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Media Blackout Gives Rise To Sketchy Details From Iran; Death Toll Could Be 19, or 150; CNN Dubai Bureau Chief Recounts His Harrowing Experience Covering A Demonstration

Aired June 21, 2009 - 14:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR, CNN NEWSROOM: So far, there are no reports of violence. Hospital sources do report 19 deaths yesterday, but unconfirmed reports puts the death toll as high as 150.

Another protest, in this country, in Washington today accuses Iran's government of fraud in this month's election. Iran's foreign minister says an investigation will be finished this week, but he insists the possibility of fraud is, quote, "almost close to zero," unquote.

Another protest is being held in New York at the United Nations building, live pictures right now, of people of all ages, as you can see, who have turned out right outside the U.N.

Here's some of the latest video now from Iran. It includes this clip right here, said to have been made just after a seven-year-old child was beaten. That's the detail we're getting out of Iran. You can hear screaming in the background.

CNN obtained this video from yesterday, right here, and it shows a huge crowd marching along a Tehran street while a helicopter hovers above. And this video also from Tehran yesterday shows a confrontation between police and protestors.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(PROTESTORS SHOUTING, SCREAMING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Protestors are throwing rocks, police are firing tear gas. We know these kinds of details because we do have sources on the ground there, and even here in Atlanta, we have a number of people, experts, Iranians who are listening to the video, listening to the verbiage that you hear, the shouting. They're able to translate and we're able to get as much of this information to you as possible, in the best way we can.

We continue to watch the developments unfold in Iran today. Thousands of protestors are said to be on the streets of Tehran. Again, for a closer look now let's go to Ivan Watson at our Iran Desk, right here, as we look at this GoogleEarth kind of look of Tehran.

Ivan, give me an idea of what kind of information you're able to get. And we have so many different personnel working at the Iran Desk, able to go through a lot of this videotape, able to sift through a lot of information, and try and get the most accurate depiction as possible.

IVAN WATSON, CNN INT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. And the reason we have to do this, Fredricka, I should inform our viewers, is because of the near total blackout of foreign media coming out of Iran. Our team is forbidden from making reports right now. We have reporters in Tehran. Today, the BBC, Tehran bureau, their correspondent was ordered to leave the country within 24 hours, the Al Arabia, Arabic satellite news channel, their Tehran bureau has been ordered to be shut. And we just learned that a "Newsweek" correspondent in Tehran has been detained.

That said, we're hearing from our sources on the ground that there were attempts to organize demonstrations, several thousand people on the streets. We've seen some of this video that we've gotten off the Internet today, of what seems like a crowd moving down a main street in Tehran. Our sources on the ground in Tehran saying that thousands of police, riot police, lined the main streets set up in the intersections. And that there's a large security presence, as well, at the compound housing the state television and radio broadcasting center, effectively protecting that area; a sign of the tensions in the town right now.

I spoke with one Tehran resident who described dozens of security helicopters flying overhead these days. And we have also seen additional video coming out from the clashes, those deadly clashes yesterday; really dramatic stuff where the protestors, who were trying to gather in downtown squares, where they faced off against security forces. And as you can see in this video here, fought back, and it's a remarkable change here. And it's going to be a big question, because it's a serious challenge to the legitimacy of the Iranian government, perhaps the most serious challenge in its 30 years of existence.

Now, we had a unique interview with one iReport contributor, a young woman, she will remain anonymous right now, I spoke with her on the phone. She took some incredible photos on the ground at great risk to herself. She was one of the demonstrators against the security forces. I asked her what it was like on the streets on Saturday. Let's listen to what she had to say, Fredricka.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was so crowded. And they said, "Run!" And I said, "I can't run! How can I run? It's so crowded in here." And he hit me, and he was twice as me - 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 (On camera): What is happening today, what is the situation like in Tehran today? Are you going out to demonstrate?

