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Continuing Coverage of Iran Election Fallout

Aired June 21, 2009 - 15:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CENTER: CNN has obtained this video from yesterday. Take a look, it shows a huge crowd marching along in Tehran street while a helicopter hovers above. And then, there's this also from Tehran yesterday, showing a confrontation between police and protestors. Protestors are seen throwing rocks and police are seen firing tear gas.

So, we continue to watch the developments unfold in Iran today, Ralitsa Vassileva is standing by at our Iran desk here in Atlanta.

Ralitsa, what do you have that's the latest?

RALITSA VASSILEVA, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Well Fred, the latest is a message on the FaceBook of candidate Moussavi, the reform leader, who says that people have the right to protest. Here's what he says on his Web site: "Protest to fraud and lies is your right." We've also been sifting through amateur video, YouTube, just to give you a sense of what's going on in the street. We're not able to report from there as of yesterday, we're not even allowed our one report that we were allowed up until now.

So, what we want to show you is video from Tehran. This is the latest video we have obtained from YouTube, an amateur video, which shows that basically huge amount of people possibly hundreds of thousands, you see them down there in the street, there. This is a major Tehran street, they're shouting "Don't be afraid, we're together, death to the dictator." The video appears to be shot from the window of a roof on an apartment building. This is the latest we can show you.

So far, we don't have any reports of con front station on the street, but we have reports of very heavy police and militia Basij presence in the streets trying to prevent people from gathering and organizing themselves, as we see in this rally.

Also, a disturbing picture to show you of a mother cradling her son and shouting after her 7-year-old son was beaten by security forces. She's shouting obscenities at them with religious and political overtones that we cannot repeat on air, very disturbing video. We don't know if this was today or yesterday, but we have just received it, wanted to show you just to give you a sense of the tense situation there in Tehran.

Also today, some news from Tehran that shows that there's a rift developing between the leadership, the clerical leadership, we are told that the daughter of richest and most politically influential -- one of the most influential men in Iran has been arrested, the former President Rafsanjani's daughter. You see her there addressing the crowds of reformed leader Mir-Hossein Moussavi. She's been very active with the reformists. She was arrested along with four members of her family. They were released, however, she is still in custody showing this growing political rift, which is playing out behind the scenes as we see people again today trying to organize in the face of such heavy police presence and risk their lives to make their stands against the election and the disputed election and the disputed results. They still want a new election.

WHITFIELD: Now Ralitsa, the opposition leader, Moussavi, where might he be as well as president Ahmadinejad. I understand that he did take to the state television air waves today. What do we know about their activities, today?

VASSILEVA: Well, Moussavi, as I mentioned, we just heard from him through this message on SpaceBook (sic), just telling people protest to lies and fraud is your right. President Ahmadinejad addressed some clerics, today. What he had was, actually, a message aimed at the united states president Obama and the prime minister of Britain, Gordon Brown, saying that if they wanted to remain friends of the Iran circle of friends, they better stop meddling in Iran's affairs, basically giving them a warning to stop speaking out against what was happening in Iran.

WHITFIELD: Ralitsa Vassileva, thanks so much.

We know France and Great Britain have already been very outspoken about the descent over this election and that's why Iran is being very direct about its criticism to warn those European nations, as well. All right, thanks so much Ralitsa, appreciate it there from the Iran desk.

All right, back in this country, U.S. Senator Richard Lugar, the ranking Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee appeared on CNN's STATE OF THE UNION today and our John King asked if the U.S. should engage in diplomatic dialog with Iran.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN RICHARD LUGAR (R), FOREIGN RELATIONS CMTE: Yes, it's totally improbably and the reason is that this regime now is under fire, this is not a stable regime in which two people suddenly sit down with the United States. They may not be able to impose their will. This is what this is all about on the streets. But in direct answer to your question, of course, we really have to get into the nuclear weapons. We have to get into terrorism of Iran in other areas in the Middle East.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee also appeared on STATE OF THE UNION, California Democrat Dianne Feinstein told John King she does not think the U.S. has meddle in the current crisis.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D), INTELLIGENCE CHAIRWOMAN: I don't think our intelligence, candidly, is that good. I think it's a very difficult country in which to collect intelligence, right now, so I think our ability to get in there and change the course of human events is very low, to be very candid with you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Journalists have been barred from covering the government crackdown on election protestors, primarily international journalists, but video and information are flooding in from Internet sites like Twitter. CNN's Josh Levs is monitoring Twitter.

