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Explosion at the Shrine to Ayatollah Khomeini; Further Coverage of the Situation in Iran
Aired June 20, 2009 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN HOST: This is CNN Saturday morning. 10:00 here in Atlanta. 6:30 p.m. in Tehran. Got a lot to tell you about today. Good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN HOST: I'm T.J. Holmes. Glad you could be here. We have special coverage of the Iran election fallout this morning. We have fast moving and breaking developments this morning to bring you. We've been on here with you for the last five hours and a lot has happened in that time.
Press TV is reporting that two people have been hurt in a blast at a mausoleum of the Ayatollah Khomeini, which is in southern Tehran. And this is the site of the shrine that is made there to the Khomeini. Well, he was regarded as the father of the Islamic revolution. We want to take a listen to how they announced the blast and what is going on there.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Breaking news here on Press TV. As you can see on your screen, two people have been hurt as a blast hits the mausoleum of the Imam Khomeini mausoleum in the south of Tehran. That is the latest that we're getting in. There are people on the streets, it seems. But two hurt at a blast in the mausoleum of Khomeini in south Tehran.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN HOST: So that coming from state-run television there in Iran, the latest that we have on the ground about the blast.
Of course, we're trying to get information here at CNN. But there has been a media blackout. Our reporter on the ground there cannot file any reports today unless he applies for access to be able to do so and then gets granted that access. So far it has not happened.
So we are relying on different avenues, whether that be the social networks or state-run television. But when we show you information or give you information from state-run television, it's very important that you understand that that is government controlled information.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN HOST: All right. A lot of this information, the folks have been deciphering through this for us. Is this a live picture of state-run television? Can we go ahead and listen in to what's happening? It's look like another announcement may be made. Let's listen in for a second.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... Mousavi will be held accountable for the consequences of unauthorized protest rallies. These two incidents is what we can give you right now on the developing stories that are taking place. More as we get it.
We're going to continue with the news in brief right now. Iran's top legislative body, the council --
HOLMES: Just hearing there, again, they're working over there to get this information for us. We better go to our Ivan Watson now. Ivan, explain to us what we're seeing here. It sounds like an announcement just made, someone saying they're going to come down on Mousavi.
IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I wasn't able exactly to hear that T.J. I'll have to follow up on that a little bit later.
What I do have to show, though, you right now is some of the first video we've seen out of Tehran coming from an iReport contributor. It's on this screen right here.
This looks like some demonstrators, demonstrators gathering, trying to organize, trying to protest in the streets of Tehran. Let's run that one more time for you.
Now, we've listened to the recording, and the crowd there is chanting "Iran, Iran, proud Iranians, come and support." Now, we spoke with this contributor. We're going to keep the contributor's name -- we're going to keep them anonymous right now for their own protection.
It was a woman who told us that this happened just within the last three hours, that a group of protesters were trying to approach the square, and they were blocked by police, by security forces.
She told us that her husband was hit three times with a club, with a baton. That is one of the ways that the security forces have been trying to disperse these demonstrations that have been taking place.
And on top of that, let me add a little bit more. We've gotten a number of accounts of police firing their guns up in the air to try to disperse the crowd, of blocking streets and pushing demonstrators into side streets, and then using tear gas against them and using force.
Let's look at another video, T.J. This is coming from YouTube. And it looks pretty dramatic. Let's take a look here. There's no audio, I'm afraid. But you can see an empty street, what looks like perhaps tear gas canisters, or maybe some kind of barricades or some fires that somebody had set. Another fire in the distance here.
Let's run that some more for you. And we've gotten numerous -- that looks like demonstrators fleeing the area.
We've got numerous accounts of the Basiji pro-government militia riding around on motorcycles. They are an intimidating force. They are often used to break up anti-government protests in Iran. They've been used in the past. We've shown you other video of them at work making raids on people's homes at night. These are also videos that have been uploaded to the Internet.
So we can see the demonstrators out in the streets. I have to add, this is a YouTube video. We cannot 100 percent confirm that it was filmed today. But definitely showing some problems in the streets.
And the Iranian government has indicated that they are not going to allow any type of protest to take place today, T.J.
And we're going to toss to Press TV right now. We'd like to take a listen to what Iran's state TV has to say. Let's listen to that, T.J., about Mousavi, the opposition candidate.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The capital has left two people injured. This is what we have at this point. That incident happened when a bomb exploded at the mausoleum of the founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini.
Now, these details are coming in, and so far this is what we have. We'll get more as we get it here on Press TV.
In other development in Iran, police have used batons and water cannons to disperse protesters who gathered on the streets near Tehran's square to hold an illegal rally, because of the rally, being deemed illegal since there was no permit issued for this, which makes it illegal.