UNIDENTIFIED 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)

WATSON: Fredricka, one last note, this young woman, she said that security forces stopped her. They tried to take away her camera and her photos, and she pulled an old trick, she handed them an empty digital card. And was able to keep her photos as a result. She tricked them, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And so, Ivan, let me ask you, while all of this is taking place, still we have not seen or heard from Mousavi, correct? Haven't seen or heard from Ahmadinejad either. Give me an idea of what we understand might be going on. What kind of conversations within the government about how they want to get a handle of this, or what they believe this is doing to the power of the government.

WATSON: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad did, in fact, appear, Fredricka, on state television today, briefly. And he was quoted addressing a group of clerics, basically blaming the West for interfering, for intervening in Iranian domestic affairs.

Though, you could argue that these demonstrators on the streets have nothing to do with Western powers. And I think that they would -- the people that I've spoken with, as well, they say the very same thing.

There is a power struggle underway, however. And we saw that it was escalated. This is between the elite, the ruling elite in Iran. Today it's very important to note that Iranian state television showed that five relatives, including the daughter of the wealthiest, one of the wealthiest men in Iran, Hashemi Rafsanjani, a former president, and one of the architects of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, we see her pictured in Iranian state television at one of these opposition protests, five relatives of this very important man were detained by Iranian security forces. That is raising the stakes in the power struggle that's going on behind the scenes, Fredricka, as the people on the street clash with the security forces, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Ivan Watson at our Iran Desk here in Atlanta. Thanks so much. Appreciate that.

In the meantime, President Obama has issued a written statement calling on the Iranian government to stop violent and unjust actions against its own people. But some Republicans say he's still being too timid. CNN's Kate Bolduan is standing by at the White House.

Kate, we know that there have been protests outside the White House. We know the president released his written statement yesterday, and many Republicans have issued that criticism before Saturday, but is there still some criticism of how he handled things yesterday?

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: There is still some criticism coming out, Fredricka. I should tell you that I've just been told by an administration official that the president is continuing to monitor the situation. He met with foreign policy advisers today to get updates on the situation and developments on the ground in Iran.

You noted the statement that the president, the White House, released yesterday; the president calling for a stop to all violence on the Iranian people. These are considered his strongest words yet, in speaking out in support of the Iranian people, and speaking directly to the Iranian government. This is the response that again has faced some criticism, though, from republican lawmakers who still say that he just hasn't gone far enough. Listen here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, (R) SOUTH CAROLINA: He's been timid and passive more than I would like.

REP. HARRY REID, (D-NV) MAJORITY LEADER: I believe that we could be more forceful than we have. If America stands for democracy and all of these demonstrations are going on in Tehran and other cities over there and people don't think that we really care, then obviously they're going to question, do we really believe in our principles.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Republican lawmakers say they do appreciate this stronger statement coming out from the president in support of the Iranian people. The president has said he wants to avoid the U.S. being brought in, and drawn in, to become a target in a political debate that is going on in Iran.

At the same time, here in Washington, it seems the debate continues. Exactly what is the correct balance the White House should be taking or striving for in this situation, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Kate. Now give me an idea of what this president's schedule is this week. Because I know even last week he was trying to concentrate on some domestic issues. But some of these international issues, primarily Iran, bubbled up. What do we know his schedule is like this week?

BOLDUAN: Fredricka, you know that Iran will probably stay squarely in the forefront of his schedule. I have to tell you that right now I cannot remember exactly what his schedule is, just as we've been focusing squarely on everything that has to do with Iran here at the White House today.

WHITFIELD: OK, Kate, thanks so much at the White House, appreciate it.

We know that the president continues to keep close tabs on what's transpiring in Iran. We're trying to give you the latest information on the activity there. Again, another day of protests, demonstrations taking place throughout the streets of Tehran, particularly. And because we are restricted, as are many international journalists abroad, we're also relying on a lot of video that's being supplied to us from people, just ordinary folks there in Tehran who are streaming their video images, via computer, via cell phone, et cetera. And we're hearing a lot of information via Twitter, as well. Social networking has become a big part of this reporting, but at the same time, we are working very hard with our sources and with our own specialized personnel to make sure that the information can be verified and authenticated as best that it can as we continue our reporting.

