In Tehran on Wednesday, a rally by Khatami's faction turned into violent scenes as fighting broke out between supporters of the two main factions in the regime. On Monday evening, a group of individuals chanting slogans against Rafsanjani and his faction, battered the cars belonging to officials of the ÒExecutives of ConstructionÓ parked outside the group's headquarters in Tehran. The cars' windshields were smashed and tires were slit.
In the northeastern city of Sabzevar, three candidates - identified as Kheirabadi, Dadvand and Talebi - and their supporters fought a long street battle on Tuesday, kicking and punching each other.
An election meeting in the city of Qazvin, 140 km west of Tehran, was attacked by supporters of a rival faction on Tuesday evening and a former minister, Hashem Sabbaghian, suffered head injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment.
A group of Khamenei supporters in Shiraz (southern Iran) attacked the campaign headquarters of a rival candidate in the city's Saadi Mausoleum district on Tuesday. They smashed the windows of the building and tore down the billboards.
In Qom, several Khatami supporters were beaten up in the city's Nirougah district. The rival faction's supporters tore up Khatami's posters and burnt their leaflets. Since February 11, the city has witnessed daily street fights between supporters of rival factions.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
February 17, 2000
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