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Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gives his Friday prayer sermon at Tehran University - Source: Reuters -
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Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a strong warning to leaders of mass street protests against a disputed presidential election that they would be responsible for any bloodshed.
His words appeared to hint at a future crackdown by authorities on rallies after the election a week ago, which Khamenei said was fairly won by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and not rigged, as defeated candidate Mirhossein Mousavi alleges.
Khamenei called for an end to the protests in his first address to the nation since the election results triggered the most widespread street demonstrations in the Islamic Republic's 30-year history.
"If there is any bloodshed, leaders of the protests will be held directly responsible," the white-bearded cleric told huge crowds thronging Tehran University and surrounding streets for Friday prayers.
Mousavi's supporters had planned another demonstration on Saturday. But an ally of the defeated moderate candidate told Reuters after Khamenei's speech that Mousavi had no plans to call a rally on Saturday or Sunday.
State media have reported seven or eight people killed in unrest since the election outcome was published on June 13, prompting Mousavi's supporters to hold mass rallies in Tehran, with demonstrations reported in several Iranian cities.
Scores of reformists have been arrested and authorities have cracked down on foreign and domestic media.
Khamenei called for calm in his country, a major oil exporter which is also embroiled in dispute with major powers over its nuclear programme, which the West suspects could be used to make bombs. Tehran says its nuclear work is peaceful.
"The result of the election comes from the ballot box, not from the street," he said. "Today the Iranian nation needs calm."
Khamenei also attacked what he called interference by foreign powers who had questioned the result of the election, saying Iran's enemies were trying to undermine the legitimacy of its Islamic establishment.
"American officials' remarks about human rights and limitations on people are not acceptable because they have no idea about human rights after what they have done in Afghanistan and Iraq and other parts of the world," he said.
Britain said it had summoned the Iranian ambassador to complain about Khamenei's speech, in which he also called the British "sinister". Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel called the speech disappointing.
Many European countries and international human rights organisations have criticised the election and its aftermath
There was no immediate reaction from US President Barack Obama's administration, which has muted its comments to keep the door ajar for possible dialogue with a country it has not had diplomatic relations with for nearly three decades.
"Start of dictatorship"
Khamenei's address followed six days of protests by Mousavi supporters. On Thursday, tens of thousands of black-clad marchers carried candles through central Tehran to mourn those killed during the unrest.
If Mousavi supporters defy Khamenei's explicit warning about further protests, they risk a severe response from security forces, which have so far not tried to prevent mass gatherings.
"Mousavi has no plans to hold a rally tomorrow or the day after tomorrow and if he decides to hold a rally it will be announced on his website," his ally said.
Iran's top legislative body, the Guardian Council, is considering complaints by the three losing candidates, but has said only that it will recount some disputed ballot boxes, rather than annul the vote as demanded by Mousavi.
Khamenei said defeated candidates were wrong to believe "that by using street protests as a pressure tool, they can compel officials to accept their illegal demands. This would be the start of a dictatorship."
Any election complaints should be raised through legal channels, he said, dismissing charges of fraud. "Iran's laws do not allow vote-rigging, especially at the level of 11 million," he said, referring to Ahmadinejad's victory margin.
State television coverage showed Ahmadinejad and defeated candidate Mohsen Rezaie attending the speech.
There was no sign of Mousavi or two former presidents who have backed him -- reformist Mohammad Khatami and the powerful Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who clashed with Ahmadinejad before the election in a rare display of leadership division.
The supreme leader, Iran's ultimate authority, in theory stands above the factional fray, but Khamenei acknowledged his views on foreign and domestic policy were closer to those of the hardline Ahmadinejad than of Rafsanjani.
Thousands listened intently to Khamenei's speech booming from loudspeakers outside Tehran University, at times cheering and chanting to voice their approval for his words.
At the same venue, hundreds of university students had demonstrated in support of Mousavi on Sunday, throwing stones at riot police trying to disperse protesters outside the gates.
"With this speech, the leader has finished all problems," one
middle-aged cleric in the crowd said afterwards. "The differences
between the politicians will be resolved."
Many of those gathering to listen to Khamenei were draped in
Iranian flags. Others held placards with anti-Western slogans.
"Don't let the history of Iran be written with the pen of foreigners," one flyer said, reflecting official Iranian anger at international criticism of the post-election violence.
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