The report said, "Sporadic clashes between protesters and the security forces are continuing in the area."
There was an assembly of clerics called off the rally after the Interior Ministry refused to issue a permit, as I just mentioned and police say a week of protests in the capital so far in that has transpired in this past week has injured some 400 security forces, has done a great deal of damage to public property.
The country states security council earlier had warned that defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi will be held accountable for the consequences of unauthorized protest rallies.
These two incidents is what we can give you right now on the developing stories that are taking place. More as we get it.
WATSON: So T.J., we're listening to Iranian state TV there. That was just broadcast a short while ago, one of our sources of information, Iran's state-funded TV.
Now, this is a very complicated story. I'd recommend some viewers, if they want to learn more, to turn to CNN.com, where we have some background, some context, some of the history to explain some of these fast-moving political developments.
Again, a day of confrontation right now, where the opposition, which has declared last week's elections illegitimate, they are pushing forward with an attempt to hold demonstrations in the street even though the Iranian government says no way, we will not tolerate that.
And they appear willing and they have been using force to break up those demonstrations -- T.J.?
HOLMES: All right, Ivan Watson for us keeping an eye on things over in Iran. We do appreciate you, Ivan.
And again, we'll show that again. Press reports we are getting, we are limited to getting them from the official state television, state-run government television there in Iran.
So you have to take, unfortunately, a lot of that with a grain of salt, because it's not an independent media, it's not a free press there. Some of the media reports we're getting coming to us from our iReporters. Yes, we've got them on the ground there too in Iran, helping us out with a lot of pictures. Some of the first pictures we're getting from iReports.
We're collecting all that. But, again, some of the only live, real accounts -- we have to bring it to you from state-run television, but we need to let you know what it's really about.
NGUYEN: Yes. And I want to get back to what we just heard there on state-run television, because I think it's a very important point today, and it could set off more protests, perhaps, saying that Mousavi the opposition leader, will be held accountable for consequences of unauthorized protest rallies.
And we also understand that these rallies have not been permitted, meaning that they have not gotten the official permit in order to conduct these rallies. So it's all taking on a legal form now.
And also state-run TV saying there's a lot of damage to property.
With all of this information, let's put it in perspective. I want to bring in Octavia Nasr, our senior editor for Mideast affairs. And listening to state-run media, which is the mouthpiece for the government, it seems like they are build a case.
OCTAVIA NASR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It seems like it, and that's exactly what followers of Mr. Mousavi are saying. They expected this. This is not a surprise. And they're saying that's not going to deter them.
What's interesting here is that Press TV has the information on a blast, and they have the information on, you know, how they perceive Mr. Mousavi, but they don't have information about a rally that is taking place in Tehran.
We're hearing thousands of people, actually we're seeing pictures of that rally only a few hours ago. It was Press TV that was telling the world that this rally was canceled.
That should give you an idea where press TV stands and what kind of reporting they've been doing. They're definitely taking the side of the government, being the mouthpiece of the government.
But more than that, they're masking all the information about the opposition, masking any information out of what dissent is like, the extent of it. We're not hearing that. We're turning to ordinary Iranians who turned themselves into reporters and news agencies.
They're turning their cell phones into cameras. They're taking pictures, still pictures, video. And then they go home or to their offices and upload it onto the Internet for us to see.
NGUYEN: But here's something that we have not seen just yet. Granted, we're getting a lot of information from people inside Iran through the social networks and whatnot, also pictures and video that has been sent to CNN.
But according to state-run media, it sounds like a lot of people are waiting now to hear from Mousavi. Because it seems like the call has been put out there that if these folks, these protesters are arrested, or if anything occurs, it is on Mousavi's shoulders.
NASR: It is. And he knows that. And the supporters, his supporters know that.
You know, we've been talking about this since Ayatollah Khamenei spoke yesterday at Friday's sermon. Remember what he said. He, first of all, acknowledged the results of the election as final. He supported President Ahmadinejad, and he asked people not to demonstrate.
So anyone showing up for these demonstrations is basically going against the command of the highest commander of the land. That alone is reason to be arrested. That alone is reason to be harassed by police. That's how they see it.
Then again, you've been hearing that the request for a permit to demonstrate was not granted. So basically the government, the Iranian government set things up as to, if you show up for a demonstration, then you're likely to be arrested. Then Mr. Mousavi is likely to be held responsible for people's safety, and so forth.
So basically the whole setup is towards that. But people did not care. Look at those images. People showed up. They're being fought with tear gas. They're being fought with ammunition.
