SHOTLIST

1. Tilt up from Durban Review Conference to UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon

2. Wide of conference hall

3. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad walking in along with Iranian delegation

4. Various of Ahmadinejad walking to podium

5. Mid of Iranian delegation with Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki (middle)

6. Wide of conference hall

7. Ahmadinejad at podium speaking, later protester throwing red object at him, UPSOUND (English) "you are a racist"

8. Security taking wigged protester away from podium, later pan to another protester being taken away

9. Mid of Ahmadinejad at podium resuming his speech

10. Security taking wigged protester away

11. Wide of conference hall

12. Mid of Ahmadinejad at podium

13. Iranian delegation applauding

14. Wide of conference hall

15. Mid of Ahmadinejad at podium

16. Iranian delegation applauding

17. Wide of conference hall

18. SOUNDBITE: (Farsi) Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iranian President:

"I call on all distinguished guests to forgive these ignorant people, they don't have enough information."

19. Wide of conference hall

20. SOUNDBITE: (Farsi) Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iranian President:

"Following the World War II, under the pretext of Jewish suffering and based on misusing the Holocaust, they resorted to military aggressions and made an entire nation homeless and sent migrants from Europe, US and other parts of the world and established a totally racist government in the occupied Palestine."

21. Various of European diplomats walking out of room

22. SOUNDBITE: (Farsi) Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iranian President:

""And in fact, under the excuse of compensating the racism consequences..."

23. Wide of conference hall

24. Various of diplomats walking out of room

25. SOUNDBITE: (Farsi) Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iranian President:

++SOUNDBITE CONTINUES ON MID OF AHMADINEJAD AT PODIUM WITH DIPLOMATS LEAVING IN BACKGROUND++

"And in fact, under the excuse of compensating the racism consequences in Europe, they brought the most cruel racist government in other part of the world which is Palestine."

26. Wide of conference hall

27. Mid of empty seats

28. SOUNDBITE: (Farsi) Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iranian President:

++SOUNDBITE CONTINUES WITH CONFERENCE HALL AND PROTESTERS AT GALLARY++

"The root causes of US attack against Iraq or invasion of Afghanistan..."

29. Mid of Ahmadinejad smiling

30. Protesters

31. SOUNDBITE: (Farsi) Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iranian President:

++PARTLY OVERLAID WITH PREVIOUS SHOT AND CONTINUES ON CUTAWAY OF EMPTY CANADIAN SEAT++

"What were the root causes of US attack against Iraq or invasion of Afghanistan, has it been anything else rather than the arrogance of the former US administration and the pressure imposed by the bullying powers in order to expand their influence and to meet the interests of arm manufacturing companies."

32. Empty French seat

33. Wide of conference hall

STORYLINE:

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused Israel of being the "most cruel and racist regime," sparking a walkout by angry Western diplomats at a UN racism conference and protests from others.

The hardline leader's appearance overshadowed the substance of the weeklong United Nations attempt to stamp out intolerance worldwide.

The United States and eight other Western countries, expressing concerns about its fairness, were already boycotting the event.

Protesters dressed with clown wigs and holding placards repeatedly interrupted Ahmadinejad's speech with shouts of "Shame! shame!" and "Racist! racist!" throwing soft red objects on the podium.

Later, about 100 members of mainly pro-Israel and Jewish groups blocked Ahmadinejad's entrance to a scheduled news conference.

Ahmadinejad, in a rambling speech, accused Israel of being the "most cruel racist regime" and pointed the finger at the United States and Europe for helping to establish the country after World War II "under the pretext of Jewish suffering."

That prompted a walkout by some 40 diplomats from countries such as Britain and France, which had threatened to leave the conference if it descended into anti-Semitic or other rhetoric harshly critical of Israel, which marred the UN's last racism gathering.

The boycotting countries expressed concern that Muslim countries would drown out many issues with calls for a denunciation of Israel and a global ban on criticising aspects of the Islamic faith.

Even before his speech, Ahmadinejad polarised the meeting, which is intended to examine all forms of intolerance around the world.

Israel recalled its ambassador to Switzerland earlier on Monday to protest Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz's meeting with Ahmadinejad late Sunday during which Merz pressed the case of a jailed American journalist in Tehran.

