IRAN: Rivals in vote issue competing victory claims

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Iran’s state news agency is reporting that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has won re-election, but a reformist rival is also claiming victory.

The rival claims came even before the close of polls today. Official results are not expected until Saturday.

Neither the report in the IRNA news agency nor the competing announcement by Former Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mousavi at a news conference gave details on what their claims were based on.

Mousavi said only that he was ‘definitely the winner of the election’ based on ‘all indications from all over Iran.’

The monthlong race had been considered too close to call and has been marked by bitterness between the top candidates that is uncharacteristic for Iranian campaigns.

--Associated Press

More on Iran’s presidential election.