Iran-summary

So after a week of protesting after the election the Mousavi camp asked for a recount and was granted a 10% recount by the Guardian Council. The Council has determined some fraud in 50 cities where up to 140% of the registered voters voted. But since the extra votes amount to only 3 million in an election where Ahmadinejad won by 11 million some are saying nothing can be done. But Mousavi has powerful allies.

After the week of protests the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomenei gave his Friday sermon basically warning protesters that he has been reasonable and if the protesters are not reasonable the full strength of the law will be felt.

The next day Mousavi held huge rallies. The biggest since the Revolution and the army cracked down. Up to 20 dead, hundreds arrested.

But the most important part of the battle was being fought behind the scenes in Qom, the religious headquarters of Iran and the Shia world. A Mousavi ally, Rasfanjani took the battle to Qom to fight for the support of the powerful clerics. And it looks as if he succeeding according to the daily beast writer Reza Aslan, where some kind of power sharing agreement might be arranged.

Rasfanjani is one of the most powerful figures inside Iran. He was a close friend of the first Supreme leaders, and was crucial in the selection of the current one. He also leads a committee that has the power to oust the Supreme Leader if he fails to do his duty, the Council of Experts.