A protester wearing a Guy Fawkes mask stands along with others during a silent protest at Taksim Square in Istanbul June 18.

A Turkish man, Erdem Gunduz, has staged an eight-hour silent vigil on Istanbul's Taksim Square, scene of violent clashes between police and anti-government protesters in recent weeks, inspiring hundreds of others to follow his lead.

[Reuters]

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu said that Turkey's reputation had increased as a result of "youth's cry for freedom".

"Our youth won. (Prime Minister) Recep Tayyip Erdogan lost," Kilicdaroglu added in an address to his party’s parliamentary group at the assembly on Tuesday.

Erdogan earlier defended the police crackdown and use of pepper spray on Gezi Park protesters.

“In fact, our police have successfully passed the test of democracy,” he said.

Police in Turkey have carried out raids and arrested 85 people following the anti-government protests across the country.

Turkish Interior Minister Muammer Guler said 62 people had been detained in Istanbul, Turkey's biggest city, and 23 people had been detained in the capital Ankara.

Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra reporting from Istanbul, the biggest city of the country, says detained people are accused of damaging public property and inciting violence.

According to the government sources, they are from far-left groups.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier said that protests were hijacked by marginal groups who has a radical agenda for destabilising the country.

Meanwhile, Ankara Governship released a statement saying that one person lost his life and 381 people were injured during the anti-government protests in the Turkish capital.

"Among the injured people, 133 of them are policemen," Ankara Governship announced.

Turkish police raided multiple addresses in several cities across the country on Tuesday, detaining dozens of people following more than two weeks of anti-government protests.

The state-run Anatolian Agency said 25 people had been detained in the capital Ankara, and "many" in Istanbul, Turkey's biggest city.

Turkish news reports say police is carrying out raids and detaining people suspected of involvement in violence against police during the protests.

A group of photojournalists hold a banner, reading: "You can't arrest the information, free Daniele", in front of the Turkish Embassy in the center of Rome.

Italian photojournalist Daniele Stefanini was arrested by Turkish police on June 16 in Istanbul while covering anti-government protests.

[AFP]

Riot police are spraying water cannon and tear gas in Istanbul to disperse pockets of protesters on the sidelines of a demonstration called by labour groups.

Two major labour confederations called strikes and protests across Turkey on Monday in support of activists critical of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Police ousted the activists from Istanbul's Gezi Park over the weekend.

Monday's sweep by police on the side streets off Taksim Square comes hours after the interior minister warned that anyone joining unlawful demonstrations would "bear the legal consequences."

Meanwhile, images from Dogan news agency showed crowds of government supporters facing down some protesters.

Some chanted "the hands targeting the police should be broken."

[AP]

Iran's Revolutionary Guard has declared its willingness to co-operate with president-elect Hassan Rouhani.

"We announce our comprehensive readiness for interaction and co-operation with the next administration in the framework of legal duties and assignments,'' the Guard said on its webpage on Sunday.

Later in the day state TV said Rouhani met Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, for the first time since the election. The report said Khamenei offered "necessary guidelines'' to Rouhani but did not elaborate.

The outward displays of co-operation by Iran's establishment reflect its desire to close the political rift caused by unrest over disputed election results in 2009, and signal to world leaders that the ruling clerics are not publicly standing against Rouhani's call for outreach and dialogue with the international community. - AP

Iran's newly elected reformist-backed president has said that the country's dire economic problems cannot be solved overnight,' as he took his first steps in consulting with members of the clerically dominated establishment on his new policies.

Hassan Rouhani's surprise win in Friday's elections puts him in charge of an executive branch that traditionally has taken the lead in handling the economy, while nuclear efforts, defence and foreign affairs remain primarily in the hands of the ruling clerics and their powerful protectors, the Revolutionary Guard.

This creates a challenge for Rouhani, as Iran suffers from more than 30 percent inflation as well as 14 percent unemployment linked to Western sanctions for Tehran's suspect nuclear program. Rouhani has called for reaching out to the international community but has little authority over the nuclear activities tied to sanctions.