Among those journalists of our -- on our team, that have been in Iran covering the story before there was this sort of clamp down from the government on foreign journalists, our own producer, someone who just -- Samson Desta, who is back now from Iran.

You had your own close encounter there. You have been based overseas, but during your assignment in Iran, you were there in time for the election. But then you also noticed things started to happen as the results came out, that this election was not quite what a lot of the opposition leaders had hoped for, and protests started erupting. You found yourself, as you were covering the story, also becoming part of the story. How so, Samson?

SAMSON DESTA, CNN DUBAI BUREAU CHIEF: That's correct. I think this was on the second day of the protest. And this is when things really changed from being jubilant, quite peaceful, happy, exciting on the part of the Mousavi supporters. To -- it changed to anger, agitation. And so we went to cover this press conference that was to be held by Mousavi. For some reason it was canceled. He did not appear, the building where he was supposed to hold this press conference was shut down.

And this crowd then had gathered got really, really angry and quite agitated. And that's when they started attacking cars that were passing by, and riot police moved in. And so there was just sort of cat and mouse game going on where the police were charging the protestors and vice versa. And at some point I decided not to run. I said, look, I'm not going to run -- I wasn't part of the protestors.

WHITFIELD: And this is - from that day that you're talking about. This is a climate of the demonstrations that were taken place. A little bit of chaos - quite frankly, a lot of chaos. You were one- man banding, it as we put it, you had a camera and you were also reporting on it. And somehow you kind of get caught up in it, where police identify you as being among the protestors and treat you as such. What happened?

DESTA: Well, this is exactly why I didn't want to run, because I wanted to make sure they knew I wasn't part of the protestors. So, I sort of found myself to sort of pull back a bit, but I was cornered in one area. And as they were charging the crowd, they took me as one of the protestors, and one of them came at me and swung his baton and struck me across the arm.

WHITFIELD: You tried to explain. You're trying to say, that I'm not here protesting.

DESTA: I did.

WHITFIELD: I'm working.

DESTA: That's right.

WHITFIELD: They didn't want to hear anything about that.

DESTA: Well, three of them came at me and the first one heeded my warning. I sort of put my hands up and said no, no, he passed. And the second one came at me, and same thing again. I said, no, no, no, I'm not a protestor. And the third one, for some reason, perhaps didn't hear me, but took a swing at me and caught me on the arm.

WHITFIELD: So, you got pretty injured on your arm, pretty bruised up, but it didn't end there. You had to continue to protect yourself and move on. But at the same time, you're a working journalist, and you're trying to get the story. But your personal protection is first and foremost.

DESTA: Right. And at that point, I decided to pull back even further, because now, at this point they were throwing tear gas at us. And that was quite difficult to breathe. We couldn't quite see. So we found ourselves hold up in a basement, in a nearby building, with 14 or 15 other protestors. And that was a bit strange to sort of -to hide from these protestors, I mean, from these riot police. And then we were trying to help each other, because we had difficulty breathing, really. We couldn't quite see. It was dark inside and everyone was sort of are you all right? Are you OK? Do you need anything? And perhaps after 30 minutes, or so we managed to get out and move on to a different protest. We didn't stop there.

WHITFIELD: Wow! Well, we're going to talk again in the next hour because now that we're seeing these images, we continue to see images that really have evolved. This changed, the type of protest, the climate of the protest. And now that you've had your experience, too. And we know that your State side because there are certain restrictions put in place. New limitations for a lot of international journalists; we're going to talk about that, too, and how you are able to continue to do your reporting, but how you can identify in part with all you're seeing as this continues to evolve.

Samson, thanks so much, talk with you again next hour.

DESTA: See you then.

WHITFIELD: Appreciate it.

Of course, we will also be talking to a number of other people, experts who have a different point of view on what's taking place in Iran. In the meantime, State side, there are a number of demonstrations taking place from New York and you saw throughout the weekend, even Los Angeles. And again, today, in Washington.

