Iranian President Ahmadinejad wins reelection amid fraud allegations

Reporting from Tehran — Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sailed to a second four-year presidential term with a huge margin of victory amid allegations of widespread fraud and a strident challenge of the Iranian vote results by his main challenger, and protesters scuffled with police in riot gear throughout Tehran in what many described as the most serious clashes in the capital since a student uprising 10 years ago.

The vote outcome, the losing candidates' allegations of widespread fraud and the ongoing street violence may have broad consequences for U.S. foreign policy. Many advocates of talks with Tehran had pointed to boisterous crowds demonstrating for reformist candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi in the street during the campaign as signs of Iran's dynamic political culture, democratic blossoming and potential for flexibility.

Official results released by the Interior Ministry, which is under the control of the incumbent president, showed Ahmadinejad with more than 63% of the vote, a surprise performance given turnout figures of 80% and city dwellers mostly opposed to Ahmadinejad massing in lines for hours. Mousavi received only 35% of the vote.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, ignored the dispute over Friday's vote and hailed the 80% turnout as a great victory for the nation against the plots of its enemies.

"Your epic Friday was a striking and unprecedented event, in which the political growth, determined political visage and the civic capability and potential of the Iranian nation were beautifully and splendidly displayed before the eyes of the world," he said in a speech broadcast on state television.

Even as the results were released and effusively praised, demonstrators allied with Mousavi clashed with anti-riot police in several locales throughout the capital. In the same streets and squares where young Iranians were dancing and waving green banners in support of Mousavi days ago, baton-wielding riot police chased and beat mobs of hundreds of demonstrators chanting, "Down with dictatorship!" and "Give me my vote back!"

Mostly young protesters, some wearing surgical masks to guard against tear gas attacks, set fire to garbage bins and blocked traffic along several major streets as older Iranians stood along the sidelines cheering them on, occasionally joining in the chanting. Passing drives honked in support. There were no confirmed reports of similar clashes in other Iranian cities.