NGUYEN: Water cannons.
NASR: Water cannons. And then they're still braving it, and they're holding those cameras up and taking pictures.
NGUYEN: But where is Mousavi? That's the question today.
NASR: And that is a very important question.
And if you check his official Web site, they're saying that there will be a statement from him soon. But that soon has been about four or five hours ago. There are people that we're checking with that are saying they're very concerned about his safety, they're very concerned about his whereabouts. They want to see him. They want to hear from him because they're very concerned.
And then you hear these basically government comments about holding him responsible for the protests and for the harm and damages to property, and people are even more concerned.
So that is definitely a very important question. People want to see him. They want to hear from him, and they want to hear from him now. So far there's no news about him.
NGUYEN: And no doubt the whole situation is starting to escalate. And we are getting that information, trickling in to CNN.
Octavia Nasr, you've been doing a great job trying to decipher what's coming in and bringing us the best that you possibly can from the information that is coming out of Tehran. So thank you for that.
NASR: Thank you.
NGUYEN: We'll be checking in with you very shortly.
But there is a lot more to tell you about, including this. President Barack Obama has faced criticism for how he's handling the situation in Iran. But the White House insists that it's the right message.
Whether it's not saying enough, or maybe saying too much, it's a delicate balancing act for this young administration. So we want to get more on this.
And for that, we're going to turn to CNN Kate Bolduan, who joins us now live in Washington. Kate, you've been watching this, as I just mentioned, and we're watching the images and what's being said on state-run television. The situation in Iran is escalating today.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Betty.
But no word from the White House today. But the White House really has maintained, did not change from its position, its approach, which is a hands-off approach to the situation.
Now, despite increasing pressure, calls that the president come out to take a more -- be more forceful in his response to the Iranian presidential elections as well as the demonstrations and protests that have followed, the White House, the administration really has maintained that they think they're striking the right balance here.
They have concerns over the elections and the situation, but -- they're speaking out in support of the people of Iran, but do not want to get involved, entrenched in meddling in what are considered, of course, domestic affairs of Iran, the administration really trying to be careful on that point. And the president continued and maintained that cautious, measured tone in an interview Friday with Harry Smith of CBS News. Listen here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: The last thing that I want to do is to have the United States be a foil for those forces inside Iran who would love nothing better than to make this an argument about the United States. That's what they do. That's what we're already seeing.
We shouldn't be playing into that. There should be no distractions from the fact that the Iranian people are seeking to let their voices be heard.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: Now, what of an escalation of violence and force in Iran? What will the White House make of that? Well, we'll have to wait and see if the White House will come out.
Some would anticipate it would be an escalation in violence and force in Iran that would push the administration to kind of recalibrate its approach and change the tone of the statements that we're hearing coming from the White House. But we'll wait and see about that -- Betty?
NGUYEN: All right, well something we don't have to wait is the GOP. It is speaking. What are you hearing on that end?
BOLDUAN: Many members of Congress have seemed to disagreed very strongly with the administration's approach and have been criticizing President Obama for what they view as too muted of a response to this situation and the historic nature of the protests and the demonstrations that we're seeing in Iran.
Both the House and Senate yesterday overwhelmingly passed a non- binding resolution in support of the Iranian people as well as condemning any violence that is occurring over there.
Listen here to Republican Senator John McCain. He introduced the Senate version of the resolution.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) ARIZONA: It's unfortunate in a way that this resolution is required since the administration does not want to, quote, "meddle," and has refused -- the president has refused to speak out in support of these brave Iranian citizens.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: Now, the White House says it welcomes this symbolic gesture, saying that if you take it in more of a broader context, look at the broader message of what this resolution says, the White House says it mirrors really what the administration's position is, which is respecting the will of the Iranian people -- Betty?
NGUYEN: All right, Kate Baldoun, joining us live from the White House today. Kate, thank you for that.
BOLDUAN: Of course.
NGUYEN: Iran in turmoil. The world obviously is watching right now. So are we watching very closely. We're going to break down the risk if this boils over.
HOLMES: And our Ivan Watson, as we know, as we keep an eye on things over at our Iran desk today, some of this stuff, Ivan, it's drip, drip, drip, trickling in to us, getting some of these eye reports, getting some of this social networking, video from the social networking sites.
You've got some new stuff in, I think another iReport. What do you have?
WATSON: This is an iReport video, a contributor that we've spoken to, a young woman. We're going to protect her identity.
She has shown us some of the first videos of protesters trying to gather in the streets of Tehran. Let's take a look at that. Short clips. People chanting "Iran, Iran." Another clip where they chant "god is great."
