Rafsanjani, 75, heads two powerful institutions. One of them, the cleric-run Assembly of Experts, has the power to monitor and remove the supreme leader, the country's most powerful figure (Ayatollah Ali Khamenei) . The second is the Expediency Council, a body that arbitrates disputes between parliament and the unelected Guardian Council, which can block legislation.

The assembly of experts has never publicly reprimanded the unelected Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei since he succeeded Islamic Revolution founder Aytollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989. But the current crisis has rattled the once-untouchable stature of the supreme leader with protesters openly defying his orders to leave the streets.

Also Sunday, the very influential Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said on state television that the number of people questioning the election results was large and "this group should be respected and one should not mix this big population's account with a small group of rioters." Larijani accused the election committee of siding with a candidate . He did not name the candidate , but it was well understood that he was referring to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

State media also reported at least 10 more deaths, bringing the official toll for a week of confrontations to at least 17. State television inside Iran said 10 were killed and 100 injured in clashes Saturday between demonstrators contesting the result of the June 12 election and black-clad police wielding truncheons, tear gas and water cannons.

A statement purportedly from Moussavi on Sunday called on Iranians to "exercise self control" during protests in Tehran, while still supporting their right to demonstrate against the government and the results of the disputed June 12 presidential election.

"The country belongs to you. The revolution and the system is your heritage," the statement attributed to Moussavi said in a statement posted on his Web site. "Protesting against lies and cheating is your right. Be hopeful about regaining your rights. Do not allow anyone who tries to make you lose hope and frighten you make you lose your temper."

What we are witnessing in Iran according to analysts is a repeat of what happened 30 years ago at the end of Shah Reza Pahlavi's regime. Instead of chanting death to the dictator and to the Shah the protesters are chanting death to the dictator and to Khamenei.

Monday

07:50pm France 5 TV: Syrian president Bashar Assad wants an agreement with STL , similar to that between Lebanon and STL before agreeing to cooperate on the Hariri trial

07:31 MP Saad Hariri arrives in Cairo to meet FM Abul Gheit and president Mubarak

07:21 Italy, Britain, Russia issue travel advisories against non-essential travel to Iran

06:18pm Ain el Tinah sources: Berri is disappointed in Gemayel's speech which he described as "dry"

06:17pm PSP sources told al Markaziyah : There will be no meeting between Jumblatt and Aoun

5:43pm Future News: Security forces seized a truck suspected of carrying weapons in Dahr al-Baydar. It is currently being examined by experts.

5:38pm LF's bloc held a meeting in Maarab headed by Samir Geagea and attended by Strida Geagea, Antoine Zahra, George Adwan, Elie Kayrouz, Farid Habib, Chante Jeanjeanian, Tony Abu Khater and Joseph Maalouf.

5:35pm: Authorities burned 563 kilos of hashish in Tripoli.

5:25pm U.S. Embassy: Washington donated 75 military Humvees to the Lebanese army and will provide 200 more by the end of the year.

04:56 pm NNA: General Security detain alleged Israeli spy, with family name Ghaddar, after raid in Southern village of Ghazieh

04:32 pm About 1,000 opposition protesters gathered in Tehran on Monday despite the ban by authorities .Witnesses said around 300 to 400 policemen and members of the volunteer Basij militia were getting ready to confront the protestors

04:10 AP: Iran spent nearly twice as much on U.S. imports during President Barack Obama's first months in office as it did during the same period in 2008
The U.S. exported $96 million in goods to Iran from January through April. U.S. exports to Iran totaled $51 million during the same period in 2008 and $27 million over those months in 2007. Soybeans, wheat and medical supplies — all considered humanitarian items are among the top exports this year.

04:04pm Malaysian ambassador : Peace can only be achieved through culture , education and knowledge

03:28pm MPs Talal Arslan along with Bilal Farhat , Naji Gharios and Fadi al Awar have declared their support for Berri as the new speaker

03:15 pm Zahra : The Lebanese Forces will take its decision regarding the speaker after it meets . The general direction is to ask for guarantees and if these will not be achieved then we plan to cast a white ballot

03:10pm MP Walid Jumblat has asked authorities to end the mission of security forces who were protecting his Mukhtara mansion in the Shouf mountains.

03:00pm MP Walid Jumblatt : I decide on my own , whom I am going to visit , when, how and the agenda

03:00 pm Now Lebanon : Tourism Minister Elie Marouni said if calling for state-building, a sovereign nation and limiting arms to state institutions suggests “tensions,” then the situation will remain tense.

03;00 pm AFP- Italy's FM Franco Frattini said Monday that Iran has until the end of the day to respond to an invitation to attend a Group of Eight leading nations meeting of foreign ministers later this week.

2:50pm New TV: Security forces broke into the home of Abu Adham in Ghaziyeh and arrested him on charges of spying for Israel.

02:49pm Iran repotrted its first case of swine flu

02:42pm Foad al Saad : Aoun's demands for a specific share in the government is not reasonable and ill timed

02:35pm Iranian Revolutionary Guards : we will not hesitate in facing any illegal protests

02:35pm Cyprus Charge d'Affaires: I have notified FM Salloukh the decision of our government to raise the representation to ambassadorial level

1:15pm Loyalty to the Resistance bloc announced following its first meeting that it was nominating Nabih Berri for the parliament speaker’s post.

