disputed victory. Instead, he said "some" Iranians had collaborated with foreign powers in trying to sully what he portrayed as a glorious episode. "They didn't provide even one piece of documentary evidence regarding irregularity or vote fraud," said Ahmadinejad. Responding to accusations of mass cheating, he said the June 12 poll had been monitored by ordinary people such as teachers and workers. The interior ministry, accused of masterminding a rigged poll, played only a "supporting role". He trumpeted the 85% turnout as the "highest rate of democracy" and claimed the election had been "the most free of its kind" because it allowed candidates open criticism, televised debates and access to state media. The mandate supplied by his re-election would be used to tread his chosen path "more powerfully than before", he said. Ahmadinejad made just one passing reference to the street protests and clashes with government forces that left at least 20 people dead. Sticking to the regime's official line, he said these had been orchestrated by "arrogant powers"–code often used by Iranian officials to mean Britain and the US. "They wanted to reduce the power that we gained from this election and some people unfortunately collaborated with them," he said. His rosy picture of mass support for his cause jarred with a chorus of criticism from an increasing range of sources, including clerical groups, that doubts over the election and the violent clampdown that followed have left his government without democratic legitimacy. The abiding sentiment was reflected in attempts by opponents to sabotage his appearance by encouraging acts of civil disobedience. The internet and Twitter were rife with messages calling on Iranians to switch on all their electrical appliances to coincide with his address in an effort to overload the national power grid. Zahra Rahnavard, Mousavi's wife, left a message on her Facebook page calling on supporters to take to their roofs and shout "Allahu Akbar" during Ahmadinejad's appearance. The opposition leaders had earlier demanded an end to the "super-security state" imposed since the election and called for the release of opposition figures and journalists. Iranian police say they have detained more than 1,000 political activists, journalists and protesters during demonstrations since the "stolen" election on June 12. Officials say most have been released, but reliable figures are not available. "If a modicum of wisdom had been used, and if lies and disrespect had been avoided, this issue would not have turned into a national crisis," the opposition leaders said. "The continuation of arrests and the imposed security state will lead to a more radicalised political atmosphere." In France, President Nicolas Sarkozy demanded the release of a young French academic detained after taking photos of Iranian protests and accused of espionage. Clotilde Reiss, 23, was arrested last week at Tehran's airport. "These accusations of espionage are high fantasy," he said. Mousavi vowed to continue his resistance despite the crackdown and has hinted that he will change tack away from public protests to instead form a new political party. Defying the official crackdown, opposition activists called for a mass turnout all over the country on Thursday to mark the 10th anniversary of the student demonstrations in 1999. Mousavi supporters are planning rallies at multiple sites, apparently hoping to present the security forces with more targets than they can handle.