And what are the latest postings?

JOSH LEVS, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Yeah Fred, we're following this minute-to-minute throughout this hour, we're going to continue to bring you the latest. Now, one of the big things that's happening on Twitter, there are a lot of people tweeting about the election, but also a lot of people specifically tweeting about a woman, a girl named Neda (ph). Let's zoom in on the computer behind me for just a second. There's a video of people who have been watching on the Internet. This is the version we have here at CNN.com, you can take a look at it.

It is video that had been posted on a social networking site and the story that was along with it was that this girl had been at a protest, a bystander and according to the story posted had been shot by members of the security forces there in Iran. We're not able to authenticate exactly what happened, but we do know her name was Neda, in the video we're able to hear her father saying her name. She died and she has become a symbol for people around the world, a rallying cry a lot of people seeing that video there.

Let me show you just a couple of tweets that have just come out about her. We keep refreshing. This is one of the first ones that someone saying, "I agree with you totally," this is someone saying, "this is Neda's revolution. In her memory, please spread the news."

Another one after that, "I think the Neda video is one of the most heart breaking things I've ever seen in my life," a lot of people responding to that specifically.

Also two more, Fred, they have just come in, in matter of seconds. A lot of people encouraging others to turn their Twitter profile to Tehran, Iran and use their time zone. They're saying that the Basij, this is a paramilitary forces that answer to the government in Iran, they say are trying to track down Iranian tweeters. And we'll show you one more here is says similar idea, "Do not RT" do not re-tweet, basically share the name of Iranian tweeters, they're allegedly being tracked. It also calls for them to blur faces in photos.

I want to emphasize this, when I'm showing you tweets about Iran, some of them are from inside Iran and we're not using names at all because we are part of the process of trying to protect identities of anyone inside Iran who may be using Twitter to get information out. And they are aware that CNN is not putting their names out there online.

We're also sharing some of your tweets. Let's go to this graphic here that shows you how you can reach me right here in the NEWSROOM, today. My page is on this graphic: Twitter.com/JoshLevsCNN, we've also discussions going on at our blog. Click on Fred's page and you've got my FaceBook page, as well, if you're into FaceBook. Interested to hear what you have to say.

And Fred, we're going to be popping back to you with these minute-by- minute updates. Some of the latest tweets people all over the world are sharing because this is part of the story, right now. The role of Twitter for some people in Iran who are accessing it and for people all over the world who have so much to say about what they're seeing.

WHITFIELD: All right, Josh Levs, thanks so much. This really kind of underscores the obstacles not just for the social networks, but also for international journalist who is are trying to cover the story, whether they be inside Iran, which, as you've already heard, a number of journalists have been escorted out, namely the BBCs bureau has just recently been shut down we understand today and its correspondent has been asked to leave the country. We understand that there's a "Newsweek" reporter that's also been asked to leave and possibly even detained one or the other, still trying to work that out.

Our own journalist haves run into some obstacles too while reporting there, including our Dubai bureau chief, Samson Desta, who was there for a while, then I don't know if it was suddenly your visa expired which seems to have happened to a number of journalists there, coincidentally, as the unrest started to unfold.

But at the same time, you were able to do some excellent reporting while in country and now out of country, you're still able to do some reporting. Namely, talk to me about -- your experience while you were covering a protest, you became a little -- handled roughly by the riot police, there. But that didn't keep you from reporting it. It just meant this is one more layer of how difficult it is to be international correspondent, there. What kind of measures have you and your colleagues had to take in order to get information out?

