Ahmadinejad and Mousavi rallies bring Tehran to haltJune 9, 2009 - 22:44 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Iran's election contest intensified today as Mir Hossein Mousavi, the moderate candidate challenging the hardline Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for the presidency, mounted a massive show of strength in Tehran, raising the stakes in advance of Friday's landmark poll, The Guardian reported.Mousavi voters formed a human chain they claimed ran the entire 15-mile length of Valiasr Avenue, the capital's main north-south road, the impressive turnout underscoring the formidable challenge that Mousavi represents. The Ahmadinejad camp mounted its own rally, bussing in thousands of supporters to the city's enormous open-air prayer ground in a carnival-type atmosphere. The crowd was so vast and security arrangements so chaotic that in the end his bodyguards prevented him from speaking. Traffic across the city was gridlocked and clashes were reported between supporters of the two sides last night. "It's very exciting to see but not clear that it provides a firm guide to who will actually win on the day," said one diplomat. "But at the very least it would seem to guarantee a high turnout." Top stories On June 10, Azerbaijani President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev will leave for Turkey on a working visit. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). Partner news | Armenia congratulates “friendly people of Belarus” on Independence Day The Armenian Foreign Mnisitry has congratulated the “friendly people of Belarus” on Independence Day. Armenian wrestlers win 3 medals at U20 European Championships The Armenian team has won 3 medals at the U20 European Greco-Roman Wrestling Championships. Ameriabank, COAF pool efforts to develop beekeeping in Lori COAF and Ameriabank have presented their joint program Harvesting Nature’s Bounty. Armenian, Georgian Foreign Ministers meet in Tbilisi The meeting of Ararat Mirzoyan and Ilia Darchiashvili, is underway in Tbilisi, the Armenian Foreign Ministry reveals. |