Now, we spoke with this young woman, and she gave a very disturbing account of what it was like trying to gather in central Tehran to attend this rally.
She said that the army and the guards did not want us to gather together. She said that her husband was hit three times in the knee from a baton from one of the militia members.
She said they stopped them from going any further, and she was very worried because her brother was still out there in the melee. She said she's very worried about him, and, of course, very unhappy with the way that their protest, their peaceful protest was stopped by the authorities.
She said, "I don't think I'm going to live here anymore. I'm angry and upset."
So that is from one iReport contributor sending us video of people trying to protest in those streets. Please keep those videos coming to us. Also, you can reach us via twitter at iDesk -- T.J.?
NGUYEN: All right, Ivan, thank you so much for that.
And our special coverage continues right here on CNN. Don't go anywhere.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Half a world away, thousands of protesters being pushed back by police in the streets of Tehran. The nation, a lot of people are saying, starting to reach a boiling point here.
Just what's at stake here for Iran, the region, the world, the U.S.? Fariborz Ghadar, he served as vice minister under the Shah. He's now senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Sir, thank you for being with us. What are we watching? What are we seeing in Iran? The past week, but also today, what are we seeing right now?
FARIBORZ GHADAR, SCHOLAR, CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES: Hi, T.J.
What's amazing is that all of this is based on desire of having Mousavi be possibly be reelected. And Mousavi himself was one of the founders of the revolution.
So we have four candidates who were screened by the supreme leader, were kind of approved through the Guardian Council. And now that we have some debate about who in fact won the election, they're coming down strong against one of their own colleagues.
And really, the demands of the people in the streets are quite minimal, if you look at it. It's not a change in the regime. It's really a nip and tuck of what they're asking for. They're asking for a little bit more freedom for the women, a little bit more freedom for the young people. And they're demanding some reassessment of the economic position because of the unemployment and inflation.
You would think that this is not a major thing, T.J., for the administration to respond to. Yet they're clamping down so hard just on this minor demand of the people.
HOLMES: So why is that? Do they see the fear that this could become something much bigger?
GHADAR: Absolutely. I think what happened is that they saw that these massive population, -- first started with students, but then the whole mass of the population from different, you know, different parts of the society, young people, old people, religious people, not religious people, going to the streets.
And when you see hundreds of thousands of people go into the streets, then the fear became that this may not be an issue with regard to election of a president, but this may be dissatisfaction and frustration that has been sort of festering and is now coming to the surface, which has scared the regime significantly.
HOLMES: So have we certainly transitioned -- when we saw on Friday and Saturday last week, right after the vote, right after the election, people were upset, thinking their votes weren't counted.
But have we over the past week now, and you just hit on it there, seen this evolve away from just being about election? And really, in the grand scheme of things, how important is it? What difference would it necessarily make if Mousavi happened to be the president? GHADAR: Well, what is now happening is, in fact, you put your finger right on the right -- on the issue, T.J. I mean, what is going on is it started off by saying our vote was not counted. But now what's happening is the grievances of society are basically surfacing, and they're worried they may lose control of that situation.
And it may have started as a discussion among sort of a fight in the family among Ayatollahs. But what has really appeared, and basically, you know, what you see in the streets is really a dissatisfaction of the people with the way this system is being run.
And that's what's frightened the supreme leader.
HOLMES: Last thing here, if we can. Putting context for folks here in the United States, how significant it is, maybe even unprecedented, that people have come out, it sounds like still to the streets today, in defiance of what the supreme leader has told them to do?
GHADAR: Well, it's quite significant, not just today, but the previous week as well. I mean, you have hundreds of thousands of people, and some people reported millions of people in the streets, objecting to what in fact the supreme leader -- the supreme leader right at the front gave his blessing to Ahmadinejad.
HOLMES: Yes.
GHADAR: Most of the demonstrations followed that.
Today, it's sort of elevated the risk element for them. But they've always had difficulty. They were always worried they would be hit, they have always been worried that pictures would be taken and people would be retaliating. This is just now the level of risk has gone up.
And it is very significant, T.J. Would you dare go in the street if they're going to beat you up, shoot you and -- so this is a major, major thing.
And then in the evenings they have masses of crowds of people screaming "god is great," which is again, similar to the 1979 revolution. And the next step may in fact be civil disobedience in the form of maybe strikes.
If strikes happen, if they manage to reduce the impact of this -- these demonstrations, you may in fact see a backlash into strikes in various industries.
And if the strikes hit the oil industry, then it will be really damaging to the economy.
HOLMES: Great points. I'm so glad we were able to get you on today. Fariborz Ghadar, vice minister under the Shah, now senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Sir, thank you so much for lending your perspective and your expertise and experience. Thank you so much.
