but former president rafsanjani was one of those who declined to attend. and western governments did not send it the usual message of congratulations. it produced a bitter response from mr. ahmadinejad. >> they use democracy only to serve their own interests. they do not respect the votes of other people. they see themselves as the magic of democracy. our country is against this way of thinking. we have been standing against tyranny. no one here is waiting for your message of congratulations. >> the president said his election victory was the start of major change in iran and the world. as for the opposition demonstrations, mr. ahmadinejad said iran will not tolerate this respect, interference, and insult. no pictures have emerged from outside parliament yet but hundreds, probably thousands of demonstrators are reported to have gathered and there are eyewitness reports of clashes with riot police used pepper gas and tear gas to disperse them. so the formalities have been observed. now mr. ahmadinejad faces the real challenge of assembling a government and

they will arrest calrubi and i think they will even arrest khatami and rafsanjani. these confessions were clearly a shot across the bow to these four people. what khamenei said himself today was again a confirmation that if they can get away with it, they will go after these four people, ahmadinejad has repeatedly threatened these people. the only thing that will stop them, i think, is their assessment that the costs will be too much. last night i have numerous reports from iran that the shouts of death to the dictator at night were the loudest they have been in a long time. so people have spoken, and clearly i think the way they can indicated that they find this to be a city unjust and brutal farce. >> warner: and hooman majd would you say despite the optics of today's endorsement ceremony that it looks like khamenei and ahmadinejad are side-by-side in this and sticking together? >> i believe so, yes. i think a little bit too much is made of the awkward optics as you put it. four years ago when he kissed the hand of khamenei there was a lot of criticism of ahmadine

some of the hard-liners are pushing for the rest of the leaders of the opposition, people like rafsanjanirmer president, and the leader of the opposition, lachinmahato jayden. if they are put on trial, i think it will be explosive and very unpredictable for the future of iran and push iran into more uncertainty. >> for that reason it may not happen, though, isn't that the point? if you look at what the supreme leader was saying, he does not agree with what president ahmadinejad is calling for. >> that is right, he is trying to bring down the political temperature, if you like. he said he is not sure that the leaders of the opposition were knowingly part of the plot to instigate what they call a velvet revolution, instigated by the foreign powers, enemies of iran. i think in what he said, his aim was to bring down the temperature. now the president is sidestepping that and pushing up the temperature again. >> coming up, we visit a dutch company having to reinvent itself. stay with us. >> thousand americans have been paying their respects to senator edward kennedy, who died earlier this wee

the opposition now cluss rafsanjani and a number of former allies. and the west is ramping up the pressure on the nuclear issue. >> i would argue that ahmadinejad is the most divisive political figure in the 30-year history of the islamic republic and he has shown no interest in trying to heal these political rifts. >> once again thousands of demonstrators defied a huge police and militia presence outside the parliament to stage a new protest. not big enough to unseat the government perhaps but enough to keep mr. ahmadinejad's new administration off balance. >> lots of police deployed there and never let any person stand in front of the parliament for make any demonstration or shouting or anything else. so despite today's show of unity, president ahmadinejad starts his new term with his election victory and increasingly the whole system of iranian government under serious question. >> more of the main news for you. the world health organization has new confirmed more than 1,000 deaths from h1n1 swine flu worldwide. on monday india confirmed its first

many had boycotted the ceremony, including former presidents mohammad khatami and akbar hasemi rafsanjani. the seats apparently filled out with sports stars and celebrities. mr. ahmadinejad's troubles are not over. >> we've got a president of time where he's trying to build a cabinet with his challenges from his own conservative side as well as from the reformist and opposition camps over the next few weeks until he's prayed to the cabinet. >> reporter: outside parliament a few pictures have been smuggled out of riot police motorbikes but the media are banned from filming demonstrations. as the ceremony ended, witnesses said there were hundreds of protesters outside and at least ten arrests. and the clampdown continues. its emerged that spectators will be banned from a football match later this week to avoid any risk of political unrest. >>> a reminder of the cold war tonight. "the new york times" is reporting that two russian nuclear-powered attack submarines are on a rare mission off the east coast of the united states. the subs are in international miles more than 200 miles offshore bu

friday's term by rafsanjani made very clear that he is upset with the way the government has handled the situation. former president khatami has called for a referendum. the head of the nuclear program has resigned. there are splits obviously developing between the government and the guard. these are not things you influence with propaganda or with media piped into the country. these are things that develop when a country like iran is confronted with some of the choices it now faces and some of the engagement strategy that's come out of the obama administration, i think, has obliged people within the country to think about their options, and as a consequence of that, fractures have developed. >> do you think the offers of engagement by obama have been useful in that they have complicated the life of the iranian regime? >> i do. i do. i felt this for a long time. because clearly iran is not a monolithic society and not monolithic at the top, either. so, when obama offers thoughts about the future and the future relationship with the united states, i think, unlike a circumstance in whi

i mean rafsanjani and.... >> rose: it's clear. >> you're even beginning to see a split in the regime. and i think it's time to push this issue. you know, there are experts, the hardliners in there, about releasing pressure, a little academic freedom, freedom of the press, maybe letting some reform candidates run and sort of taking the pressure off and then coming back later and slowly pulling these things back away and you'll see them try to repeat this process in my mind, to try to ease this down. and.... >> rose: you'll see them try to crack down more or are you going to see what? >> i think you're going to see them seemingly give into some things. they've... this is classically what they've done. and it sort of releases the pressure, eases it down. the reformers begin to believe they're making some progress and then later on they come back and pull much of this back in. >> rose: so therefore... >> so therefore i think it's time now to keep the pressure on. i would certainly not be an advocates of inciting revolution and i don't think the reformers want another violent revolution. >

and i thi you're seeing, t, a split in the regim i mean rafsanjani and.... >> re: it's clear. >> you'r even beginning to see a spliin theegime. and i think it's tim to push this issue. you knowthere are experts, the hardline in there, aut releasing prsure, aittle academicreedom, freedom of the press, mayb lting some reform candidatesun and sort of taki the essure off and then coming back laternd slly pulling the things back awa and you'll see tm try to reat this process in my mind, to try to ease thisown. an... >> rose: youl see them tryto ack down more or ar you going to seehat? >> i think you're going to see them seemingly give into some things. they've...his is classically what they've done. and it sort ofeleaseshe pressure, eas it dow the refoers bin to believe th're making some progre and then later onhey come back and pull much of this back in. >> rose: so therefore... >> s therefore i think 's time now to keep t pssure on. i would ctainly not be an advocas of inciting revolution and i don'think the refoers want another violent revolution. >> rose: so what thewant is for the unit

rafsanjani who is a very important figure has come out to support the movement.tells me that the president and the ayatollah have consolidated party. they're starting to appoint people from the revolutionary guard corps. it could be the same situation for the next 10 years. host: the next call is from daniel in michigan. caller: the reason i voted for obama was in a symbolic way his name. i was wondering what the effect of the people in iran of obama's being president right now. guest: i think that people in iran are very realistic. they are on the internet and can analyze the situation. they watched our actions. they had a lot of hope when obama was elected. they understand there is a gridlock. obama inherited what i consider a mess. private interests, lobbying groups -- he can't get his health care bill now because lobbying groups -- same with national security interests. the iranians understand this and are waiting to see where negotiations go. what we do in iraq. will we stay longer or leave now? if we stay longer it will aggravate relations with iran, same w