1:00pm Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea received MP Michel Pharaon. Discussions focused on recent developments, the election of a parliament speaker and appointment of a new PM.

12:00pm MP Elie Keyrouz following his visit to Bkirki with MP Strida Geagea: We Bkirki are in the same trench in defense of Lebanon and its distinctiveness.

12:00 Hesham Tallat the only suspect in the murder of Lebanese singer Susan Tamim said she didn’t take his money as has been speculated in the Egyptian press.

11:42 MP Abdel Latif el-Zain called for a parliament session at 10:30 am Thursday to elect a new speaker.

11:09 Hobeich: “The March 14 alliance has many comments on Speaker Nabih Berri’s performance in the previous term and an understanding should be reached before any agreement to vote for him" . he added the alliance would refuse to grant the opposition the obstructing third vote.

10:52 Zain told LBC: Session to elect new speaker can be held any day. The only candidate for speaker is Speaker Nabih Berri, however, candidacy is open to anyone until the day of the session.

10:50 AFP: At least 457 people were arrested in violent clashes in Tehran, state radio said Monday

10:45 Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini on Sunday called on Iran to take urgent action to secure a peaceful end to its political crisis.

10:40 CNN: Iran's election authority has rejected claims of voting irregularities by a defeated presidential candidate, while acknowledging that the number of ballots cast in dozens of cities exceeded the number of eligible voters there, state-run TV reported Monday.

10:31 Zain told LBC: Until this very moment the only candidate for the speaker of the parliament is Nabih Berri

10:23 Al Khaleej: The opposition leadership will be meeting to discuss a unified position regarding the position of the Premier

10:19 3 fires were extinguished : In a warehouse in Sabbagh center in Nabatiyeh , an electronic repair shop in Doueir and wheat farm in Koutheriyet al Siyyad

10:14 The Loyalty to the Resistance bloc will soon meet in the parliament building to nominate Speaker Nabih Berri as their candidate for the next speaker

09:55 68 were arrested for committing various crimes

09:49 March 8 sources: Franjiyeh told Nasrallah that he will not object against the allocation of March 8 Christian ministers to Aoun, if this will make it easier to form the government

9:45 PM Siniora said Hariri is his only candidate for the PM’s post . Siniora stressed that the only thing that should be maintained from the Doha accord is the condition not to use resistance arms internally

09:32 PM Siniora is currently meeting President Suleiman at the Baabda palace

09:15 MP Zain will hold a press conference today before noon in Nejmeh square during which he is expected to call on the MPs to attend the parliament election session this coming Thursday to elect the speaker

09:10 Baroud : We will be working on identification cards which will be issued by the Police intelligence to the Palestinians who have lost their IDs using very precise equipment to prevent any fraud

08:58 Sources close to Hezbollah: the meetings with Nasrallah focused on uniting the opposition specially with regards to participation in the new government

08:42 Parliamentary source: Jumblatt decided that all PSP parliament members will vote for Berri . Non PSP members will decide on their own their choice as they see fit

08:35 Majdalani told VOL: No decision has been made so far regarding the speakership or the government and the al Mustaqbal bloc is awaiting the return of Hariri before finalizing the decision

08:28 Al Anbaa : Al Mustaqbal bloc wants Makari to return as the deputy speaker but if his nomination will face objection, Atef Majdalani may be propsed as a consensus candidate

08:22 MP Robert Ghanem told VOL: there are no obstacles facing Speaker Nabih Berri's reelection because the majority did no0t nominate anyone else . He is in fact the only candidate for the speakership post. Parliament will probably meet on Thursday to elect the speaker . Cabinet must be formed based on partnership and rejection of veto power.

08:18 Behind the scene reconciliation efforts between president Suleiman and Aoun after the tension caused by the election

07:40 State Consultative Council suspended the implementation of a decision taken by Minister Mario Aoun "for violating the law and legislative decrees"

07:30 Justice Minister Najjar told an Nahar : an election law based on proportional representation will be devastating . A law based on the majority is for more suitable for Lebanon

06:22 Sources: Berri will get at least 100 votes since he already has the support of all March 8 opposition blocs , Future bloc and democratic gathering bloc. The Lebanese Forces are opposed to his reelection as the speaker acusing him of kidnapping the parliament for nearly 2 years between 2006 and 2008

06:10 81 MPs were reelected and 47 are new , roughly representing 37 % of the total membership

06:00 Geagea : we will cast while ballots for Berri if he continues to refuse to give us guarantees that he will not lock up and or kidnap the parliament . The meeting between Jumblatt and Nasrallah did not concern me

05:43 Mukhtarian told as Safir : the meeting with Nasrallah was excellent . we discussed the election results and future planning including the organizing of the opposition

05:38 Ali Qansou told As Safir : The SSNP leadership discussed with Nasrallah the June 7 elections and how the opposition can have a more effective role in the future

05:30 Nasrallah and the Tashnag agreed to participate effectively in the new government without getting into the details of participation

05:26 The parliament session for electing the speaker will be held Thursday and MP Zain ( eldest member) has already started the preparations

Sunday