SAMSON DESTA, CNN DUBAI BUREAU CHIEF: Well, you know, initially we were allowed to go anywhere we wanted to go. We could talk to anybody we wanted to talk to. So, there is that degree of freedom. Well, you could do whatever we wanted to. But then things changed from being peaceful to turning quite ugly and quite violent and at that point...

WHITFIELD: And that was immediately after the election was declared, there were protests that seemed peaceful but then suddenly things changed and that's the change you're talking about.

DESTA: That's when things changed, exactly. We were, you know, someone asked me do you feel safe out there, well, initially I did, but then things turned at some point, they didn't want us to show these things, they didn't want us to film these things and that became quite difficult. So there was this sort of...

WHITFIELD: So there are active measures of like stopping your camera work.

DESTA: Yeah, yeah.

WHITFIELD: And restricting your access.

DESTA: Well, initially there was this self-imposed curfew where you didn't feel safe enough to go out and particularly pull out a camera and then filming. But then came this restrictions that they imposed on us, and at that point, it was a very clear message you're not allowed to go out and cover the demos and you knew you couldn't go out there and pull out a camera...

WHITFIELD: So, in demonstrations like this that we saw yesterday evolving and making the air, these images really are coming to us some times by amateur video, but in this case, this is by state-run television, which is interesting because state-run television, just like the government wanted to control the images coming out of this country, but after the ayatollah said if you organize on the street, you are breaking the law, took these pictures, helped convey it to the world really as an example, right, to the demonstrators saying you try this, this happens to you.

DESTA: Right. And this is really, really interesting, because at some point, they change their strategy, the protestors, because when they came out and they protested and it got violent, people said, well, look at these hooligans, they're coming out and they're disturbing the peace, creating chaos, and at some point they said, OK, you know what, from this point on, we're not going to provoke the police, it's going to be a silent march. And that's what they did, they marched silently, holding up posters that said this is a silent protest and for the most part it worked, they didn't provoke each other and it was just until a few days ago it actually turned quite ugly, but for a few days that strategy worked.

WHITFIELD: What do you suppose is happening for the international journalists who are still in country, but they're not allowed, they're forbidden to actually sometimes leave their hotel or leave their bureau to actually do the reporting on these demonstrations. What sort of creative measures might some be taking without revealing everyone's kind of secrets, what kind of, you know, creative measures might they be taking to be in the game, to still be able to report without risking -- risking their lives or risking their craft.

DESTA: You know, it's quite frustrating to be in your office hearing the gunfire, hearing the blasts, hearing people chanting and shouting, but you can't do anything about it, but you have to have some eyes and ears on the ground, and those are the protestors, they're the ones who call you back and say this is where I'm at, this is what's happening, and in most cases they're the ones who are taking pictures with their cell phone and they're sending those in. because they are really, really determined to make sure that everyone knows what's taking place on the ground. They're very determined about that.

And came out to us and said we want you to show the world what is happening. So information-wise, they call you to tell you as to where they are and what's taking place and then visually, they take those pictures and then they send them into news organizations.

WHITFIELD: Taking great risks of their own.

DESTA: Great risk.

WHITFIELD: Samson Desta, thanks so much. When you come back, we're going to talk a little bit more in the next hour about kind of the evolution of the protest. You were alluding to it right there about how it changed from, you know, very vocal to peaceful and then suddenly violent. We're going to talk about the things that that kind of precipitated those changes when we see you again in an hour from now. Thanks so much.

DESTA: Sure.

WHITFIELD: All right, the crisis in Iran, a standoff between protestors and the country's supreme leader. How long will this battle of wills actually last? We'll hear from an expert, the first American journalist based in Tehran after the 1979 revolution.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Welcome back, I'm Fredericka Whitfield, we're monitoring all of the Iranian-based state-run television stations, which is what you're seeing showing different kinds of images on the air. This is how they're reporting on the crisis, and in some cases not reporting on it at all.

Meantime, some of our sources on the ground are also telling us a little bit about what's happening as a result of the protests that we've been seeing there escalating over the last few days. Some hospital sources say the death toll from yesterday's clashes alone is 19, but Iran's "Press TV" is reporting a lower number at 13 and there have been also unconfirmed reports that have put the numbers as high as 150.

