The situation in Iran, given the repressions well known in the past, is really amazingly out of control. People seem convinced that the vote was rigged and the protesters seem to be defying all resistance and scrambling to keep their outrage on the street. One can only hope that we don't get some kind of mass slaughter of people, which would possibly bring all kind of international reaction. This NY Times editorial seems to offer some kind of urgently needed reason to the occasion. BP

The Guardian Council ? which supervises elections ? has tried to pacify the opposition by offering to recount votes in a limited number of districts. This was a cynical gesture not least because the authorities made clear that the recount would not change the final result. Even a full recount would be suspect. How could anyone be sure that the ballots were valid?

More violence against the Iranian people will only highlight the government?s illegitimacy and desperation.

If the authorities want to resolve this impasse peacefully ? that must be the goal ? they should call a new election, monitored by independent Iranian observers. Before last week?s results were prematurely and improbably declared, a runoff was expected between Mr. Ahmadinejad and Mr. Moussavi. As a first step, authorities should set up a commission representing all major candidates to examine the election data and jointly determine a face-saving and credible way forward.

Some in Washington, meanwhile, have been complaining that President Obama hasn?t been tough enough in his criticism of Iran?s government. He may have to speak out more forcefully in the days to come. But given its history with Iran, the United States must take special care not to be seen as interfering. That would only give Iran?s hard-liners a further excuse to blame the United States for their own shameful failures.

NY Times Editorial
June 18, 2009