Biden has doubts but reserves judgment on Iran vote

US Vice President Joe Biden during at Sunday's "Meet the Press" interview Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was declared victor by a landslide in the historic June 12 elections, has been accused of winning a rigged poll. Biden refrained from direct remarks on the issue Sunday, and insisted that the issue demanded further scrutiny. "I have doubts, but withhold comment," he said in an interview with NBC television on Sunday. The vice president added that Tehran's move to shut down social networking sites such as Facebook raised some questions as to the fairness of the vote and undermined freedom of speech. "Is this the response, is this the accurate response, is this the wish of the Iranian people?" Biden asked. On Saturday, Washington said the White House would continue monitoring the election closely over reports of "irregularities" in the results -- the only official US stance on the Iranian election and ensuing protests in the capital Tehran. ZHD/SC/MD