"Press TV" also saying the deaths resulted from police clashes with "terrorist groups" is how in some ways they're reporting the demonstrations that have been taking place. Many of the demonstrators who have turned out on the streets are pro-opposition leader supporters, but they're being called terrorists by state-run television now.

And two Iranian networks are reporting on comments made by Iran's influential parliamentary speaker suggesting that Iranian election officials sided with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who the ayatollah has declared as winning that election.

All right, well, it's down to a war of wills between protestors and Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khomeini. Who will prevail? Joining us from Washington now Geneive Abdo, an Iran analyst and author of several books on the region.

Geneive, what you're seeing, how disturbing is it to you or did you see this coming? GENEIVE ABDO, IRAN ANALYST, THE CENTURY FOUNDATION: Well, I think what's very surprising is that historically it's always been sort of the regime against the people, but now actually as you mentioned in your earlier reports, there is a very serious rift now within the regime itself. Leading leaders, such as former President Rafsanjani's, former President Mohammed Khatami (ph), they're all now fighting with the protestors against the supreme leader and against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. So, this is very significant.

WHITFIELD: So, I wonder if this rift, was this something that was produced before these protests erupted? Did it occur during the election process? Or is it as a result of the protests? So, in other words, these demonstrators, h.ave they gotten the upper hand?

ABDO: Well, the rift actually began in 2006. And then, what they called the Coalition of the Concerned actually became much more active during the electoral campaign. So, these people that I mentioned earlier, these major figures, they actually began organizing a long time ago and then as soon as the demonstrations erupted, they quickly sided with the people in the street.

WHITFIELD: Interesting. So you've mentioned how the government has changed its strategy, we even seen it exemplified during this week of protests. The state has changed its strategy as to what it is allowing. First it was OK to have peaceful demonstrations and then there was this edict coming from the ayatollah saying it will be illegal and then we're also seeing the state-run TV show only certain images of the protests. So, how is this revealing a change in strategy for the government?

ABDO: Well, I think that in the beginning, they could have just had a crackdown in the beginning and banned the demonstrations as they have now, but I think that they tried to create some impression to the outside world that this is a democratic process, that it's OK for people to demonstrate, but of course, when the demonstrations became too threatening, they had to crack down.

So, I think that's what's going on now, that they have, obviously they can't allow the demonstrations to go on because then you're talking about a serious rebellion.

WHITFIELD: Well, that's what I'm wondering, is it an issue of how long they allow it to go on or how long the demonstrators feel like they can keep this momentum?

ABDO: Well, I think as we've seen, the demonstrations have lost some momentum. I mean, there are far fewer people on the street today than, of course, there were, you know, several days ago. But, what I think is really surprising is that they've continued at all. Because, if you look in the past of other periods of demonstrations, people have become really afraid, of course, and they're not willing to risk their lives.

Today we see a much different Iran in that respect that people seem to be fearless, that they're willing to go out in the streets even though the supreme leader has called them terrorists. He said that they're illegal, that they have to reestablish the rule of law.

WHITFIELD: Despite calling them terrorists, these demonstrators come out in huge numbers and they've defied the government. So, you have to wonder, is this a sign that the government's power is weakening?

ABDO: Yes, absolutely. I think that the greatest -- one of the most important outcomes of what we have seen over the last week is the diminished power of both supreme leader Khomeini and also President Ahmadinejad. So, even if the election results stand and Ahmadinejad continues his second term in office, I think that you will see compromises coming from both him being forced by the supreme leader to behave differently, based upon these demonstrations and the great divide now within the state.

WHITFIELD: Geneive Abdo, thanks so much for your time out of Washington, today.