"The meeting between the president of a democratic country with an infamous Holocaust-denier such as the president of Iran, who calls for Israel's destruction, does not mesh with the values that Switzerland represents and that are supposed to be represented at the UN conference on racism," the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

President Barack Obama said on Sunday that the United States would communicate with Iran about journalist Roxana Saberi through its Swiss intermediaries, which have officially represented US interests in Iran since the American hostage crisis that began in 1979.

The Swiss government said it also took up other "unresolved cases" of US-Iranian relations.

Ahmadinejad's attendance has provoked outrage from Jewish groups and Israel, as he has in the past questioned the Holocaust and called for Israel's destruction.

Ahmedinejad calls Israel a "rotten, dried tree" that will be annihilated by a storm

480859

AP TELEVISION

Tehran - 14 April 2006

(audio as incoming)

Wide pan across the Palestine international conference

Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader (middle), president Ahmedinejad (left) and Haddad Adel, Iran's parliament speaker (right) entering the conference

SOUNDBITE: (Farsi) Mahmoud Ahmadinajad, Iranian president:

"The Zionist regime of Israel is like a rotten, dried tree that will be annihilated by one storm."

Cutaway of conference

SOUNDBITE: (Farsi) Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, Iranian president:

"The nature of Israel is an actual threat (to the region) and basically it was founded with the aim of putting a constant threat to the region."

Iran - Larijani on nuclear issue

481885

AP TELEVISION

Tehran - 25 April 2006

Iran's top nuclear negotiator warned on Tuesday the country would halt all cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog if the Security Council imposes sanctions, and said military action would not deter Iran from pursuing its nuclear ambitions, which Iran would be forced to hide.

Larijani walking to podium

SOUNDBITE: (Farsi) Ali Larijani, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator:

"If you impose sanctions on Iran, we will suspend our relations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and we will continue our activities."

Cutaway audience

SOUNDBITE: (Farsi) Ali Larijani, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator:

"If you launch military action (against Iran) our nuclear technology will not be stopped. We have the science and we will move our activities to somewhere else, hidden. We were acting under the Agency's supervision and if you do this (attack Iran) we will hide our activities."

Ali Larijani, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator leaving the podium

Iran - Ayatollah on nuclear issues

485601

AP TELEVISION

Tehran - 4 June 2006

Wide of people in front of Ayatollah Khomeini's grave

SOUNDBITE: (Farsi) Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader:

"Accusations that we are seeking a nuclear bomb is wrong, a sheer lie. We do not need nuclear weapons. We have no target to use the nuclear bomb."

Wide of Ayatollah Khamenei at the podium

SOUNDBITE: (Farsi) Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader:

"Unlike Americans we have no claim to dominate the world"

Wide of Ayatollah Khamenei at podium

SOUNDBITE: (Farsi) Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader:

"Those who threaten our interests should know that they will face the sharpness of our nation's anger"

Crowd chanting

Medium shot of Ayatollah Khamenei leaving and waving

UN - Security Council gives Iran until end of August to suspend uranium enrichment

491770

UNTV

New York - 31 July 2006

The UN Security Council passed a weakened resolution giving Iran until August 31 to suspend uranium enrichment or face the threat of economic and diplomatic sanctions. The draft passed by a vote of 14-1. Qatar, which represents Arab states on the council, cast the lone dissenting vote. Drafted by Britain, France and Germany with US backing, the resolution follows a July 12 agreement by the foreign ministers of those four countries, plus Russia and China, to refer Tehran to the Security Council for not responding to incentives offered in June to suspend enrichment. The ministers asked that council members adopt a resolution making Iran's suspension of enrichment activities mandatory. Because of Russian and Chinese demands, the text was watered down from earlier drafts, which would have made the threat of sanctions immediate.

Wide of Security Council chamber in session

SOUNDBITE (French) Jean-Marc de La Sabliere, July President of the Security Council and French UN Ambassador:

"Will those in favour of the draft resolution contained in document S, 2006, 589, please raise their hand."

