TEHRAN, Iran — Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators flooded Tehran on Wednesday in a fifth day of unauthorized protests demanding the annulment of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s re-election.
As a leading Iranian human rights group reported that 32 people had been killed in the protests so far, the government struck back by expelling foreign reporters, prohibiting coverage of demonstrations and threatening legal action against Iranians who sent videos, news reports and photographs abroad.
It also accused the United States of meddling in the crisis by making "interventionist” statements.
The drama could heighten still further.
In a direct challenge to the government, defeated candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi on his Web site called for another massive march today regardless of the government’s ban.
"We want a peaceful rally to protest the unhealthy trend of the election and realize our goal of annulling the results,” Mousavi said.
Mousavi urged his supporters to wear black to mourn the election results and the deaths of the protesters, among them eight who were shot dead Monday by members of the Basij, a hard-line volunteer militia that’s loyal to Ahmadinejad.
Athletes take sides
In Seoul, South Korea, members of the Iranian national soccer team showed their support for Mousavi on Wednesday by wearing green bands on their wrists during a World Cup qualifying match against South Korea.
Fans in the stands held up cards that said in English: "Where is my vote?” — which is now the slogan of the protest movement.
by the associated press
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