"Mohtashemipour, the founder of Hezbollah, & former ambassador to Syria, has asked the Guardian Council to invalidate the election.."

In the Cable, here

... "I'm in disbelief that this could be the case," Reuters cited Parsi. "It's one thing if Ahmadinejad had won the first round with 51 or 55 per cent. But this number ... just sounds tremendously strange in a way that doesn't add up ... It is difficult to feel comfortable that this occurred without any cheating."

"Mohtashemipour, the founder of Hezbollah, and former Iranian ambassador to Syria in the 1980s, has asked the Guardian Council to invalidate the election," Los Angeles-based Iranian pro-democracy activist Pooya Dayanim told The Cable Saturday. "The first person to do so formally."

"It's a disaster of course," an American reporter in Tehran told The Cable Saturday. "A few violent clashes in distant towns. People are angry, devastated. Crying. Streets in Tehran mostly quiet. Heavy security presence. Street in front of Interior ministry blocked off. People tell me Mousavi and Karrubi will join together to fight this. Rafanjani is really angry, so it's said. Big clampdown expected. I'm afraid people's hopes will be crushed."

"Yesterday's events could have a very negative impact on Khamenei's desires to maintain stability and balance within his administration," said Meir Javedanfar, an Iranian-born Middle East analyst. "The question is: what caused him to take such a drastic action, by ordering fraud on such a massive scale?"

"The disapointment and disorientation of people in Iran that I've spoken to is unmistakable," said Parsi. "While a majority argue that this is a coup by Ahmadinejad and Khamenei agaisnt virtually the rest of the establishment, there are several question marks: Khamenei, most experts agree, is addicted to the perception of legitinacy for himself and the system. But this coup does away with any chances for such legitimacy. Indeed, it is difficult to see why he would view this situation as terribly favorable.

"Which then raises the question," Parsi continued, "as to whether a reassessment is needed of the assumption that Khamenei enjoys the position of strength that so often is ascribed to him. If this is not a favorable situation, why is he going along with it? Is he too under pressure from circles in the Guard?"