Wide pan Security Council vote on Resolution 16-96

SOUNDBITE (English) John Bolton, US Ambassador to the UN:

"We look forward to Iran's full, unconditional and immediate compliance with this resolution. We hope that Iran makes the strategic decision that the pursuit of programmes of weapons of mass destruction makes it less and not more secure."

Wide of Security Council chamber

SOUNDBITE (English) Javad Zarif, Permanent Representative of Iran:

"Mr. President, the people and the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran are determined to exercise their inalienable right to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and to build upon their own scientific advanced in developing various peaceful aspects of this technology."

SHOTLIST

Iran Pool

Tehran, Iran - 20 October 2007

1. Wide of Gholam Hossein Elham, Iranian Government Spokesman at presser

2. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Gholam Hossein Elham, Iranian Government Spokesman:

"Larijani was willing to focus on other managerial and political activities in the Islamic Republic. Larijani had resigned repeatedly. Finally, the president accepted his resignation. His successor is going to be confirmed."

3. Wide of presser

4. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Gholam Hossein Elham, Iranian Government Spokesman:

"Iran's nuclear policies are stabilised and unchangeable. Managerial change won't bring any changes in policies."

5. Wide of news conference

6. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Gholam Hossein Elham, Iranian Government Spokesman:

"According to the latest information we have, he (Japanese tourist) is safe. Efforts are under way to return him to Iran and release him."

7. Wide of press conference

FILE: Najaf, Iraq - 1 May 2007

8. Ali Larijani leaving the holy shrine

9. Larijani getting out of vehicle, surrounded by security

FILE: Madrid, Spain - 31 May 2007

10. Larijani gets out and shakes hands with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana

11. Larijani and Solana walking to steps

12. Larijani and Solana shaking hands for photocall, then walking into building, pull out to wide

FILE: Vienna, Austria - 22 June 2007

13. Mohamed ElBaradei, IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) chief, greeting Larijani

14. Close up of Larijani walking with ElBaradei

15. Larijani and ElBaradei arriving at news conference

STORYLINE:

Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, resigned from his post Saturday in a move seen as a victory for the country's hardline president and his defiance of international demands to curb the controversial nuclear program.

The resignation, which could heighten international tension even further between the Iran and the West, came as an elite Revolutionary Guard commander boldly announced it will fire back thousands of rockets on "enemy" bases if attacked.

While Larijani was known for his hardline views on Iran's nuclear program, he was also seen as a more moderate figure than President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad and the two often clashed over how to negotiate with the world over the issue.

Larijani's resignation and replacement by little known deputy foreign minister for European and American affairs, Saeed Jalili, puts the nuclear portfolio firmly in the president's hands just days before a key meeting with European negotiators on the matter.

Gholam Hossein Elham did not give a specific reason for Larijani's resignation other than to say he wanted to focus on "other political activities".

"Larijani was willing to focus on other managerial and political activities in the Islamic Republic. Larijani had resigned repeatedly. Finally, the president accepted his resignation," the spokesman said.

Elham initially said a successor would still be confirmed, but later said Saeed Jalili, a deputy foreign minister for European and American affairs, was to succeed Larijani.

Elham stressed that Iran's nuclear policy would not change because of Larijani's resignation.

"Iran's nuclear policies are stabilised and unchangeable. Managerial change won't bring any changes in policies," he said.

The spokesman said a meeting between the nuclear negotiator and the European Union foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, scheduled for Tuesday in Rome, would still take place.

Larijani was considered a trusted figure within Iran's hard-line ruling Islamic establishment.

He replaced former nuclear negotiator Hasan Rowhani, considered a moderate, after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was elected president in 2005.

However, differences recently emerged between Larijani and Ahmadinejad.

Larijani's absence during President Vladimir Putin's meeting last week with Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, raised eyebrows in Iranian political circles.

The United States and some of its allies accuse Iran of secretly trying to develop nuclear weapons.

Iran denies the claim, saying its programme is for peaceful purposes, including generating electricity, and refusing to give in to international demands that it halt uranium enrichment.

During his news conference, the government spokesman also said that a Japanese tourist abducted in the southeastern city of Bam had been taken out of Iran by his kidnappers, whom he said were a mafia of drug traffickers

But Elham said the tourist was safe and in good health.