Let's first now go to Christiane Amanpour's in-depth special, "Amanpour Reports From The Streets of Iran", which begins right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INT'L. CORRESPONDENT (On camera): Good evening, on Friday after two tumultuous weeks across Iran, the supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei finally addressed the people. He implored them to end the street protests now and to pursue their complaints through the Guardian Council. While he said there could be some vote recounts, he made clear that the reelection of President Ahmadinejad would stand.

Calling Iran the world's only religious democracy, Khamenei spoke as the country is put to a unique test. Both the election and its aftermath have taken Iran and the world by surprise. I covered last Friday's election. The unprecedented campaigning beforehand and the dramatic protests and rallies for freedom that spilled out into the streets afterwards.

And over the next half an hour, we'll walk through the pivotal moments that led up to the overwhelming re-election handed down to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Now that the ayatollah has spoken, will the street continue to speak back? Where did this powerful wave of resistance to hard-line policies come from? The scene was set two weeks ago during a series of live television debates that started chipping away at President Ahmadinejad's front-runner status, and injected a sense of real competition into the race.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD, PRESIDENT OF IRAN (through translator): I'm not fighting against one candidate. I'm standing against a combination led by Rafsanjani and with the cooperation of Mousavi and Khamenei.

AMANPOUR (voice over): Mousavi went on to complain that Ahmadinejad was pushing Iran towards dictatorship.

MIR HOSSEIN MOUSAVI, OPPOSITION CANDIDATE (through translator): He says, why do you call me a dictator? Well, I did not say that you are a dictator. But your method definitely leads to dictatorship.

AMANPOUR: Mohammad Marandi from Tehran University believes that both candidates made some key mistakes in those heated debates.

SEYYED MOHANMMAD MARANDI, UNIV. OF TEHRAN: Most people, that I know at least, among colleagues and friends, they believe that the two sides really became too emotional in the debate, and made the campaign, their both campaigns, very personal and a lot of personal attacks were made by both sides.

AMANPOUR: The stage is now set to inflame passions and action.

With just days to go before Iran's presidential election, Tehran seems to be in the midst of a giant get-out-the-vote street party.

(CAMPAIGN WORKERS CHANTING)

Bidding a wishful farewell to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Supporters of the leading opposition candidate, Mir Hossein Mousavi, organized this human chain from the north of town all the way down to the south. While antagonizing the West, at home, President Ahmadinejad has traveled the country wooing the poor and the pious. Handing out money, promising them a share in the nation's oil wealth, and as incumbent, he gets the full back of the state, including the media.

This is democracy Tehran-style, as the people take to the public square. On opposite street corners supporters of the fundamentalist President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, face-off against those of his main rival, reformist Mir Hossein Mousavi.

And the traffic runs through them. Boys and girls throw caution to the wind. In this country this is daring.

(On camera): I asked these young people holding a sidewalk debate, what makes this election different?

"This is like a revolution," says Pega (ph). "People are excited about rescuing our country from the calamity its in." Even the Ahmadinejad supporter says the people are out in protest.

"Most of the people voting for Mousavi are doing it just to get rid of Ahmadinejad," she says.

But the president still has staunch support especially among the poor in the provinces, to whom he's dolled out money, benefits and favors.

"Honestly, we've never seen anyone as courageous as Ahmadinejad," says this supporter.

"He's a true son of the revolution," adds another.

On the president's side of the street, many are bussed in to counter the growing Mousavi crowds. Another day of street politics, another day of gridlock, before the country casts its vote.

(On camera): But something was stirring. A powerful undercurrent of dissatisfaction was coalescing around Mousavi, protesting Ahmadinejad's hard-line fundamentalist policies.

(voice over): Two days before the polls open, this election is turning out to be a referendum on the president's four years in office, which have seen higher prices, and less freedom.

"Thirty years of frustration is exploding," says Mohammed, a mechanical engineering student. "Even if Ahmadinejad wins, we're just here to express our opposition."

(On camera): Observing from his perch at the Carnegie Endowment in Washington, D.C., Karim Sadjadpour believes that Mousavi is an almost accidental leader of this renewed reform movement.

