Iran’s supreme leader calls for an end to protests
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, has called for an end to the massive protests that have broken out in Iran following the country’s election last week. Khamenei also threatened to punish opposition leaders, saying they would be held responsible for any violence at the rallies, and urged Iranians to close ranks behind Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. “There is 11 million votes difference,” the ayatollah said in response to allegations the vote was manipulated. “How one can rig 11 million votes?” Khamenei blamed the unrest on foreign countries, singling out the U.K. as the “most evil of them.” Britain has since responded to the allegations by summoning Iran’s ambassador in London to a meeting to explain the supreme leader’s comments. According to unconfirmed reports on Twitter, pro-Mousavi activits plan defy Khamenei’s orders and hold a rally in Tehran’s Enghelab Square at 4:00 P.M. on Saturday. Mousavi, as well as fellow reformist politicians Mehdi Karoubi and Mohammad Khatami are expected to show up at the protest.