Hamid Karzai, Afghanistan's president, bowed to intense White House and international pressure yesterday and agreed to a run-off presidential election after fraud investigators annulled almost a third of his votes.

Led by John Kerry, the former US presidential candidate, who met Mr Karzai five times in the last three days, the international community cajoled Mr Karzai to accept that only a run-off could restore credibility to the process. The new poll will take place on November 7.

The August 20 first round election had been marred by evidence of massive fraud, most of it conducted by the president's supporters. Mr Karzai had been adamant he had won outright victory against Abdullah Abdullah, his main rival. But after strong arm-twisting by Mr Kerry and others, Mr Karzai capitulated at a news conference.