Report: Members of Iranian Revolutionary Guard arrested for joining 'people's movement'

June 18, 2009 According to Cyrus News Agency (CNA) in Iran, at least 16 members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly attempting to join the "people's movement." Protests, riots and violence broke out in several cities in Iran on Saturday night following an election which many in Iran and the world say was fraudulent.

"These commanders have been in contact with members of the Iranian army to join the people's movement. Three of the commanders are veterans of Iran-Iraq war. They have been moved to an undisclosed location in East Tehran," said the Washington Times which quotes the CNA in Iran.

The protesters on Saturday were supporters of Mir-Hossein Mousavi, a candidate in the recent election. Mousavi accuses the Iranian government of "appalling" fraud after it reported that the nation's current president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who had been expected to receive less than 50% of the vote and have to face Mousavi in a runoff election, received 62%.

Cyrus also reports that on Wednesday, the Iranian military arrested at least 500 other protesters, activists, students and journalists among one well-known Middle Eastern reporter Saeed Leylaz. They are accused of "decapitating" the Iranian government and the recent elections in which Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected. According to guardian.co.uk, many of those arrested were affiliated with the revolution in Iran in 1979.

On Tuesday, the Guardian Council of Iran has announced it is willing to recount contentious votes from Friday's presidential elections. The top legislative body said votes would be recounted in regions where other losing candidates contest the results, but the Council says they have no plans to annul the election.