One Iranian dead as shots fired at Mousavi rally

Iran's hardline Islamic Basij militiamen killed at least one person yesterday and wounded more when their building was attacked by demonstrators protesting an election they say was stolen by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

An Iranian photographer at the scene witnessed the shooting, which came during a demonstration by tens of thousands in the capital Tehran in support of opposition candidate Mirhossein Mousavi, who has appealed the election result.

Shooting was also heard in three districts of wealthy northern Tehran, residents said.

Members of Iran's security forces have at times fired into the air during two days of the Iranian capital's most violent unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and used batons to beat protesters who have pelted police with stones.

The Basij militia is a volunteer paramilitary force fiercely loyal to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who has the final say on all matters of state in Iran.

Earlier during the rally, a Reuters reporter said Mousavi supporters had formed a human chain outside the Basij building in order to prevent any trouble when demonstrators passed it. Shouting "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest), the crowds converged on Revolution Square, where Mr Mousavi addressed part of the crowd through a loud hailer and held his fists clenched above his head, in a sign of victory.

The protest took place in defiance of an Interior Ministry ban and was a reply to Mr Ahmadinejad's state-organised victory rally, which also drew vast crowds to Azadi Square on Sunday.

Supporters stretching along several kilometres of a Tehran boulevard waved green flags, Mr Mousavi's campaign colours, and held portraits of him aloft as they tried to take pictures on their cellphones - even though his words could not be heard above the noise of the crowd.

Mr Mousavi, smiling and looking relaxed, had said he was ready in case the election was re-run, state TV said.

"Mousavi, take back our votes," the marchers chanted before Mr Mousavi appeared, along with other pro-reform leaders who backed his call for Friday's election result to be overturned. Ebrahim Yazdi, leader of the banned opposition Freedom Movement, said Mr Ahmadinejad's attacks on his opponents had opened a "Pandora's box" of divisions within the establishment and between the people and their government.

"It is the biggest crisis since the revolution," he said.

A retired 61-year-old teacher who gave his name only as Ali said the rally recalled the 1979 Islamic revolution. "We used to protest against the shah in this street. I'm so sorry that now we have to walk the same street to preserve our rights."

Meanwhile, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delayed attending a regional security summit in Russia yesterday after protests against his contested re-election.

Mr Ahmadinejad has faced demonstrations and clashes in the streets since Saturday, when officials announced his landslide victory in the election on Friday against a moderate opponent.

He had been due to arrive in Russia yesterday for separate meetings with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Chinese President Hu Jintao on the sidelines of a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, where Iran has observer status.