The Children Of The Revolution

In 1979 Iran's monarchy under the Shah was overthrown and replaced by an Islamic Republic under Khomeini this is known as the Iranian Revolution.

Thirty years on and the children who were born after the revolution are now seeking a return to a more liberal time in Iran. I have spoken to many young Iranians who say they are fed up with being stigmatized as anti-western radical Muslims, they say they want to become involved in western youth culture and be free to live their life in 2009.

The Election

A rally against the re-election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is being held in defiance of a ban on protests, AFP reports from the scene.

The news agency says hundred of people are taking part in the Tehran rally. Marchers have clashed with Ahmadinejad supporters, Reuters agency reports.

Defeated candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi said he would attend and urge for calm.

Mr Mousavi, a moderate, wants election results annulled, alleging fraud. Mr Ahmadinejad says the vote was fair.

Following two days of unrest, the interior ministry said on Monday: "Some seditious elements had planned to hold a rally."

It added: "Any disrupter of public security would be dealt with according to the law."

Mr Mousavi's campaign initially announced that the event had been called off, but his website later said he would address the crowd.

AFP says the demonstrators gathered in central Tehran chanting: "Mousavi we support you!"

Reuters says Ahmadinejad supporters on motorcycles have clashed with marchers.

The BBC's Jon Leyne, in Tehran, says he understands plain-clothed militias have been authorised to use live ammunition for the first time.

Ahead of the rally, correspondents said life appeared to be returning to normal in central Tehran. Shops were open and there was little evidence of the weekend's unrest.

However, there was a small demonstration attended by Mr Mousavi's wife Zahra Rahnavard at Tehran University.

She said the campaign was continuing, and urged people to go onto their roofs shouting "God is great".

Reports said paramilitaries were trying to break up the demonstration, and that students had taken cover in a mosque.

The campus has been a focus of unrest in recent days. Overnight police and militias raided dormitories, arresting dozens of students.

Related Developments:

President Ahmadinejad reportedly canceled a trip to Moscow, where he was due to attend a regional summit on Monday

Reports say Mr Mousavi's newspaper Kalameh Sabz has suspended circulation

About 200 relatives of detained demonstrators took part in a protest outside Tehran's Revolutionary Tribunal calling for their release, AFP news agency reported.

International Concern

On Sunday Mr Mousavi's website carried a statement saying he had formally called on Iran's Guardian Council ,which must certify the counting, to annul the election.

He added: "I urge you, Iranian nation, to continue your nationwide protests in a peaceful and legal way."

Another defeated candidate, Mohsen Rezaie, also officially contested the results. The Guardian Council said it would rule on both complaints within 10 days.

Late on Sunday Mr Mousavi met Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to pursue his case against the results of Friday's election.

Mr Khamanei's office said he had told the candidate that "complaints should be followed through legal channels" and urged Mr Mousavi to "follow the issue calmly".

Sunday saw clashes between the police and anti-Ahmadinejad protesters in several parts of Tehran for a second day. Police hit protesters with batons and charged them on motorbikes.

Mousavi supporters cried "death to the dictator" into the evening. Scores of people are reported to have been arrested.

Mr Ahmadinejad dismissed the unrest as "passions after a soccer match".

Foreign powers have expressed concern about the election.

In an interview on US television, Vice-President Joe Biden said: "It sure looks like the way they're suppressing speech, the way they're suppressing crowds, the way in which people are being treated, that there's some real doubt."

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he had summoned the Iranian ambassador to explain the election.

"There are a lot of reports about electoral fraud," he said.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said: "I am sorry that instead of openness there has been a somewhat brutal reaction."

But Mr Ahmadinejad was congratulated by the presidents of Iraq, Afghanistan and Venezuela.

(Sources: BBC, AFT, Reuters)

Keeping Informed

The following sites will help you to keep up to date with the latest news concerning the Iranian election :

Twitter Iran Elections
Huffington Post Live Blog
BBC News Online
CNN