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Iran TV says 10 died in protests Iran TV says 10 died in protests
(30 minutes later)
At least 10 people were killed and more than 100 wounded when police clashed with "terrorists" in Tehran on Saturday, state TV says.At least 10 people were killed and more than 100 wounded when police clashed with "terrorists" in Tehran on Saturday, state TV says.
It said "rioters" set two petrol stations and a mosque on fire and attacked a military post, during protests over disputed elections.It said "rioters" set two petrol stations and a mosque on fire and attacked a military post, during protests over disputed elections.
State TV earlier said 13 had died, but the toll was then reduced.State TV earlier said 13 had died, but the toll was then reduced.
The reports cannot be verified as foreign media in Iran are being severely restricted.The reports cannot be verified as foreign media in Iran are being severely restricted.
State media said calm had returned to Tehran on Sunday.State media said calm had returned to Tehran on Sunday.
It was unclear whether fresh protests would go ahead, amid official demands for them to stop. It was unclear whether fresh protests would go ahead, after official demands for them to stop.
In pictures: Tehran unrest Q&A: Blocked protests Reporters' log: Iran's upheaval BBC eyewitness: Heavy security The consequences of engagement Suspicions behind electionIn pictures: Tehran unrest Q&A: Blocked protests Reporters' log: Iran's upheaval BBC eyewitness: Heavy security The consequences of engagement Suspicions behind election
The protests were sparked by disputed presidential elections, but have since escalated into a political crisis striking at the heart of the establishment. The protests were sparked by disputed presidential elections, but have since escalated into a political crisis for the establishment.
The state TV report said 10 people had been killed in clashes between police and "terrorist groups" in Tehran, and added "rioters" had set two gas stations on fire and attacked a military post.The state TV report said 10 people had been killed in clashes between police and "terrorist groups" in Tehran, and added "rioters" had set two gas stations on fire and attacked a military post.
Earlier it said people had died when "rioters" set a mosque on fire. But it later said there had been no deaths there, and a correction was issued reducing the overall death toll to 10 from 13. Earlier it said an unspecified number of people had died when "rioters" set a mosque on fire. But later reports said there had been no deaths at the mosque. A correction was also issued reducing the overall death toll to 10 from 13.
The BBC and other foreign media are subject to heavy restrictions which have prevented reporters from leaving their offices to confirm many reports. The BBC and other foreign media are subject to heavy restrictions which have prevented reporters from leaving their offices to confirm these reports.
US President Barack Obama has warned Iran to stop all "violence and unjust action against its own people".
See map of central Tehran See map of central Tehran
Burning debrisBurning debris
Witness accounts suggested police used live rounds, batons, tear gas and water cannon to break up demonstrations which went on late into Saturday night. Witness accounts on Saturday suggested police used live rounds, batons, tear gas and water cannon to break up demonstrations which went on late into the night.
TEHRAN LATEST Jeremy Bowen, BBC News, Tehran
The questions are today whether the authorities will once again blanket the centre of Tehran with security men as they did yesterday and whether or not there will be people trying to demonstrate.
Publicly it's becoming clear that there is a serious split in the ruling elite here because of the election, the results of the election and how it's been handled.
Both sides have dug in their heels and neither seems to want to turn back and they seem to want to go ahead and follow this crisis through.
The protests went ahead despite a direct demand from the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to end them and accept President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's victory in 12 June presidential elections.The protests went ahead despite a direct demand from the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to end them and accept President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's victory in 12 June presidential elections.
Iranian newspapers reportedly carried a letter to Mr Mousavi from Iran's police chief, Ismail Ahmadi Moghaddam, in which he warned that officers would "decisively confront" any further unrest.Iranian newspapers reportedly carried a letter to Mr Mousavi from Iran's police chief, Ismail Ahmadi Moghaddam, in which he warned that officers would "decisively confront" any further unrest.
Protest leader and defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi has been quoted as saying peaceful protests should continue and that people have a constitutional right to demonstrate.Protest leader and defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi has been quoted as saying peaceful protests should continue and that people have a constitutional right to demonstrate.
