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City RoomTM Public Affairs coverage from our award-winning staff

Chicago Iranians Protest Election Results
Produced by Susie An on Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Photo from Twitter by Brian Levey.

Members of Chicago's Iranian community are protesting the results of that country's presidential election.

A group led by young Iranians in Chicago is protesting ballot results and the violence that followed the Iranian presidential election. Incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the winner. But some say votes for reformist challenger Mir Hossein Mousavi were unfairly counted.

Narimon Safavi is leading a protest in downtown Chicago tonight. He says there should be a new election and not just a ballot recount.

SAFAVI: I think the process was tainted from the beginning. And the good will of the Iranian people who turned out with enthusiasm was abused. And there should be a whole new set of elections and independent monitors brought in.

Safavi says his group is also concerned with the safety of the Iranian people. Seven have reportedly been killed during violent clashes in the country's capital.