ABDO: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Showing solidarity for protestors in Iran. People around the world deliver a pointed message to Iran's leaders.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Welcome back, our continuing coverage of what's taking place in Iran. Meantime, you're looking at pictures right now -- live pictures out of Los Angeles where people are beginning, beginning to converge, they're getting ready for a rally that will be taking place next hour. Many folks coming up, remember, Los Angeles has the largest Iranian-American population in America and many who are planning to attend this rally will be in full support demonstrating for the opposition leader Moussavi who was defeated in that election in Iran.

Meantime, many protestors also turning out in New York City and they're seeing green. That's the color of the failed Iranian presidential candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi's opposition movement.

CNN's Susan Candiotti is keeping an eye on the demonstration at the U.N., there -- Susan.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka, green is not the only color we are seeing today, but also red, in the form of red roses in memory of those who have been killed so far during those peaceful demonstrations in Iran. This demonstration, this day winding down, about half as many people here as were yesterday, but they are, as you can hear, just as vocal.

Among the people that are here today is Flordia (ph). Flordia remenbers what happened 30 years ago, the revolution in Iran.

But you are here again this day. How would you compare what happened 30 years ago to what is happening today?

FLORDIA, NEW YORK PROTESTER: Well, 30 years ago, a revolution was hijacked and by the same group of people that are hijacking another uprising by the people, really. And I'm here just to see what -- show solidarity with my sons and daughters.

CANDIOTTI: Are you struck by the number of younger people that you are seeing in the crowds here, as well, of course as in the streets of Iran?

FLORDIA: In the streets of Iran, that was obvious. There was not going to be any change unless the children of -- our children would go to the streets, the same way that 30 years ago they did go to the street and, you know, unfortunately lost that to a dictatorship. But no, I'm not surprised. I'm so proud of these children. I'm sitting here in solidarity with all of my sons and daughters.

CANDIOTTI: What do you think (INAUDIBLE)?

FLORDIA: I am afraid to think. I'm really afraid to think about it, because unfortunately, they're going to be a lot more bloodshed, unfortunately. But I'm hoping we have to be optimists, don't we, Susan, we have to be optimistic.

CANDIOTTI: Thank you, Flordia.

I think the most important thing that everyone here is saying is that it is impossible to predict what will happen in the days ahead, but they want to make sure that the world hears their message and keeps on hearing it - Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Susan Candiotti in New York, thanks so much.

Iran election protests, just like this have been taking place around the world. Here's CNN's Natalie Allen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NATALIE ALLEN, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A show of solidarity, a call for change. Around the world people are marching and rallying, protesting the disputed reelection of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the consequent unrest. Outside Paris, France, tens of thousands of Iranian ex-pats packed a convention center blasting Mr. Ahmadinejad's victory at the polls.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think everybody must come here because Ahmadinejad is a terrorist and a terrorist is for all the world is not good, not only for my country, Iran. I think everybody must come here.

ALLEN There was a similar show of force in Hamburg, Germany, more than 1,000 people took to the streets to show solidarity with the Moussavi camp. Many wore green ribbons and carried photos of injured protestors and called for recognition of Iran's voting rights.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I hope, we hope that everything stays peaceful, that the people in Iran get their rights in a peaceful way and the will of the people will be stronger than all possible repressive mechanisms.

CROWD: We want democracy. ALLEN: In Sidney, Australia, about 200 Iranian-Australians braved the rain to make their voices heard. They urged their government not to recognize the outcome of Iran's June 12 election.

UNIDENTIFED FEMALE: The election was rigged. And we want democracy in Iran. But we are seeing Australian people and the Australian government do not recognize the regime. Because he is not representing the Iranian people and Iranians don't want him.

ALLEN: Want him or not, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad remains president of Iran. For those who want change, it seems for now; all they have is their power of their voice.

Natalie Allen, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And that's a look at protests around the world. We're continuing to take a look at what's happening with Iran.

In the meantime, what you're looking at right now, this is New York and this is Brooklyn where a four-story building has collapsed. We don't have any complete details as to what happened. What caused the collapse of the building? But we understand there were some other minor injuries in addition to one person who was injured and possibly is being treated at a facility there.

