Uniting the opposition in Iran (Inside Story)

The Iranian presidential election campaign had many of the trappings of a western democratic election, including mass rallies and live television debates. The incumbent, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was handicapped by his inept economic management, Iran's reduced oil income and the changed geo-political narrative with the election of Barack Obama. Election night brought a shock result: Ahmadinejad was returned in a first round landslide, out-polling the reformist, Mir-Houssein Mousavi, two to one. Since then there have been waves of popular protests and a violent crackdown by the regime. Scores have died. Ali Ansari, professor of Iranian history and director of the Iranian Institute at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, updates Peter Clarke on events since the presidential election. The report, Preliminary Analysis of the Voting Figures in Iran's 2009 Presidential Election, is published by Chatham House and the Institute of Iranian Studies, University of St Andrews. Edited by Ali Ansari, Director, Institute of Iranian Studies, University of St Andrews, and Associate Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House. Research and analysis: Daniel Berman and Thomas Rintoul, Institute of Iranian Studies, University of St Andrews.



This podcast is part of the "Inside Story" series.