MSNBC World Blog----
TEHRAN -- As the post-election crisis in Iran continues, authorities have barred all journalists working for foreign media from reporting on activities in the streets. And foreign reporters who went to Iran to cover last week's elections are beginning to leave, as officials say their visas will not be extended.
Ali Arouzi, an NBC News Producer based in Tehran, discusses how difficult it is to report the story in the middle of a media blackout.
How are you covering the story?
The Ministry of Islamic Guidance, which looks after the foreign press here, issued these new rules, saying that these demands have come from above.
But we were out today, walking in the streets, without a camera. We were out and we were just observing what was going on.
How are Iranian officials restricting reporting?
They have essentially cut off all communication. All mobile phones have been cut off. Text messaging is gone. Internet has become very sporadic – sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. None of these things work.
When we went out in the streets on Tuesday, we couldn’t call in to do a phone interview because the mobile phones have been cut off.
In terms of doing live reports, the Ministry of Islamic Guidance has given us permission to report from inside our office and appear on television from there. But we are not allowed to do any filming outside. No photographs, no video cameras, no mobile phone footage.
There are still tons of students outside using their mobile phone cameras. Several days ago they were able to send images via the Internet, but I don’t know if they can right now. That’s why we are seeing so few images coming out of here, and I think we’ll see even fewer in the days ahead.
How is the government enforcing the rules restricting reporting?
If security forces see someone with a camera outside, they will be arrested within a second. The government has made it very clear that it is illegal right now to film outside. And there are huge numbers of plainclothes security forces on the streets to enforce the rules.
Why were the cell phones one of the first things cut off by the government?
The cell phones have been cut off because they were a tool that the demonstrators were using to communicate with each other and organize rallies and protests – especially by text messaging. Text messaging was the most powerful tool used by the protesters to organize rallies and keep people in the loop about what’s going on where.
But text messaging has been completely cut off for about five or six days now. Mobile phone reception keeps coming in and out. Whenever the mobiles get cut off totally like this, it’s an indication that the government here is worried about a lot of unrest.
One of the important things to note though is that these rallies that are going on now are being organized via word of mouth. Everybody at every corner will tell you – up there is this rally, down there is this rally, make sure you walk towards that place.
Word of mouth is spreading through Tehran like wildfire.
MSN News, CBC News----
Iranian websites ordered to tone down coverage of election
Iranian reformist leader Mir Hossein Mousavi posted a message online Wednesday calling for a mass rally as authorities ordered websites and blogs to remove any material that could increase tensions.
The message on Mousavi's official website is seen as a direct challenge to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who said Tuesday night that the opposition leader should pursue his demands through the country's electoral system. Khamenei also called on Iranians to unite behind their Islamic government as demonstrations continued over Friday's presidential election results.
Following Khamenei's appeal, the Revolutionary Guard, an elite military force answering Khamenei, issued a statement on the state news service on Wednesday ordering any material that "creates tension" and encourages public disturbance and street riots be removed from Iranian websites and blogs.
Sites and bloggers who do not heed the warning will face legal action, the Revolutionary Guard said.
Deviant news sites:
The statement also alleged the "deviant news sites" were backed by Canadian, American and British interests.
Iranian websites as well as blogs, Facebook and Twitter have been vital conduits for Iranians to inform the world about protests over the landslide victory for hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
All three of Ahmadinejad's challengers in Friday's election have alleged fraud after results showed the president winning by a winning by a 2-to-1 margin.
Iranian authorities have also restricted all journalists working for foreign media from first-hand reporting on the streets in an attempt to block images and eyewitness accounts from the rallies.
Mousavi posted the message condemning the government trying to block the websites - saying the government did not tolerate the voice of the opposition - and calling for a mass demonstration on Thursday.
Protesters to gather at mosques:
"We are after a peaceful rally to protest the unhealthy trend of the elections and realize our goal of annulling the election results," Mousavi said.
Demonstrators should gather in mosques to express solidarity with the families of the people killed in post-election unrest, the online statement said.
Mousavi said he would also take part, but did not give details on when and where. The statement did not say if any demonstrations would be held on Wednesday.
Mousavi urged calm among his supporters and said demonstrations must remain peaceful.
Supporters on both sides have taken to the streets in demonstrations and escalating violence that has seen at least seven people killed since the election.
Thousands of supporters of Ahmadinejad's regime, as well as protesters, flooded Tehran's streets for a second day on Tuesday.
Mousavi 's backers again called on supporters to gather in Tehran's central Haft-e Tir Square on Wednesday afternoon. It is not clear if that rally will still be held.
Partial recount
The Guardian Council announced on Tuesday that it will conduct a partial recount for the ballots at voting sites where candidates claim irregularities occurred.
According to government officials, Ahmadinejad won 62.6 per cent of the vote, while Mousavi garnered 33.75 per cent in a contest that appeared to divide urban and rural voters.
Mousavi has called the election an "astonishing charade" and demanded again on Tuesday its results be annulled and the vote be held again.
His representative, reformist cleric Ali Akbar Mohtashamipour, reiterated that demand after a meeting of the Guardian Council, an unelected body of 12 clerics and Islamic law experts close to the supreme leader and seen as supportive of Ahmadinejad.
"If the whole people become aware, avoid violent measures and continue their civil confrontation with that, they will win. No power can stand up to people's will," Mohtashamipour said. "I do not think that the Guardian Council will have the courage to stand against people."
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Sources: World Blog, MSNBC, CBC News, Google Maps
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