Iranian media say Ahmadinejad's convoy attacked

[babylonsister]

Iranian media say president's convoy attacked

By ALI AKBAR DAREINI
Associated Press Writer


TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- A conservative website said a handmade grenade exploded Wednesday near President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's convoy in an apparent assassination attempt, but Tehran state TV denied the report.

The website, khabaronline.ir, said the grenade detonated near Ahmadinejad's convoy as he was on his way to address a crowd in the western Iranian town of Hamedan but did not harm him.

The president later gave his speech as planned, and it was broadcast live on state television. He made no mention of the attack in his remarks.

One person was arrested in connection with the attack, the website report said, adding that Ahmadinejad's car was about 100 yards (meters) from the blast. It also said there was no information whether anyone was injured.

"The explosion caused a lot of smoke," the report said.

Iran's state-run Press TV, the government's main English-language broadcast arm, said an informed source iin Ahmadinejad's office vehemently denied the allegation, insisting "no such attack had happened."

Ahmadinejad, whose popularity at home is waning amid a faltering economy and tightened U.N. and Western sanctions over Tehran's nuclear program, regularly tours the countryside to deliver speeches to grassroot supporters in cities and town across Iran.

more...

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_IRAN_ATTACK?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2010-08-04-05-10-52

[malaise]

1. BBC says he escaped injury in an attack

From alJazeera - denies attack

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/08/2010849274672397.html

[babylonsister]

3. Of course they deny it. I guess the question is who to believe. nt

[dipsydoodle]

2. Yes - "A conservative website"

Iran denies reports of attack on President Ahmadinejad http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-10865085