The semi-official ISNA agency said on  Sunday that Rouhani discussed inflation and unemployment as well as possible members of his cabinet with Ali Larijani, speaker for Iran's conservative dominated parliament.

"Today, we took the first step for cooperation between two branches of power,'' Rouhani was quoted as saying. Rouhani will take office in August and needs parliament to approve his proposed nominees for 18 ministries. - AP

The election of a moderate cleric Hassan Rouhani as Iran president signals a return of hope and reforms and that the people desire a policy of moderation over extremism, Iranian newspapers said.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Hassan Rouhani on his victory in Iran's presidential election and urged him to forge closer ties with Moscow.

"Putin expressed confidence that Hassan Rouhani's work on this high post will promote the flourishing of (Russian) friend Iran and further strengthen Russian-Iranian relations," the Kremlin quoted Putin as saying in a message to Iran's president-elect on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged continued international pressure on Iran to curb its nuclear programme after the election of a new president widely seen as a moderate.

"The international community must not give in to wishful thinking or temptation and loosen the pressure on Iran for it to stop its nuclear programme," Netanyahu told his cabinet, according to a statement released by the Prime Minister's Office.

Ofir Gendelman, Netanyahu's spokesperson, tweeted some of the prime minister's additional comments

PM Netanyahu: the ruler of Iran is the Supreme Leader, not the president, and it is he who determines nuclear policy

— Ofir Gendelman (@ofirgendelman) June 16, 2013

[Source: Reuters, AFP]

Iran's stock exchange is climbing for the second continuous day following the surprise election of a reformist-backed president, Hassan Rouhani.

The rise came after a night of a celebration in Tehran, with cars honking and blaring music ranging from patriotic songs to the Lambada.

The website of the Tehran Stock Exchange said the market jumped 837 points by mid-morning Sunday, reaching 47,460 from its Saturday close of 46,623, almost a 1.8 percent increase.

On Saturday the stock exchange index improved by 2 percent while Iran's national currency, the rial, strengthened by 9 percent against the US dollar.

[Source: AP]

A senior Israeli official says international sanctions are still needed to pressure Tehran over its nuclear program, despite the election of a reformist-backed president.

Yuval Steinitz, Israel's minister of intelligence and strategic affairs, said Sunday that there won't be any change on Iran's nuclear policy since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei still runs the country.

Steinitz is responsible for monitoring Iran's nuclear program.

Despite Hassan Rouhani's surprise victory in Friday's election, all key decisions, including nuclear efforts, defense and foreign affairs, remain solidly in the hands of the ruling clerics and their powerful protectors, the Revolutionary Guard.

[Source: AP]

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said on Saturday that she was committed to working with newly elected Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on finding a solution to Tehran's disputed nuclear programme.

"I remain fully committed to working with the new Iranian leadership towards a swift diplomatic solution of the nuclear issue," said Ashton, who serves as chief negotiator for the six world powers seeking to check Iran's controversial nuclear ambitions. - AFP

Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets of  Tehran to celebrate the election of moderate Hassan Rowhani as president, with chanting pro-reform slogans and demanding more freedom.

Large crowds were converging in main streets and squares on Saturday, as security forces and police units looked on.

Thousands of cars honked their horns throughout the capital, and many  people were dressed in purple, Rowhani's campaign colour. Some handed out purple balloons to the crowd.

"We said no to commander, we said no to mayor, (we chose) the courageous Rowhani," people chanted.

That was a reference to two defeated candidates, ex-Revolutionary Guards chief Mohsen Rezai and Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, both hailing from the conservative camp. - AFP

Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino has said Italy hopes to launch a "relationship of renewed comprehension and constructive dialogue" with Iran after the election of its new president.

"Italy trusts that, with the new government of Iranian President (Hassan) Rouhani, it will be possible to work at developing bilateral relations and begin without delay a season of renewed comprehension and constructive dialogue between Iran and the international community," she said in a written statement on Saturday.

Bonino said she noted "with pleasure the proper carrying out of the presidential election in Iran." - AFP