GHADAR: Sure. Pleasure.
NGUYEN: And our special coverage of the situation in Iran does continue in just a minute, so stay right here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Welcome back, everybody, to our special coverage of what is happening in Iran, what we are seeing today, even though we are not able to see it with our own cameras and own eyes in some cases because of the restrictions put on foreign press.
It is happening. The protests are happening. Demonstrations in the streets -- again started out last Friday after the election. People took to the streets to oppose the result of that election.
We have seen mass demonstrations over the past week. Two planned today. So much confusion about whether or not it was canceled. We've been getting the -- the only information we can get is from state media.
Let's put up this picture here, Betty, for our viewers. This is what we have to go on and depend on here. These are images from state-run media.
Again, state-run television, which has shown very little coverage of the demonstrations today. However, they have come out and said that there has been at least one blast that happened at a shrine to the former supreme leader, that at least two people were hurt. Those are reports coming from state-run media.
Also reports we're getting on the ground that protesters by the hundreds or even thousands have come together but have been pushed back and held back by police who are in riot gear -- tear gas being used, water cannons being used to keep some of those people out.
But again, Betty, the information we are getting has been trickling in to us, because we have to depend on our iReporters and people on the ground, because we have been being restricted in what we can do and what we can cover, which is nothing, essentially.
NGUYEN: Exactly, because of the media blackout.
But a lot of what we're trying to figure out is how many people have been able to formally gather. We're hearing that thousands are in the streets, but we are also hearing that as they attempt to gather, you're seeing these armed policemen with riot gear standing there blocking them, and then so they're having to disperse.
Whether they use tear gas or water cannons, we're hearing reports on the ground in Iran that they are not able to gather together.
I want you to listen to this iReport and just listen to what they're saying.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SHOUTING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Apparently people have come out in force. They are on the streets. They are calling for change.
The question is, where is Mousavi this morning, because there's been a lot of talk about his rally. People have come out in support of this opposition leader.
Yet at the same time, state-run television reporting much of what Iran's supreme leader was saying yesterday, that if these people take to the streets, there will be consequences, and those consequences will fall on Mousavi's shoulders.
Well, a lot of us today waiting to see and hear from Mousavi. Obviously, the protests and the movement is moving forward, even though just a few thousand are in the streets and they are being pushed back because of the guards and the fleets out there.
It appears that this movement has not died as of yet. But at the same time, these folks on the streets taking great risk, but finding it very difficult today.
So as we've been talking about it, it's very difficult for us to bring you live reports. We simply cannot at this time. So we rely on our iReporters on the ground in Iran. We're also relying on social networking sites as well to bring us information. And as soon as we get new information, of course, we will bring that to you.
But this situation, the election fallout in Iran, is indeed not over. Many people by the thousands are defying Iran's supreme leader's orders not to demonstrate.
HOLMES: All right, our coverage will continue. A quick break, we're right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
T.J. HOLMES, CNN HOST: All right, again, we're continuing to watch what's happening in Iran today.
The latest we have, a blast that's happened there at a shrine to the former supreme leader. At that particular bombing, which we got an idea, or blast, I should say, blast, this was reported to us by state-run television, saying that now one dead and eight have been injured.
This is coming to us from state-run TV. It's called Press TV, but it's the government-run television there in Iran, which is pretty much the only game in town right now.
They've had a shutdown on free press, on foreign press, on CNN. We've can't move around and report, so we've depended on them to bring some of these reports.
So they are reporting now that this blast that happened at this shrine to the former Ayatollah Khomeini, a blast that's happened there that has killed one and injured eight. Those are the reports from state-run television.
We can put up now what we are having to depend on. We're going to show you four different boxes here. This is state-run television. This is what people in Iran, this is what they are seeing right now on state-run television. And this is what we are at the mercy of trying to get reports from them.
You see several different things going on some news over there. We have seen sports, all kinds of things. Not a whole lot of coverage about the demonstrations that were planned for today.
But the few reports that we have gotten, we tried to bring those to you. and the latest we are getting from state-run television is that in fact one person dead, eight injured in that blast at the shrine to the former supreme leader of Iran. We'll continue to monitor them.
Also getting iReports and pictures in on social networking sites from people there on the ground. We're certainly talking to people on the ground there as well.
Again, we will bring you this as we get it.
Meanwhile, back here in this country, President Obama certainly keeping an eye on what's happening in Iran. In the meantime he's under fire for what many see as his low-key response to what's been happening in Iran. Take a listen. You tell me what you think this response is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I'm very concerned based on some of the tenor of and tone of the statements that have been made that the government of Iran recognizes that the world is watching.