He added that the government was trying to return him to Iran and to release him with the cooperation of Pakistan, the southeastern neighbour of Iran.

Satoshi Nakamura, 23, was kidnapped on 8 October 2007 as he headed from his hotel for the ancient citadel of Bam.

According to Iranian officials, Nakamura was allegedly abducted by a bandit named Esmael Shahbakhsh who wants to exchange him for his arrested son.

The bandit is head of the gang who kidnapped two Belgian tourists in August; they were later released.

Japanese news reports have said Nakamura was on holiday in Iran.

His capture is the latest in a series of kidnappings in Iran's southeast this year.

The Associated Press has changed its style for Iran’s President-elect to Hasan Rouhani from the current transliteration Hasan Rowhani. The change reflects the preferred English spelling by Iran’s new president, according to his senior aides.

RR8647A: Various - The Iranian Connection

W081930

WTN

USA and Iran - 21 November 1986 and file

(Variable quality)

President Reagan has taken full responsibility for the decision to send arms shipments to Iran (known as "Irangate"). He says no more arms will be sent - but a decision reversed is not a decision

forgotten as far as Congress is concerned.

Ayatollah Khomeini

newspaper headline:

Reagan with David Jacobsen (former hostage in Lebanon)sot:

Robert McFarlane:

Iranian demo:

Iranian Ambassador to UN, Said Rajaie-Khorassani:

Rajaie-Khorassani sot:

Gulf War:

Sheikh Yamani

Danish ship (allegedly carrying arms)

George Shultz

Casper Weinberger

Admiral Poindexter:

Reagan denying Iranian arms connection

McFarlane speaking on visit to Iran:

Reagan on arms for hostages

Shah with his ministers

Scenes outside prison on day political prisoners released.

Anti-Shah riots in Rome,

Tehran traffic, modern buildings and shops

Persepolis ruins and file film of celebrations at Persepolis marking 2500 years since the founding of the Persian Empire.

SHOTLIST

NO ACCESS BBC PERSIAN TV SERVICE/NO ACCESS VOA PERSIAN TV

AP Television is adhering to Iranian law that stipulates all media are banned from providing BBC Persian or VOA Persian any coverage from Iran, and under this law if any media violate this ban the Iranian authorities can immediately shut down that organisation in Tehran.

1. Gholam Hossein Elham, Iranian government spokesman, approaching podium

2. Cutaway of photographers

3. Wide of news briefing

4. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Gholam Hossein Elham, Iranian government spokesman:

"We hope that the government which has come out of this big and great decision can use all its energy in the way of making this country realise its lofty ideals and it will be so."

5. Wide of Gholam Hossein Elham speaking at podium

6. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Gholam Hossein Elham, Iranian government spokesman:

"This election was the cleanest and healthiest election ever held. Elections have a mechanism in our country, enjoying cross and various supervisions, it dramatically decreases the chance of fraud and we can claim that rules out any chance of fraud."

7. Wide of presser UPSOUND (Farsi): Reporter, "Did the post-election issues and protests tarnish Iran's international image?"

8. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Gholam Hossein Elham, Iranian government spokesman:

"On the international level it left no concrete effects, there are few governments which are always prone to making mistakes in analyzing Iranian issues and of course, this time made bigger mistakes. There were many countries which immediately congratulated (the election results)."

9. Elham leaving

STORYLINE

Iran's government spokesman on Saturday declared Iran's disputed presidential vote "the cleanest and healthiest election ever held."

In his first briefing since the disputed June 12 elections that gave Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a second term, Gholam Hossein Elham said that "various supervisions" of the Iranian elections "dramatically decreases the chance of fraud".

"We can claim that rules out any chance of fraud," he added.

Iran's leadership has been trying to erase any lingering doubts about the legitimacy of Ahmadinejad's re-election by portraying unrest that followed as sparked by foreign meddling.

A detained Iranian employee of the British embassy has been charged with harming Iran's national security, his lawyer said on Saturday, in a move certain to increase tension with Europe.

Britain's Foreign Office could not confirm that an embassy employee had been charged and said it was "seeking urgent clarification from the Iranian authorities."