You're looking at video coming into New York, seeing images as well as some streaming there of the interviews taking place. But it happened there in Brooklyn and New York and fire crews are on the scene. When we get more information what may have precipitated this collapse, we'll bring that to you as soon as possible.

Meantime, the pictures out of Iran keep coming in. We'll go to our Iran desk for the latest developments as well as the latest images and videos.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: More demonstrators continue to pour through the streets of Tehran and beyond. Not just in Iran, but around the world. Let's focus on Iran in a moment. Let's go to the Iran desk Ralitsa Vassileva has been monitoring all of the new images, the latest information coming out of that country. What do you have?

RALITSA VASSILEVA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fred, what we have is a message from reform leader Mousavi on his facebook. We have just heard from him saying that the protestors have a right to protest fraud and lies that that is their right because the first time we heard from him on his facebook page.

Also we've been speaking to people on the ground in Tehran. One girl for security reasons we will not give you her name contacted us and we spoke to her on the phone about the situation and how she participated in yesterday's protest and what she thinks about what should be next for her country. Some very powerful words, let's listen in to what she had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): I was so proud, they said run and I said I can't run, how can I run? It's so crowded in here. And they -- he hit me. And he was -- he was so big and I said you want to hit me? And he said yes, and then he hit me with a club.

WATSON: Now, what is happening today? What is the situation like in Tehran today? Are you going out to demonstrate?

(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): Really today I couldn't go out because my foot was injured and I couldn't run anymore. And I was sure if I go out I'm going to die. So I didn't go out today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VASSILEVA: That was my colleague Ivan Watson who spoke to her on the phone moments ago. Basically her saying that she's been injured, she can't run so she was afraid she was going to die. He also asked her, what does she want for her country? And she basically she wanted freedom and this was not just about election results any more. It was about the future of her country and she didn't believe that the top leadership, the Ayatollah had told the truth that the election according to her was stolen. It was about much more than that.

We're seeing people also chanting death to the dictator, which we have not heard up till now. Quite an open defiance, which we have heard for the first time in 30 years since the Iran revolution. The lines have been drawn and a very, very serious way.

Fred, also wanted to show you some pictures that we received from a person who calls himself Sohale from Iran, he sends us these pictures. You see there, all the people gathered there in the streets of Tehran and the major thorough ways. This is near the square in Tehran. You see there the besiege, those are the power militaries who have been confronting the protestors with violence. We know 19 deaths yesterday, we also see the helicopters, and some of the protestors have been telling us that the helicopters were pouring boiling water on them to disperse them.

We haven't been able to verify that, that is what we're being told; we see a lot of fires in the streets. We see the chaos and the terror in the streets. Smoke rising, all this we are receiving from Tehran from people to people who have become their own news agencies just using their cell phones and sending their pictures to us?

WHITFIELD: And we have a team of people that have been sifting through to try to authenticate as much as we can of all of these images and the information trying to filter it just like we would with any story, trying to check and double check before we get them on the air. And Ralistsa you mentioned that Mousavi's statement that came out not long ago which is a new statement that he's issued, you mention on his website is this the same or different from the facebook information that he had revealed yesterday that was difficult to authenticate. Is this different, this message, a different location where he was distributing?

VASSILEVA: We can't say which location this is coming from. But we are seeing that this is his facebook page. We know that this is his facebook page and basically he's telling his supporters, you have the right to go and demonstrate and march even though he has been warned just like the protestors that they will be facing consequences and yesterday, the message that we were getting from him was I'm ready to be a martyr. If I get arrested, please go out and strike in the streets. So that was yesterday's message which was very chilling and very powerful. This moments ago is what we received from him right now. We don't know his whereabouts; we don't know where this is coming from.

WHITFIELD: OK. Ralistsa Vassileva thanks so much from our Iran desk here in Atlanta.

So among the hundreds of videos and images out of Iran, one is becoming a symbol of the protest. It shows the violent death of a young woman on the streets of Tehran. CNN's senior editor for Middle East affairs Octavia Nasr has the details.

