MOSCOW, June 29 (RIA Novosti) - Iranian authorities have begun a partial recount of the fiercely disputed June 12 presidential vote, national media said on Monday.

The Guardian Council has started a random recount of 10% of ballot papers, the Mehr News agency said.

The opposition, however, has demanded a rerun of the vote, claiming the election that returned hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power was marred by widespread irregularities. No opposition members are on the panel carrying out the recount.

The Guardian Council has repeatedly refused to annul the vote, saying there were no major violations.

Ahmadinejad's landslide victory triggered days of protests by defeated candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi's supporters. Regional media reports said 20 people were killed in the post-election violence, Iran's most serious disturbances since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The recount will be completed on Monday afternoon and the results will be announced later in the day.