Q & A: Was the Iranian election rigged?

(CNN) — As protests continue over the disputed presidential elections in Iran, we asked two analysts to explain the background to the controversy.

Q) What degree of election monitoring is there in Iran?

A) The problem with this election, according to London-based Mideast analyst Amir Taheri, is that there is no independent monitoring at all in Iran with the interior ministry arguing that the Council of the Guardians of the Constitution, a “star chamber” of 12 mullahs, would have that role.

“Candidates are not allowed to be present at polling stations during voting or counting. Many voters are illiterate and officials help them fill in their ballot papers, so the possibilities for rigging are immense. And there are no booths in the polling stations so voting is done in public, not in private — a major obstacle for transparency,” Taheri said.