OCTAVIA NASR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: One story that is running nonstop everywhere that people are talking about nonstop and using it as the symbol of what's going on in Iran is the story of a young woman named Neda, she's believed to be a student who was in the middle of a demonstration when she was shot. And her death was captured on camera with a cell phone, someone captured those last moments of this woman's life. I'm going to warn our viewers that this video they're going to see is graphic. We've been running it; we're covering her face, just out of respect for her. But we're going to play it with its natural sound and then we're going to comment on it. Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): Neda! Neda! Neda!

(VIDEO RUNNING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NASR: Chilling, chilling pictures, chilling screams. People are reacting to this, saying that they will never forget this moment. It was captured by a citizen who was there at the demonstration. Someone who turned their cell phone around and started shooting the elements. And what you're hearing here, first of all, she was shot. It was believed she was shot in the heart by a sniper. And what you're hearing there is someone trying to resuscitate her. We heard on twitter from that person.

He says he's a doctor, he's a medical doctor, he tried to help her, tried to resuscitate her. What you hear there is him saying don't be scared, don't be scared, open your mouth. He's trying to help and then he announces that she's dead and that's when you hear the father, her father on the side basically wailing, weeping, and those wails and weeps are reverberating across the world. There's no border for this story. We're getting reaction on it from Europe, from Australia, from the U.S., from the Arab world, from Iran, people already saying the Neda story and the Neda video is going to be that moment that will define the story that moment that everybody will remember the story with.

WHITFIELD: Octavia Nasr there reporting helping us understand those very graphic and disturbing images.

All right, other stories from the street. Iranians posting riveting accounts of the protests and the crackdown on twitter another way.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Journalists have been barred from covering the government crackdown on election protestors in Iran. But video and information are still flooding in from Internet sites like twitter. CNN's Josh Levs is monitoring the twitter boards. What's being said now?

LEVS: Fred, we're following the tweets minute by minute. As you are saying in some cases, they are coming from inside Iran, and some cases from outside talking about it or retweeting what people inside Iran were saying. We're not using any twitter names in case they are inside Iran to help protect them.

Let me give you one example to start with. We saw Octavia describing some of the latest video about Neda. This is retweet encouraging them to resend it, saying she's my sister. From Iran, I'm not here to take back my vote; I'm here to take back my country.

A third one, scattering protestors, saying the plain-clothed officers allegedly attacking a crowd and hitting a woman, leaving them unconscious. You can hear what it calls them there. Now we did see one. Let's go to the next one, I want to go to this that actually talks about this is from an Ahmadinejad supporter. This one says there were ones that -- you can see what it says here. There were ones that lost their lives. Ask Mousavi why. Making his wife first lady worth bloodshed of innocents?

We're protecting the names of those who don't want to put their names out there. They're coming in so fast. Zoom in on the computer behind me. I just want you to see what we got here. I'm updating them non- stop. This came in less than ten seconds ago, less than ten seconds ago. Every time you refresh your screen, you're seeing new ones about Iran election, and in some cases specifically about Neda. We're keeping a close eye on this, especially with that crackdown; twitter is taking on a larger role than it ever has before.

WHITFIELD: It is quite tremendous how the social networking, particularly twitter has helped in conveying information and keeping the dialogue going. Josh Levs thanks so much. Appreciate it.

So much going on in Iran, its neighbor Iraq, well, a suicide bomber strikes. It is the deadliest attack seen this year, and the death toll is climbing.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: All right. There is other big news happening today. A climbing death toll from a suicide bombing in Iraq. It comes as U.S. combat troops prepare to pull back from Iraq's major cities in just nine days. I talked earlier with our Phil Black about the blast near Kirkuk. OK, Phil, in Baghdad, give me an update, what's happening there.

PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There has been a truly devastating attack here the single most deadly attack to take place in Iraq so far this year. It was a suicide car bombing near a Shiite mosque, not far outside the city of Kirkuk. It was really quite devastating. It wiped out, destroyed, around 50 buildings or so and the death toll is very high. It's around 80 dead.

