Iran kicks off new round of dissent trials

TEHRAN, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Iran kicked off its fourth round of trials Tuesday for those involved in the post-election violence who are accused of attacking police and inciting riots.

Iran at its Islamic Revolution court launched trials for a number of alleged dissidents that Tehran says were behind riots that rocked the country in the wake of the disputed June 12 presidential election.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared victory within hours of the closing of the polls despite a complex counting process. Demonstrators thronged the streets for several days, with scores of protesters and government-backed security forces killed in the ensuing violence.

Those facing trail Tuesday are accused of attacking military centers and government forces, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting network reports.

Iranian lawmakers indicted 25 new defendants for alleged attacks on national interests in the post-election violence during an earlier round of trials that began Aug. 17.

During that trial, the court heard testimony from 25 defendants on charges related to attempts to overthrow the Islamic government and for acting as agents of exiled Iranian dissidents.

The indictment states in part the defendants had contact with the exiled People's Mujahedin of Iran, which Tehran blames for some of the post-election unrest.