And how they approach and deal with people who are, through peaceful means, trying to be heard, will, I think, send a pretty clear signal to the international community about what Iran is and is not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: All right. The world is watching, Andy Barr. Andy Barr is a reporter from Politico.com. "The world is watching." Is that statement going to be enough?
ANDY BARR, REPORTER, POLITICO.COM: Well, in terms of stopping his critics here at home, no, it's probably not going to be enough. Some of his top critics, Senator John McCain from Arizona, Mike Pence in the house, Republican from Indiana, they are really hitting him, painting this as a moral issue and something he should weigh in on. The White House, though, is being very careful in their language, thinking like tactically, and thinking as realists in terms of foreign policy, trying not to paint too bleak of a picture, or too black and white of a picture, and instead trying to let this thing play out, knowing they'll have to deal with whoever ends up the victor in this.
HOLMES: And Andy, is this a real moral issue here, or, unfortunately, just like everything that comes up, it's all about politics? Are they trying to hit him and see an opening in an area where he was criticized for being weak during the campaign, and that is on foreign policy and dealing with some of these rogue dealers?
BARR: You're right. Foreign policy is certainly where Republicans have hit the president multiple time during the campaign, as you know.
However, when you're talking about someone like John McCain, he has been talking about this kind of stuff for a long time. He's certainly one of the people who's always painted foreign policy as kind of a moral versus a tactical issue.
But you're right. There are certainly points to be scored here for Republicans, and they're trying to score them.
HOLMES: What are they wanting him to say? And what are they saying themselves about what's going on?
BARR: Well, I think what they'd like to hear from the president is to -- for a more supportive statement, to really weigh in, to say that, you know, maybe the election was a fraud. You're seeing that from some of these Republicans.
However, you know, it's a lot harder to do that when you're actually the leader of the country. It's one thing to do that when you are a critic from the sidelines, but when you're standing up, when you have to deal with these people, when you're getting all the reports from the State Department, it's a much more complicated situation.
HOLMES: And Andy, we know the infighting, that's going to happen up on Capitol Hill. Republicans, Democrats, critics of the president, that's just going to happen.
But how does the public right now -- do you get a sense of how the public is taking how the president's handling of the situation so far and his tone so far?
BARR: In terms of how the public's taking it, looking at polling, it's kind of difficult right now because things are changing so often, you can't really get a good sample.
In terms of how this is playing out, I think we're all just sitting and watching. A lot of us are glued to our televisions on the story and waiting to see what the result's going to be.
However, in terms of looking at the White House, I don't think they're taking a lot of flack in the general populous yet. I think people are giving him a little bit of rope on this to see what Obama is going to do.
HOLMES: And last thing here -- of course, you can't come out and say it publicly, but behind the scenes, have you heard those rumblings, those conversations, those whispers even, that they would love to see Ahmadinejad out of power there?
BARR: Well, I mean, you're never really sure what you're going to get. They've got a situation that they understand. It's obviously not a perfect situation. But no matter what the result is here, it's going to be complicated, it's going to remain an unstable place for them to conduct business for many years.
HOLMES: Andy Barr, Politico.com. Sir, it's so good to see you this morning. We appreciate it.
BARR: Thanks for having me.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN HOST: And our special coverage of Iran and the breaking news that's happening there continues right here on CNN. Don't go away.
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NGUYEN: Hello and welcome back, everybody.
For the past, what, five hours you've been watching our extended special coverage of the events in Iran. And there have been several new developments this morning. Let's get you to it now.
Armed police have taken up positions in city squares in Tehran. These are the first pictures that we have seen from the Iranian capital. The police presence has kept protesters from gathering from planned opposition demonstrations.
Now, we also have gotten word that police are using tear gas and water cannons on the protesters.
HOLMES: Also, Iranian state television reporting that there's been a blast at a shrine in southern Tehran at the mausoleum of Iran's first supreme leader, the Ayatollah Khomeini.
Iranian media reports that two people were hurt in that blast. However, we just heard a short time ago an update from the Iranian Press TV that in fact one person was killed and eight injured in that blast. Again, that's coming to us from the government-run television.
NGUYEN: And all of this surrounding fallout from the election. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the president of Iran. But he is not the man in charge. Who is? Over to the international desk, where Ivan Watson is standing by, and he has been monitoring all these developments today.
What are you seeing now, Ivan?
IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Let's take a look at some of the latest YouTube video that's we've gotten now, what appears to be some of the clashes that we're seeing in Iran right now.
Take a look at this. No audio to go with this. And, again, we're getting this from YouTube, so it's very difficult for us to vet, to know exactly when this was shot. This was recently uploaded.
