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Iran's supreme leader warns against provocative behavior

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-06-14 09:11

Tehran -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday urged supporters of both the winner of Friday 's presidential election and defeated candidates to avoid provocative behavior, local ISNA news agency reported.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad holds his passport while flashing the victory sign after casting his ballot for the Iranian presidential election in Tehran June 12, 2009.  [Agencies]

"The participation of more than 80 percent of eligible voters and 24 million votes for the president-elect is a real feast," Khamenei was quoted as saying.

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"The enemies are now trying to steal the sweetness of this feast with baleful provocation," Khamenei said, "therefore, the people especially the young blood should be completely alert, and supporters of the president-elect and other candidates should keep themselves away from any kind of provocative behavior."

According to ISNA, Khamenei congratulated the Iranian nation on the crucial, powerful and peaceful participation in the presidential election, calling it a dazzling and unparalleled event.

"I congratulate everyone of the nation on this great success," he said, adding that "everyone should be thankful to the benefaction of Allah."

Some 39 million out of 46.2 million eligible voters cast their ballots and the voter turnout is a record high 85 percent.

Iran's Interior Minister Sadeq Mahsouli said on Saturday afternoon that the incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has won a landslide victory in the 10th presidential election, securing a second term of presidency for the next four years.

Ahmadinejad has won 62.63 percent of the total votes counted, while reformist candidate Mir-Housein Mousavi got 33.75 percent of the total votes, the minister said.

Meanwhile, Mousavi, in a statement released Saturday on his website, protested "strongly" to the "obvious" violations in Iran' s presidential elections.

Earlier on Saturday, thousands of angry supporters of Mousavi gathered in the main squares of Tehran after the latest results showed Ahmadinejad's crushing victory in the presidential race.

The rally were dispelled by local police. Riot police are now patrolling main streets of Tehran on guard against new tempests.

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