In a makeshift Afghan teahouse, Iranian truckers debate election

[babsbunny]

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/70647.html

By Philip Smucker | McClatchy Newspapers

HERAT, Afghanistan — Amid the tire irons and crowbars in a disabled Russian armored personnel carrier-turned Afghan teahouse, Iranian truck drivers Wednesday debated allegations that their government rigged Iran's June 12 presidential elections — and whether it did so by the thousands or by the millions.

"Of course, the government controls the media — that is how they rose to power," snapped Jaffar, 59, a driver from Mashad, a major city in western Iran. "You can drive north to south in this country, and you are free. Our government would never cheat us out of an election."

As Jaffar spoke, however, Maruche, 29, a Sunni Muslim truck driver from near Torbat e-Jam in eastern Iran, asked the older driver: "How can you say there was no cheating?"