We see off to the right of the screen, a shot from what appears to be a store window, are security forces with shields, backing up. And one man over here -- oops. Let's get that going again -- throwing a rock in the direction of these guys right here, with sticks and throwing stones right there.
It appears to be some kind of a clash taking place between demonstrators and security forces.
Now, we've seen some other images emerging right now. Let's take a look at some still photos of what appear to be Iranian security forces, perhaps Basiji paramilitary militia, in the streets of Tehran.
These are some still photos that we've pulled off of Twitter today. You see the riot police in a Tehran square there out in force.
And we have talked to a number of protester protesters, a number of eyewitnesses describing how the security forces have blocked groups of protesters, hundreds at a time, trying to gather in the center of the city, using tear gas, firing their weapons up in the air, and beating the protesters with clubs to try to disperse them.
And of course, the Iranian government saying that no demonstrations will be tolerated today.
A big question right now is where are the opposition leaders? Mir Hossein Mousavi, who competed in those controversial presidential elections last week, Mehdi Karroubi, two candidates who claim that widespread fraud was committed during those elections to allow Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to win the election.
Of course, that is a claim that the Iranian government has vehemently denied -- Betty?
NGUYEN: Which all of us gets us back to the question on the onset right now, who is in charge there? Is it the government? Is it the supreme leader? Is it Ahmadinejad? The protesters on the street, what about those candidates, the opposition leader Mousavi?
A lot of questions, a lot of back and forth, a lot of battling taking place, whether it be politically or even on the streets of Iran, and we're watching it all very closely.
Ivan, thank you so much for that.
We'll have much more on this crisis in Iran right after this.
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NGUYEN: We are continuing to follow the fallout from the election in Iran. And today has been a big day of protests, not by the number, but in symbol. A lot of -- thousands, in fact, have taken to the streets.
They've been met with police in riot gear. We're hearing that tear gas and water cannons have been used against the protesters who are trying to gather today and rally. There were in fact two protests that were scheduled, one for Mousavi, the other by the former Iranian president.
And there's no word as to whether there was indeed a large gathering, because we know that many of the crowds have been dispersed.
HOLMES: Dispersed by police using tear gas and water cannons from the reports we're getting. This is an iReport. We've had to depend on a lot of iReporters, people sending in messages and pictures on the social networking sites.
Also, we can tell you that according to Iranian television, and again, it's a state-run television, that there has been a blast at a shrine to the former supreme leader, and at that blast, one person was killed, eight injured. Again, that's according to Iran state TV.
So we are really at the mercy of Iran state television because there are so many restrictions on what foreign press can do. But we are bringing you as much information as we can as we get it.
NGUYEN: And you are seeing some pictures right now coming to us from an iReporter on the ground in Iran. And these are really some of the best pictures and video that we've seen so far today, as there is indeed a media blackout in Iran.
But let's get you some perspective from a person born in Iran. Hamid Dabashi is a professor of Iranian studies at Columbia University in New York. And he has written 18 books, over 100 essays, articles, book reviews, well-versed on Iranian affairs. The professor joins us now live.
Thank you for being with us. The first thing I want to ask you about, as you hear about the water cannons, the tear gas being used, also an explosion at the shrine of Khomeini, eight injured, one dead. What is this saying about the movement now, and what it is up against?
HAMID DABASHI, PROFESSOR OF IRANIAN STUDIES, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY: I think that's an excellent question, but what it means is, what we're witnessing, first of all, it's too early to say exactly ha it is. It is unfolding right before our eyes.
But more than anything else, it resembles to me like a civil rights movement. Not a revolution, but a civil rights movement.
Let's take a look at this question of this explosion at Imam Khomeini's mausoleum. There are three possibilities, either the Mujahidin have done it, or, first of well, it's a fabrication, we don't even know that it is true, because the only source of information is Press TV, which is government controlled, or, three, the government has done it.
All of these things are speculations. We don't know exactly what has happened.
But the key question is not who has done it. The question is, why this particular site? Why this particular mausoleum?
NGUYEN: Why do you think?
DABASHI: I tell you in a second.
Number one, it has an emotional, symbolic significance for all Iranians. And the regime can use this occasion by saying, you see, they're targeting our most sacred memory.
But more important than that is that a few days ago, Mr. Mousavi said if I am not allowed to march, I will seek refuge in the mausoleum of, Imam Khomeini.
This incursion (ph) is call "tahson" is a very old political move. When a political dissident goes to a sacred shrine, seeks refuge, and according to Shii law, he is immune from being attacked or harassed or in any way removed.