In a statement on his website, Mr Mousavi accused authorities of cheating the Iranian people out of a rightful election result, reports said.In a statement on his website, Mr Mousavi accused authorities of cheating the Iranian people out of a rightful election result, reports said.
He reportedly warned of "dangerous ways ahead" if peaceful protests were not allowed.He reportedly warned of "dangerous ways ahead" if peaceful protests were not allowed.
The BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen says there is an apparent absence of strong leadership of the protests.The BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen says there is an apparent absence of strong leadership of the protests.
"The protesters have got so many options at the moment of course but we just don't know how the actual leaders of the protests will react," one Tehran resident told the BBC."The protesters have got so many options at the moment of course but we just don't know how the actual leaders of the protests will react," one Tehran resident told the BBC.
TEHRAN LATEST Jeremy Bowen, BBC News, Tehran
The questions are today whether the authorities will once again blanket the centre of Tehran with security men as they did yesterday and whether or not there will be people trying to demonstrate.
Publicly it's becoming clear that there is a serious split in the ruling elite here because of the election, the results of the election and how it's been handled.
Both sides have dug in their heels and neither seems to want to turn back and they seem to want to go ahead and follow this crisis through.
He said the defeated presidential candidates and leading politicians who had been associated with the protest movement - Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mohammad Khatami - were "staying in the background".He said the defeated presidential candidates and leading politicians who had been associated with the protest movement - Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mohammad Khatami - were "staying in the background".
Critics of the presidential poll - which gave President Ahmadinejad a resounding 63% of votes, compared with 34% for Mr Mousavi, his nearest rival - say there is evidence of widespread irregularities. Critics of the presidential poll - which gave President Ahmadinejad a resounding 63% of votes, compared with 34% for Mr Mousavi, his nearest rival - say there is evidence of widespread vote-rigging.
Obama's dilemma UK denounced again
In other reported developments: Iranian Foreign Minister Manoucher Mottaki has repeated criticism of foreign powers for interfering in the presidential poll.
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  • State TV says members of the exiled opposition group Mujahideen Khalq Organisation (MKO) have been arrested for "terrorist activities". The report said they had been burning buses and smashing public property - and had been taking orders from their operation room in the UK
  • Amateur video suggested clashes also erupted on Saturday in the southern city of Shiraz and violence was also reported in Isfahan, south of Tehran, AP news agency reported
  • State TV reported that a suicide bomber had struck at a shrine of revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, but there was no independent confirmation of this.
He accused the UK of a long-term plot to sabotage the presidential election, saying a number of Britons, including secret service personnel, had entered Iran prior to voting.
In his comments on the crisis, President Obama urged Iran's leaders to "govern through consent, not coercion". Ayatollah Khamenei described the British government as "evil" on Friday.
Mr Mottaki insisted complaints over the elections would be investigated "through legal means", but said the "tumultuous" post-election atmosphere in Iran risked enabling "terrorist groups" to advance their "treacherous objectives".
In other reported developments, state TV saids members of the exiled opposition group Mujahideen Khalq Organisation (MKO) had been arrested for "terrorist activities". The report said they had been burning buses and smashing public property - and had been taking orders from their operation room in the UK.
President Barack Obama urged Iran's leaders to "govern through consent, not coercion".
In a statement from the White House on Saturday, he said: "The universal rights to assembly and free speech must be respected, and the United States stands with all who seek to exercise those rights.In a statement from the White House on Saturday, he said: "The universal rights to assembly and free speech must be respected, and the United States stands with all who seek to exercise those rights.
They were Mr Obama's strongest comments so far on the Iranian crisis, our Middle East editor says - and come amid Republican accusations that he has not been outspoken enough in his condemnation of the Iranian government.They were Mr Obama's strongest comments so far on the Iranian crisis, our Middle East editor says - and come amid Republican accusations that he has not been outspoken enough in his condemnation of the Iranian government.
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