KARIM SADJADPOUR, CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INT'L. PEACE: Mousavi's strategists did a brilliant job of transforming this fairly uncharismatic, soft spoken, 67-year-old guy, with impeccable revolutionary credentials, into the voice of a new Iran, and to the voice of reform.

(On camera): As night fell, the rains also started to come down, and yet people still came to this square. People here who are old enough to remember and to have marched in the Islamic Revolution 30 years ago, say this is the biggest turnout they've seen since then.

(voice over): Earlier in the day, President Ahmadinejad brought out a large crowd at his rally, and told them he was convinced he would win Friday. Cars honking, flags waving, President Ahmadinejad supporters, as well as Mousavi's, jammed the streets for one last night of official rallies and campaigns. With the same happening in major cities across Iran, many are saying this is an early indication of what's expected to be a record turnout at the polls on Friday.

For the first time ever in Iran, a candidate has campaigned with his wife. Rahnavard has drawn huge crowds to her husband's rallies, especially women.

"I'm here to say that men and women are equal," she tells us.

More women than men have voted in the past few elections and Rahnavard promises them it will count this time if Mousavi win.

"We've made this promise to the women, and we will stand by it," she says.

Women remain legal, second-class citizens in criminal, divorce, child custody and in inheritance cases, despite making up 65 percent of university students. Ahmadinejad's fundamentalist government has even tried to make polygamy easier for men and public-sector careers harder for women.

"No cheating," they chant, as they prepare for the polls to open.

(On camera): President Ahmadinejad has powerful support after courting his constituency with cash and favors over the last four years. But the scale of his victory surprised so many and so did his opponent's reaction. We'll be back with more than after a break.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AMANPOUR: When Iran's Guardian Council quickly announced the 62 percent win for President Ahmadinejad, and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei blessed the, quote, "divine result", the streets of Tehran exploded, filling with protests unseen since the Islamic Revolution swept the country 30 years ago.

(voice over): Frustration boiled over and ran through the streets of this Tehran neighborhood, after official election results delivered reform candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi a crushing defeat in Friday's election.

CROWD: Mousavi, Mousavi!

AMANPOUR: "Mousavi, Mousavi, get my vote back for me," they shout.

MARANDI: Mousavi lost control over his people and Mr. Ahmadinejad, I think, lost control over some his people. Extremists on both sides came into play, and both sides seem to be losing control.

AMANPOUR: Hundreds of riot police were deployed and for an hour, here, there were running battles with angry street protesters, as each side charged the other. The protesters threw rocks and set garbage cans on fire and many were beaten with batons.

After a while the growing crowd surged towards the main square. There were more security forces and police, but here they did not intervene.

(On camera): You said that you thought the state would overwhelmingly crush this movement. It hasn't. In fact, it's allowed them to continue in the streets and conciliatory noises are being made to accommodate their complaints. Are you surprised?

SADJADPOUR: Well, I think we have to get inside the head of Ayatollah Khamenei, the supreme leader. Khamenei has the hindsight of himself having been a revolutionary and revolted against the Shaw in the late '70s. And I think what they learned from the 1979 revolution was that when the Shaw crackdown, when he clamped down, it didn't curtail the protests. In fact, it enhanced the scale of the protest.

AMANPOUR: And then the protesters set off down Tehran's main north/south avenue.

"We're here to protect our votes," says this man, "Because we feel we've been insulted, our vote has been insulted."

But soon the streets echoed with dueling rallies, pro-reformists and pro-Ahmadinejad.

Sunday, the streets of Tehran belonged to the supporters of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Hundreds of thousands of them filled one of the capital city's main squares and surged into the surrounding streets, for a rally that was organized to celebrate Friday's elections. And the results that gave him a controversial landslide victory.

MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD, PRESIDENT OF IRAN (through translator): Today, we should appreciate, we should appreciate the great triumph of the people of Iran against the united front of all the world arrogance.

AMANPOUR: At his defiant first press conference, I asked the president how he would respond to those challenging his rule. You said that you were the president of all Iranians, no matter who they voted for. I would like to ask you, what is the situation with your challenger Mr. Mir Hossein Mousavi, and will you guarantee his safety? And why have opposition reform individuals, officials, being arrested?