This move, whoever has done it, whether Mujahidin has done it or the government has done it, in effect has preempted that move. Right now the movement that Mousavi is its face, is trying to use or find alternative modes of civil disobedience, of a nonviolent civil disobedience.
Another example that is coming through the Internet is that demonstrators are thinking of keeping copies of the Koran on their head when they go to demonstrate. Obviously it is like the bible to Muslims.
NGUYEN: And therefore violence can't be used against them.
DABASHI: Exactly.
NGUYEN: Let me ask you that, because we're looking at and seeing and hearing reports of these protests, but we're also hearing, in the words of Iran supreme leader yesterday, also Iranian state television today, saying no matter what happens on the streets, the consequences fall on Mousavi's shoulders.
It seems like he's going to be the one to bear the brunt of this.
DABASHI: Absolutely. In his speech yesterday, what he in effect said was, was pack your supporters, go home. There will be blood, and it will be on your hands. He wants to put an end to this.
But now we come to another important factor, that Mousavi is not in total control of these masses in the streets. There is a dialectical relationship.
Partially what you're seeing is, because of the absence of proper communication between the people in the streets and Mousavi, they're very much dispersed. The west sides are cracked down, the foreign correspondents are cracked down. They're just breaking it through the means of communication.
There's one ministry, the ministry of the interior, that is supposed to give permission for these sorts of rallies.
NGUYEN: It has not, yes. There are no permits.
So if it's taking on a life of its own, how are they going to be effective?
DABASHI: They are constantly thinking of creative modes of civil disobedience. This is what is happening.
And what has just happened in the mausoleum has preempted one such a move, but there will be alternatives.
For example, last night millions of Iranians went to the rooftops and shouted at the top of their voice, "god is great," which has become an expression of defiance.
So people of this movement are constantly thinking of creative manners of registering their protests with non-violent manners, and government seeks ways of preempting it.
NGUYEN: Hamid Dabashi, such good information today. Thank you so much for your insight. He's a professor of Iranian studies at Columbia University in New York.
And of course, we will definitely be speaking with you in the future. But we do appreciate it. Thank you.
DABASHI: Thanks for having me.
NGUYEN: And there is much more to come right here on CNN as we continue to follow the fallout of the Iranian election.
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NGUYEN: Right there at the "CNN newsroom," the Iranian desk working very, very hard today to get the latest information out of the country.
You know, young women and old have been on the front lines for the call for reform in Iran. But here in the U.S., Iranian-American women are working to make sure that the demand for change is not stifled.
HOLMES: CNN's Mary Snow with the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Outside the Iranian mission in New York, 28-year-old attorney Bitta Mostofi organizes this prayer and protests. She is un-phased by the Ayatollah Khamenei declaring a victory for President Ahmadinejad.
BITTA MOSTOFI, IRANIAN-AMERICAN: What I have seen is people have really taken these amazing risks in the belief of something greater than themselves, of what freedom and exercise of your democracy and civil rights means. And I think that's so profound that at the minimum, we can stand in solidarity.
SNOW: From Iran to the United States, seeing Iranian women front and center in demonstrations following last week's election gives hope to Azar Nasifi who marched in the streets in 1979 and later wrote her memoir, "Reading Lolita in Iran."
AZAR NASIFI, AUTHOR, "READING LOLITA IN TEHRAN: I feel very proud. And that is why I'm not discouraged by either the violence that Mr. Ahmadinejad has been propagating, nor the position that Ayatollah Khamenei has taken today. My faith is with those young women in the streets of Tehran and here.
SNOW: Nasifi says over the past 30 years women have been at the forefront of demands for nonviolent change in Iran. And this election many women's hopes were raised by opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi's wife Zahara, and admired academic seen as a symbol of change.
Unlike the past, social networking sites have proven to be key. Kelly Gornush Niknejad, who runs the online newspaper "Tehran Bureau" in Boston, says they are empowering yet safe for women.
KELLY GORNUSH NIKNEJAD: You can make up any name. You can make up any moniker. You can make up any avatar. That's in itself like a veil. So it allows you to wear a veil and do something, you know, from behind the veil that you wouldn't be able to do.
SNOW: And author Azar Nafisi adds, if you want to know where Iran is going, look at where its women are going.
Mary Snow, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Good morning, everybody. From the CNN World Headquarters right here in Atlanta, it is 11:00 a.m. local time, but 7:30 p.m. in Tehran, a place that we are watching very closely today.
I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: And hello to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes, continuing our coverage of what is a critical and eventful day in Iran.
All right, two mass opposition rallies planned. That's in direct defiance of Iran's supreme leader.
