Turmoil in Tehran

Thousands Defy Crackdown Vow

Iranian police wield batons and tear gas.  

A new wave of violent strife swept Iran on Thursday as demonstrators marched across the country to show outrage over the results of the disputed election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. But baton-wielding police officers broke up the protests, firing tear gas at 200-300 people who were chanting "death to the dictator." As they did in the days following the disputed presidential election on June 12, protestors organized through social networking and opposition sites, though SMS services were cut on Thursday for the third consecutive day. Demonstrators wearing surgical masks to protect their identities from security cameras marched through the streets to Tehran University, a move they said commemorated the 10-year anniversary of student unrest there. The government has again officially condemned the unauthorized protests, as Tehran's Governor General Morteza Tamaddon announced Thursday that any protestors would be met with a "crushing" response.