AHMADINEJAD (translator): The situation in the country is in a very good condition. Iran is the most stabile country in the world. And there's the rule of law in this country. And all the people are equal.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you asked Ahmadinejad in his press conference the day after his so-called victory about the state of Iran and he said Iran is the most stabile country in the world, people take this as an insult to their intelligence. And I think people -- people are taking tremendous risks every day. Going out into the streets. Hundreds of thousands of people. This just gives you a sense of the depth of their sense of injustice, of the depth of the sense of rage.

AMANPOUR: Rage, the President Ahmadinejad dismissively compared to sore soccer losers and errant drivers.

AHMADINEJAD (translator): This is something natural a person coming out of a stadium and may violate the traffic regulations. He will be fined by the police no matter who he is. An ordinary person or even a minister.

AMANPOUR: I may have missed the translation. I was asking whether you were going to guarantee the safety --

AHMADINEJAD (translator): I did respond to your question. All people are respected and all people are equal before the law. And I like all the people, all members of this nation. And of course I'm not happy with a person violating the traffic rules.

AMANPOUR: But Ahmadinejad's opponents accused him and the governing elite of a much bigger crime, stealing the election. They kept up the pressure and the next day Mousavi appeared in public for the first time since the election. Supporters of defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi took to the streets again Monday in a march that tens of thousands ended up joining. They chanted and cheered as they wound their way around freedom square. Although the police had said such rallies would be banned and no protest permits would be issued, the government ended up allowing this one to take place. Hundreds of riot police were deployed along the route of the march but they did not intervene.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're protesting against this. Not actually the real leader of Iran.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want Mir Hossein Mousavi. I want freedom.

AMANPOUR: This is the same place where the Mousavi supporters held their big pre election rally. And this time they have come and stayed for two hours or more waiting to hear from him. Finally clearing up the mystery of his whereabouts and his safety, Mousavi arrived and from the top of a vehicle addressed the throngs in his first public appearance since Friday's election.

MIR MOUSAVI (translator): Our people are after respect. Their votes and their rights. AMANPOUR: Allowing this rally to proceed peacefully appears to be a deliberate decision by the government to change the tone of the past few days and try to show that it's dealing with this election dispute within the country's own democratic parameters.

I was there and I was at the rallies and I was reporting what was going on and I was struck by what I viewed as democracy in the streets. That they allowed the protest, they allowed the people on both sides, obviously, and this is a totally noble situation for Iran. Did that strike you that way as well?

KARIM SADJADPOUR, CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTL. PEACE: Yes, it's incredible of how much Iranian political culture has matured. And how mature Iranian political culture is compared to elsewhere in the Middle East. People no longer have utopians ideas. They're not talking about a pure Islamic society. They have very practical demands. A greater political voice. Greater social freedoms. More economic opportunities.

AMANPOUR: The democracy here has its limits. The rally ended. Gunfire was heard. This disturbing image of at least one reported death. What happens after this? This genie cannot be put back in the bottle. So what does this mean for Iranian domestic politics?

SADJADPOUR: Well, it's difficult to see how we could go back to the status quo ante. Sacred red lines have been crossed. Previously sacred red lines have been crossed. People are beginning to openly challenge the legitimacy of Ayatollah Khamenei, as supreme leader. People are in fact openly challenging the institution of supreme leadership itself.

AMANPOUR: Is the position of the supreme leader weakened?

SAYYED MOHAMMAD MARANDI, UNIVERSITY OF TEHRAN: I think it's the opposite. I think that many people are now turning to him more than ever before to resolve this issue. And to bring the different candidates together. And to calm down the situation and the emotions that have been created as a result of this very hotly-contested electoral campaign.

AMANPOUR: Next, as the week ended with Iran locked in an internal power struggle, everyone waited for the nation's supreme leader to speak out. Friday prayers when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

AMANPOUR: Finally, it was Friday prayers, one week exactly since the election. And the nation's supreme religious leader addressed the people. He said that there was no way there could have been a rigged election and he called on the demonstrators to stop.

