President Mahmoud Admadinejad, in televised speech yesterday, declares the presidential election "clean and free."
Iranian prez: Election was clean
TEHRAN, Iran - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sought yesterday to put the turmoil over the disputed presidential elections behind him and declared on national television that the contests were clean, fair and marked the start of a new era.
His speech came as the country's top three reformist leaders sought to rekindle their opposition movement, demanding that ruling clerics end the heavy "security atmosphere" imposed after the elections and free those detained in the unrest, according to an opposition Web site.
It was Ahmadinejad's first national speech since the leader declared the election results valid despite outcry from the other candidates and weeks of street protests claiming that the results were fraudulent.
"This is a new beginning for Iran . . . we have entered a new era," the president said, explaining that the 85 percent turnout and overwhelming win had given his government a new legitimacy.
"It was the most clean and free election in the world," he said, adding that during the re-count "no fault was discovered. The whole nation understood this." *
