And the Loser is...

In Iran, the Presidential election has sparked riots after Ahmadinejad claimed a landslide victory over reformist candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi, raising questions about the election's legitimacy. Protests have turned to riots in the streets of Tehran, where police in plain clothes have beaten protestors with batons and used tear gas to disperse crowds. Some reports say that gunmen have fired into a crowd in Tehran, killing one person and injuring several others.

President Obama has been careful not to take sides as the outcome of the election and events unfold in Iran. He could thwart the opportunity for U.S. talks with Iran if the U.S. tries to influence the political outcome. Obama said in his Cairo speech that Iran has a right to a peaceful nuclear energy program but that it must follow all inspection rules and cooperate to ensure the world that it is not masking the development of a nuclear bomb.

The election has revealed a deep divide among Iranians. Moussavi, the former Prime Minister of Iran and the strongest challenger, was very critical of Ahmadinejad's handling of the economy and Iran's international image. The violent response to the election shows Ahmadinejas's hold on the government is weaker than previously thought.

In a surprise reversal, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called for an inquiry into opposition claims that the election was fraudulent, after initially certifying the results. Moussavi and his supporters were emboldened by Khamenei's decision to conduct a 10 day inquiry into the election process after massive protests.

Did Obama's Cairo speech influence the Iranian election? How will the outcome of the election affect Iran's nuclear ambitions? How should Obama respond to the Iranian election?