Thousands out in force for mourning rally in Iran

Dubai: More than one million supporters of defeated presidential candidate, Mir Hussain Mousavi, on Thursday gathered at Imam Khomeini Square in downtown Tehran to commemorate the victims of Tuesday's parade in which eight people were killed.

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The uprising, which came as a result of what the opposition claimed was the rigging of the vote in the presidential election held on Friday has been turned into a powerful protest campaign that has encouraged many Tehranians to call it The Green Revolution.

The parade marched the streets of Tehran towards the University of Tehran, from which the majority of Tuesday's victims came.

The opposition claims that the victims were killed by secret force snipers who were stationed on some buildings on the way to the parade.

Anny Hashemipak, political activist and spokeswoman for the Change Movement, said the supporters of the movement led by Mousavi had responded in great numbers to the call of campaign leaders in a show of solidarity for those who were killed in the uprising.

"We will not forget the innocent people who were killed in the confrontation with the oppressive regime and will continue our uprising until we see the current regime surrendering power to the people chosen by our nation in [last] Friday's presidential election," she said.

"We want also to remind people of the true values of the Islamic revolution laid by the founder of the republic Imam Khomeini."

She said people spent Wednesday night on top of their buildings shouting Allahu Akbar, Allah is Great.

She said she was not sure when the current protest campaign would bear fruit, but every citizen in Tehran - in which 18 million people live - and those in the major cities of the republic was very sure that the uprising would reach its objective of overturning the false results of the election in order to reflect reality.

She said there were substantial signs that the regime was losing its grip over the situation in Tehran.

"We feel this through our direct contact with the security forces stationed on the streets. They have become less violent than they were five days ago. We are sure that the uprising might require more sacrifices, but this will not deter us from continuing till the end."

She said the over one million people gathered in Imam Khomeini Square were wearing black as requested by Mousavi, but something green could be noticed on every participant in order to emphasise the green identity of the uprising.

She stressed the daily rallies will go on to make sure that the people of Tehran do not forget the crimes of those who killed their loved ones and insulted them by stealing their votes.