U.S. questions Tehran's credibility

WASHINGTON, July 1 (UPI) -- The credibility of the Iranian government is a concern in the wake of the disputed elections, but the issue is largely an internal one, U.S. officials say.

Iran's Guardian Council, the 12-member clerical body tasked with overseeing the elections, sanctioned the outcome of the June 12 contest this week, securing a second term for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Opposition supporters of former Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mousavi, the defeated candidate, questioned the outcome of the race, vowing to continue their dissent.

Ian Kelly, the spokesman for the U.S. State Department, said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had serious concerns about the credibility of the Iranian government stemming from the Guardian Council decision.

"We have the concerns about the lack of consensus in Iran, and we don't think that the Iranian government is respecting the will of its people," said Kelly.

Iran witnessed massive street demonstrations that turned violent as protesters in urban centers reacted to the disputed election outcome.

Kelly, who echoed the White House position that it may be too early to make any assessments on political fallout in Iran, backed away from issuing a strong statement on the legitimacy of the Ahmadinejad government and the viability of the opposition.

"We think, right now, that this internal situation needs to play out," he said.