AYATOLLAH KHAMENEI (translator): Eleven million votes difference. Sometimes there is a margin of 100,000, 200,000 but for 1 million maximum. Then one can doubt maybe there has been some vote rigging or manipulation or irregularities, but there is a difference of 11 million votes. How can vote rigging happen? I want everyone to put an end to this. This is not the right thing to do. If they don't stop this, then the consequences and the rioting and everything, they will be held accountable for all of this. It's also wrong to assume that some may assume that through their street riots they can have a pressure lever against the establishment and try to force the officials to actually listen to them. This is also wrong to think that way.

AMANPOUR: But the protesters are not just marching in the streets. They're honking in their cars. They're going to their rooftops at night to shout "Allah, God is great." Reminiscent of the Islamic Revolution 30 years ago. So will the reformists give up as they have in the past? And even if they do, will a stirred up people follow? And what will four more years of Ahmadinejad mean for Iran, for the U.S. and for the rest of the world? We'll be following all that too. I'm Christiane Amanpour. Thank you for watching.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back, I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Here's an update on the situation in Iran where there are reports of more protest marches. This amateur video said to have been made today shows a large crowd chanting don't be afraid, we're together, and death to the dictator. Hospital sources report 19 deaths yesterday, but unconfirmed reports put the death toll as high as 150. There are protests around the world to show support for the Iranian dissidents. Here in the United States, the protests included demonstrations in New York as well as in Washington. President Obama has been walking a delicate line responding to the crisis in Iran. But he is getting criticized both in Iran and here at home. Joining us from Washington is Hillary Mann Leverett, she's the CEO of Stratega a political risk consultancy firm and she also served on the national security council during the George W. Bush administration. Good to see you.

HILLARY MANN LEVERETT, CEO, STRATEGA: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: So give me an idea. Were you about to say something?

LEVERETT: I was going to say I also served in the national security council under the first Clinton administration in the early 90s.

WHITFIELD: OK, perfect, very good. Well, give me an idea, is this the right approach in your view of this administration?

LEVERETT: I think Obama has certainly been walking a very delicate line. His statement a couple of days ago, not the most recent one, but a couple of days ago that it wouldn't matter to the United States whether it was Mousavi or Ahmadinejad who was the leader of Iran and that we had a serious strategic substantive agenda to go through, work through with the government of Iran, whoever's in charge, that is the right approach. To me, that is the strategic ball that we need to keep our eye on.

WHITFIELD: So you're comfortable with those words, but not necessarily with yesterday's words when he talked about the world is watching and how he said this country in so many words, I'm paraphrasing, this country needs to discontinue threatening and hurting its own people who are trying to speak out. Do you think that's going too far?

LEVERETT: Well, you know, I think President Obama has every right, of course, to make a moral statement about his moral views. But in terms of what's at stake here strategically, for U.S. national security interests, our interests are in having a constructive relationship with Iran, with even the Islamic Republic of Iran in the same way that we had a strategic interest in keeping our -- a strategic relationship with China in the wake of the massacres in Tiananmen Square.

WHITFIELD: Talk to me about the risks that the U.S. faces when it is particularly outspoken or perhaps says too much, not only may, I guess, jeopardize any potential relationship between the U.S. in Iran but potentially with other nations who would respond to whatever it is the U.S. says or doesn't say about Iran.

LEVERETT: I mean, we have a leadership position in the world. And what President Obama says is critically important. What he says today and the days and weeks ahead could have a significant impact about what happens in Iran and internationally the treatment of the Islamic Republic.

WHITFIELD: Well, is there a mixed message then in the view of those outside of the U.S. when you have a U.S. Congress who votes on one matter and then you have the White House responding on the same matter in a different way. Does this kind of conflicting message send the wrong signal? Or a dangerous signal in your view to the rest of the world?

