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Iran not to give in to pressures: Supreme Leader

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-06-24 20:56

TEHRAN: Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that the Iranian authorities would not give in to the pressures concerning the presidential election results, the local satellite Press TV reported.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves to worshippers during Friday prayers at Tehran University June 19, 2009. [Agencies]

Khamenei made these remarks in a meeting with the lawmakers adding that "neither the system nor the people will give in to pressures at any price."

"Giving in to illegal demands under pressure is in itself the beginning of dictatorship," said Khamenei, who had addressed the nation earlier in Friday prayers.

"If the legal frameworks are breached today, then no future election can be guaranteed. In every election, there is only one winner, and of course, some defeated candidates complain, if there is any doubt, it should be pursued through legal channels," he added.

On June 13, Iran's Interior Minister Sadeq Mahsouli said incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won 62.63 percent of the total ballots of the 10th presidential election on June 12, while his main rival Mir-Hossein Mousavi got 33.75 percent.

After the official declaration, Mousavi protested "strongly" the "obvious violations" in Iran's presidential election. He also appealed to the Guardian Council for the cancellation of the election results.

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Iran's Supreme Leader has ordered the Guardian Council, the top legislative body, to investigate the claims of "fraud" in the recent presidential election.

On Monday, spokesman for Iran's Guardian Council Abbas Ali Kadkhodai said that the council would announce its final position on the complaints about the presidential election results on Wednesday.

According to Iran's satellite channel Press TV Tuesday report, Iran's Guardian Council has rejected any annulment of the June 12 presidential election.

Spokesman for the Guardian Council Abbas Ali Kadkhodai was quoted as saying that the council had found no major irregularities in the election and rejected annulling the results of the presidential election, signaling the second term of presidency for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.