Ahmadinejad, Mousavi backers fill Tehran streets

09 Jun, 2009

Tens of thousands of supporters of Iran presidential hopefuls Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Mir Hossein Mousavi poured onto Tehran's streets Monday in a show of strength ahead of June 12 elections. Ahmadinejad, who is seeking a second term in office, and former prime minister Mousavi have emerged as front-runners in Iran's 10th presidential vote this Friday.
Passionate supporters of Ahmadinejad crowded the Imam Ruhollah Khomeini mosque in central Tehran, while thousands of backers of Mousavi formed a human chain on bustling Valiasr Street which connects the city's north to the south. Beating their chests, Ahmadinejad's supporters shouted, "Mousavi, the liar!" and also yelled slogans against former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani who was criticised by Ahmadinejad during a television debate with Mousavi on June 3.
"Hashemi and his sons are looters who have stolen public money!" and "Death to Hashemi!" they yelled, as traffic in and around the mosque came to a halt.
Ahmadinejad had been expected to deliver an address at the rally but his supporters told AFP that due to the large turnout the hard-liner had been forced to scrap the idea.
In their televised debate, Ahmadinejad had said that Mousavi's supporters, like the sons of Rafsanjani, had received financial privileges in the past. Mousavi supporters were out in equal strength on Monday. "Bye, Bye Ahmadi!" cried young men and women, most of them dressed in green - Mousavi's campaign colour - and carrying a thin green string as they formed a chain stretching the entire length of the 18-kilometre(11 mile)-long Valiasr Street.
A group of Mousavi backers were also seen carrying a poster of Etelat newspaper with a headline reading "Ahmadi Left" - reminiscent of the historic headline "Shah Left" which the newspaper had carried the day Iran's US-backed shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi left Iran before the triumph of the Islamic revolution in 1979. Monday's outpouring of supporters from the rival camps was by far the most significant in Tehran since campaigning began on May 22.

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