Pro-government rally condemns Iranian protesters

Iranian authorities made a show of force today by organizing a pro-government rally in condemnation of the opposition and its leaders.

Iranian media showed tens of thousands of people carrying pictures of Ayatollah Khomeini and Ayatollah Khamenei, chanting anti-Mousavi slogans and warning Ayatollah Rafsanjani to refrain from supporting him.

MirHosein Mousavi, the disputing candidate of the June presidential elections has accused the authorities of vote fraud, and Ayatollah Rafsanjani, Chairman of the Expediency Council, supported him in his demand for renewed elections.

The speaker of the rally condemned the “leaders of the riots” claiming their movement has become an “armed combat.”

In conclusion they issued a statement urging the judiciary to prosecute those who have “desecrated the Quran and insulted the sacred." They add that the “impudence of the anti-revolutionary and seditious elements is due to the failure of the security, intelligence and judiciary officials to afford them firm and revolutionary confrontation.”

Today’s rally is in response to Ashura Day protests when election protests reached a climax after six months of persistent rallies and demonstrations against Ahmadinejad government which protesters claim has seized power through vote fraud.

Government crackdown on protesters has been increasing in violence and on Sunday at least eight people were reportedly killed.

While pro-government forces claim protesters desecrated the Quran and the sanctity of the holy day of Ashura on Sunday, the opposition rejects the accusations and maintains that the government has been "irreverent of the sacred day" by pouring people’s blood.