On the sidelines, anti-government protesters have clashed with security forces, resulting in widespread chaos throughout the Iranian capital city.

Geneive Abdo, who runs the insideIRAN project for The Century Foundation, discusses the day’s events in Tehran with Daljit Dhaliwal.

Al Jazeera English reports on the protests from Tehran.

Former two-term president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who currently heads the Assembly of Experts — which has the authority to oversee the supreme leader — and Ayatollah Khamenei are thought to have a strained relationship.

Throughout the campaign, Rafsanjani was very critical of President Ahmedinejad. Recently, his daughter, Faezed Hashemi, was arrested while speaking to a crowd of hundreds at a rally in support of Ahmedinejad’s main rival, Mir-Hossein Mousavi.

Geneive Abdo of The Century Foundation joins Martin Savidge to discus the power structure in the Islamic Republic and how important the clerical struggle really is.

Iran’s media said that several people were killed in Monday’s protests, held by supporters of the opposition candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi. The demonstrations represented one of the greatest challenges to Iran’s Islamic government since it came to power three decades ago.

Mousavi’s supporters held another peaceful rally on Tuesday, as did thousands backing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Geneive Abdo, a fellow in foreign policy at The Century Foundation, joins Martin Savidge to discuss the recount, how the protests will play out and the long-term impact on the Iranian political landscape and Iranian-American relations.

Read more about Khamenei’s response from Worldfocus editorial consultant Peter Eisner: Reading between the lines of Iran’s response to Obama.

Geneive Abdo, a former journalist based in Iran and now an analyst with the Century Foundation in Washington, joins Martin Savidge to discuss how to interpret Iran’s response, why Khameini issued the response instead of President Ahmedinejad and how Iranian elections and Israel play into the political positioning.

Geneive Abdo, a former journalist based in Iran and now an analyst with the Century Foundation in Washington, joins Martin Savidge to discuss Khatami’s decision, how his victory would theoretically transform Iran-U.S. relations and Vice President Joe Biden’s statement that the United States is willing to talk to Iran.

Geneive Abdo of the Century Foundation speaks with Martin Savidge about the Arab protests around the world, Iran’s role in this response and the possible dissolution of the international “hope” associated with Barack Obama’s election.