Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ordered a probe of the disputed national elections following accusations of vote rigging. Supporters of opposition candidate Mir Hossein Moussavi accused incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of widespread voting fraud.
The government announced that Ahmadinejad had defeated Moussavi by a 2-1 margin, surprising the public, which expected a much closer race.
Moussavi challenged the results, and claimed that before Ahmadinejad was pronounced the victor, officials had told him that he was the definite winner.
The probe will be conducted by the Guardian Council, an Islamic body tasked with overseeing elections. The council is expected to give a ruling within two weeks.
Khamenei's call for a probe followed major rallies and violent riots in Tehran and elsewhere. Supporters of Moussavi and Ahmadinejad continued to clash in Tehran on Monday despite the announcement.
Several journalists who attempted to cover the riots reported that police beat and threatened them; in some cases, their film was confiscated.
Moussavi supporters were not alone in calling for a recount. Politicians in the European Union had called for an investigation as well.
Before calling for the probe, Khamenei and other clerics attempted to convince the public to accept the elections results. Khamenei spoke in favor of Ahmadinejad and endorsed him as victor.