Police say more than a thousand people have been detained in total and 20 "rioters" killed during the violence.

Eight members of the paramilitary Basij militia tasked with putting down the protests has also been killed.

About a dozen prominent reformist leaders have been detained since protests began after the elections, a lawyer who represents a number of them said.

Answering a question whether the post election unrest had tarnished Iran's image internationally, Elham said "it left no concrete effects, there are few governments which are always prone to making mistakes in analyzing Iranian issues."

Iran's ruling clerics have called the elections "pure" and "healthy" following the supreme leader's declaration that the results would stand.

Opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi has maintained his opposition to the results, issuing a defiant statement on Wednesday that he considered the government illegitimate and demanded political prisoners be released.

RR7846A: Iran - Can the Shah survive?

W010165

WTN

Rome, Paris and Iran - 13 November 1978 and file

The regime of the Shah of Iran has been shaken to its foundations by months of protest. Demonstrations by traditionalist Shi'ite Moslems occurred in several cities, and there were many deaths as police and troops fired on crowds. A turning point came on September 8th 1978, now called Black Friday, when security forces opened fire on a big crowd in east Teheran, killing hundreds. The Shah brought in martial law, and then a military government; he also made several concessions to the political and religious opposition, but Moslem traditionalists, leftists, workers and students, and the middle classes united in their opposition to the Shah and it seems he may never recover his prestige at home or abroad.

Violent demonstrations in Teheran streets with pictures of Shah being destroyed.

Military presence in streets

SHOTLIST

++AP Television is adhering to Iranian law that stipulates all media are banned from providing BBC Persian or VOA Persian any coverage from Iran, and under this law if any media violate this ban the Iranian authorities can immediately shut down that organisation in Tehran.++

1. Pan of buildings and highway in Tehran

2. Pan of newspapers laid out for sale

3. Wide of news stand and people in front of it

4. Close-up of headline reading: (English) "Iran is an opportunity, Ahmadinejad tells Obama"

5. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) vox pop, Shakeri (no first name given), Tehran resident:

"His (Ahmadinejad's) remarks may not have any impact on politicians in our region or even in the world, but it will definitely influence the public."

6. Newspapers laid out for sale

7. Close-up of headline reading: (Farsi) "Ahmadinejad's battle with Tel Aviv in New York "

8. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) vox pop, A'vani (no first name given), Tehran resident:

"Walking out on Mr. Ahmadinejad during his speech at the meeting shows their misbehaviour and irrationality, though this is not a new thing and has always been their policy."

9. Wide of traffic on street

STORYLINE

Iranian newspapers on Thursday reported news of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech to the annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly the day before, and people on the streets of the capital were reacting to the news.

Ahmadinejad had spoken to a half-empty chamber at UN headquarters in New York on Wednesday as he sought to cast himself as a beleaguered champion of the developing world.

The Iranian president lashed out at what he said was the rapacious capitalism of the United States, its Western allies and Israel, which he accused of stealing Palestinian land.

Ahmadinejad issued stinging attacks on the United States and its allies without calling them by name and laced his speech with anti-Israeli remarks, prompting a walkout by the US delegation, which one Tehran resident referred to as "misbehaviour" and "irrationality."

He later told the assembly that Tehran was ready to meet conciliation with conciliation.

Ahmadinejad did not mention Iran's nuclear programme - which the West fears is aimed at producing nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran vehemently denies.

His only reference to the nuclear issue was a call for global nuclear disarmament.

The UN Security Council has imposed three rounds of sanctions to pressure Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment programme and start negotiations.

Foreign ministers of six global powers dealing with Iran's nuclear programme met on the sidelines of the General Assembly on Wednesday.

They said that they expected Tehran to come clean about its nuclear program at talks scheduled for October 1, and that tougher sanctions against Iran are being considered if the talks didn't yield results.

On Thursday, a high-level meeting of the UN Security Council was expected to adopt a resolution calling for a more intense global campaign to reduce the threat of nuclear proliferation.

It does not name countries, but refers to previous resolutions that imposed sanctions on Iran and North Korea.