So far, around 211 injured. As I said, the single biggest death toll in this country so far this year, being condemned by, well, all sides across the Iraqi political spectrum by American embassy officials and the U.S. military who all pledged to do what they can to help the people now sifting through the rubble in this devastated area.

WHITFIELD: What is the feeling Phil as to why Kirkuk may have been targeted? This is a city that there was back and forth, coalition forces a significant amount of time there weeding out insurgents and then they would depart, insurgents would take over Kirkuk one more time and this would go back and forth. Why now has this been a target?

BLACK: This is a disputed territory. It's oil rich and there are a number of ethnic groups that tried to make a claim to it. In particular, the Kurdish region just near there but it's unclear if that is connected to it certainly, these sorts of attacks, the Iraqi government has warped that in the lead up to the end of this month, end of this month, which is the deadline for U.S. combat troops to pull out of Iraqi cities, the Iraqi government has said to expect to see more of these sorts of attacks. It has been.

This is a bit of a trend increasing. While overall violence is trending down dramatically across this country there are regular spectacular attacks like this one, big ones with high death tolls. The U.S. military theory on this is that it is Sunni insurgents probably related to al Qaeda doing what they can to target Shiite areas and try to kick start again that sectarian violence that tick for tat bloodshed that we saw between Shiite and Sunni groups in the hope of creating that same uncontrollable situation and destabilizing the country. It hasn't really worked so far because the Shiites, although they have been hit a number of times by big blasts just like this one, they haven't really retaliated just yet, Frederica.

WHITFIELD: Phil has there been any expressed concern among Iraqi government officials about what's taking place with the neighboring country of Iran?

BLACK: This is a tricky subject in this country because certainly, post invasion, the government of Iraq has had very close ties to Iran. It's not getting a lot of coverage here and certainly not a lot of reaction to it on the street. Even the politicians themselves, they aren't saying too much. A lot of them make regular trips to Iran to meet with political leader's there and also religious ones as well.

Iran is said to have a lot of influence in this country, some say too much, some groups, particularly the Sunni Muslim political groups, accused Iran of meddling in Iraqi affairs. The Shiite groups, the dominant power here politically, they dominate the government, they are not saying too much. There are links here, strong links but they mostly exist below the surface. As a result there is not a lot of comment publicly on those events we are seeing in Iran at the moment.

WHITFIELD: Phil Black in Baghdad thanks so much.

Meantime, a special honor for the American journalist released from an Iranian prison.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Welcome back to our continuing coverage of all that is going on in Iran. "Life" Magazine is reporting the photojournalist who was shot in the cover story of "Unrest in Iran" is missing. The pictures currently posted online are attributed only to an Iranian photojournalist. "Life" received an e-mail from the photographer's family saying he has not returned home. The organization's reporters without borders says 23 journalists and bloggers have been arrested since protests began in Iran a week ago.

A special honor, meantime, for Roxana Saberi, the American journalist released from an Iranian prison last month. Her Alma matter, Northwestern University, honored her the medal for courage in journalism. Saberi lived in Iran for six years before being arrested in January. Iran accused her of spying for the U.S. and sentenced her to eight years in prison. After an appeal, she was released May 11th.

And this information that we are also following out of Iran, a "Newsweek" journalist, we understand, has been detained without charges imposed by the Iranian government. We continue to follow the developments involving that journalist who we understand has been detained by the Iranian government.

With the media crackdown continuing in Iran, we are largely relying on pictures and the pictures show another day of protest in Iran. So far, no reports of injuries today but hostile forces say 19 people were killed yesterday. An unconfirmed report puts the death toll as high as 150. The protests stem from this month's presidential elections, the official results gave President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a landslide victory but opposition leaders say there was massive vote fraud.

Mr. Ahmadinejad claims other countries are interfering with Iran's internal affairs. We have got correspondents all over the country and all over the world, as a matter of fact. We have got Susan Candiotti who is joining us from New York momentarily. Kate Bolduan in Washington. Josh Levs in Atlanta and Kara Finstrom is in Los Angeles where a demonstration is soon to be under way.