LEVERETT: Fredricka, I think that's a very important insight. I think we risk two things that are both very serious in terms of their damaging implications for U.S. policy. One is incoherence. Incoherence here in Washington in terms of what our strategy is. That, I think, would be dangerous. And then even more dangerous, I think, is a slippery slope towards declaring regime change in Iran as our strategy. Whether we do it fully, transparently or through the back door of the U.S. Congress that's the other very dangerous implication I think of what's happening here in Washington.

WHITFIELD: Hillary Mann Leverett, thanks so much for joining us, I appreciate your insight on this.

LEVERETT: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: And you're watching a special edition of the CNN NEWSROOM. The anger and the outcry over the Iranian election is being heard around the world. We'll show you what else is happening in U.S. cities, as well, today.

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WHITFIELD: Welcome back, I'm Fredricka Whitfield, Iranian American protestors in New York are again denouncing the outcome of Iran's election for the second straight day, they're expected to converge at the United Nations in this country. That's where we find our national correspondent Susan Candiotti. Pretty significant turnout similar to yesterday.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Smaller, about half as many people as were here yesterday, of course they're competing with father's day, but this group of protestors is just as vocal and intense as they were yesterday. I want to show you some of them as you can see, that woman there is holding a red rose. That is what we're seeing a lot of today in memory of those who have died during peaceful demonstrations yesterday. Let me quickly walk down the line here and introduce you to a young lady who is a Harvard business student. She is here today, do you think there was a realistic chance that the vote will be overturned? And if not, then what is the point?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think the chance that the vote will be overturned is actually very, very low. But I think what will happen is that things will not go back to normal. People are not scared any more, they're coming out on the streets, they're expressing their criticism against the government which has historically never happened before. This is new and I think that's the major change that we're going to see.

CANDIOTTI: Thank you very much. And we will be bringing you more in the next hour from these demonstrators and protestors this day. Fredricka, back to you.

WHITFIELD: We look forward to that, thanks so much, Susan Candiotti outside the U.N.

One of the most gruesome pieces of video that we have seen yet shows a young woman named Neda, she has become the face of the Iranian protests, the world's internet reaction straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

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WHITFIELD: The Iranian government is barring journalists from covering the election protests and the crackdown on demonstrators, but video and information is still getting out of the country. And flooding in from internet sites like Twitter. CNN's Josh Levs is monitoring the Twitter board. What is the latest? What are the latest postings?

JOSH LEVS: Fred, we're going to keep updating, they're doing this minute by minute system, like we've been doing with Twitter. In this situation, Twitter is playing a big role. Here's some of the absolute latest that have just come in. You see it on your screen there. One, message from Iran, "Protest sounds getting louder in Tehran, it's now going on now it says for about 30 minutes." Let me show you one more here just came in. "Helicopters in Iran used liquid on protestors that burns the skin. Reports from eye-witnesses." We're keeping a close eye on what is said on Twitter because it is playing such a big role. If you have specific ones you want to point out to us, there's my page, twitter.com/joshlevscnn. Throughout the next hour, you'll be seeing us bring you minute by minute reports on some of the most striking and potentially most relevant tweets showing up on Twitter about the fallout from the Iran elections. Fred?

WHITFIELD: We look forward to that. Thanks so much, Josh Levs.

Firsthand account of what it's like to be in the middle of the protests. The journalist who was there joins us live next in the NEWSROOM.

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WHITFIELD: Hello again, I'm Fredricka Whitfield, welcome to the special edition of the CNN NEWSROOM dedicated to breaking news out of Iran. Thousands of riot police and militia members are lining the streets of Tehran. But that's not stopping the protests over this month's disputed presidential election. New video from Iran shows angry crowds on the streets again today. So far, no reports of any injuries today. Hospital sources report yesterday 19 deaths, but unconfirmed reports puts the death toll as high as 150. Protests also continue in the United States today. Iranian Americans turned out for demonstrations in New York as well as in Washington.

So here's some of the most dramatic video in from Iran. It includes this clip right here said to have just been made after a seven-year-old child was beaten. You can hear screaming in the background and our experts have done the translation, as well to know exactly what's going on in these images.