Iran - Bam earthquake

405199

APTN

Bam - 27 December 2003

Bam frantically searched for survivors, a day after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake devastated the Iranian city. Overwhelmed, relief crews picked through entire city blocks of rubble. With the death toll estimated to be at least twenty-thousand, the city struggled to deal with the sheer scale of the disaster. The interior minister said 70 percent of residential Bam had been destroyed, and there was no electricity, water or telephone lines.

Various shots destroyed buildings and rubble

Iran - Aerial views of devastation after Bam earthquake

405218

APTN

Bam - 27 December 2003

Various shots from helicopter of destruction in Bam

Iran - Bam earthquake

405230

APTN

Bam - 28 December 2003

Street scenes

Iran - Bam earthquake: Dozens of students killed when dormitory collapsed in quake

405494

APTN

Bam - 31 December 2003

Survivors of Iran's earthquake scavenged in the rubble for their battered belongings as the death toll rose to 28-thousand, with even more feared dead. The earthquake struck before sunrise, entombing thousands of sleeping residents in their homes. Thirty-two people were killed when a Bam university dormitory building collapsed in the quake.

Wide shot of damaged building

Various of rubble

Wide shot of people walking over rubble

ID cards lying in rubble

Personal belonging lying on ground

Reza, University Employee, walking through ruins of building

SHOTLIST

1. Top shot of people and media at polling station where Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad voted

2. Pan from media to Ahmadinejad writing ballot

3. Close of Ahmadinejad writing ballot

4. Wide of Ahmadinejad waiting to cast his ballot

5. Close of Ahmadinejad casting ballot, zoom out to officials removing ballot box

6. Cutaway of onlookers

7. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iranian President:

"Of course they (the West) will attempt to imply or make remarks such as we (the West) would like this or that party to be elected. They imagine that by having approved a (United Nations Security Council) resolution, they can influence people's decisions in the election. It is regretful that they are this stupid, sometimes it really makes me laugh that they do not know the Iranian nation."

8. Wide of Ahmadinejad surrounded by journalists

9. Ahmadinejad waving at people as he leaves polling station

STORYLINE

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad cast his vote on Friday in the country's eighth round of parliamentary elections, which saw conservatives and allies of the president trying to keep their hold on parliament.

Many reformists were barred from running in this round of elections prompting criticism from many in the West.

Ahmadinejad cast his vote in Tehran after returning from Senegal, where he attended the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) summit.

Addressing critics of the election, Ahmadinejad said that while the West may prefer to see reformists in government, the decision ultimately lay with the Iranian people.

The president also insisted that sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council would not sway the public's vote.

"They imagine that by having approved a (United Nations Security Council) resolution, they can influence people's decisions in the election," Ahmadinejad told reporters.

"It is regretful that they are this stupid, sometimes it really makes me laugh that they do not know the Iranian nation," he continued.

Some 4,500 candidates nationwide are running for parliament's 290 seats in Friday's vote.

But reformists say they don't have candidates in around 200 of the races after Iran's hard-line clerical leadership eliminated most of their top candidates.

The Guardian Council - an unelected body of clerics and jurists - disqualified around 1,700 candidates, mostly reformists, on the grounds they were insufficiently loyal to Islam or Iran's 1979 revolution.

The reformist candidates who remain are mostly little-known to the public.

The disqualifications have divided reform supporters. Some have decided to boycott the vote.

But reform leaders are pressing their backers to go to the polls, hoping that with a large turnout they can at least build a strong minority in parliament, rather than the handful of seats they now have.

Ahmadinejad's allies face a challenge, not only from reformists, but also from conservatives who have grown disillusioned with the fiery president since he took office in 2005.

The president's popularity has been hurt by the country's ailing economy, hit by spiralling inflation, high unemployment and fuel shortages.

An estimated 44 (m) million Iranians of over 18 years of age are eligible to vote.

Turnout is a key issue.

In 2004 elections, which were swept by hard-liners after most reform candidates were barred from the race, turnout was around 51 percent.

In previous votes won by reformists, it was closer to 80 percent.

Reformists say they have the support of a silent majority that, if it votes, swings elections to them.