Iran regime flexes muscles

Tehran (Reuters) Hundreds of thousands of government supporters rallied across Iran yesterday, swearing allegiance to the clerical establishment and accusing opposition leaders of causing unrest.

Iran's police chief warned supporters of opposition leader Mir Hussain Mousavi only to expect harsh treatment if they joined illegal anti-government rallies, three days after eight protesters were killed in demonstrations.

In Tehran, crowds burned American and British flags, condemning what they said was interference in Iran's internal affairs.

Fars news agency said a group of hardliners gathered in front of the British embassy in Tehran, chanting "the British embassy should be closed down".

Iran's top authority accused the West of basing its actions towards Iran on "distorted realities".

"They are under influence of foreign and Zionist news agencies' reports," Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, the students news agency ISNA reported.

No opposition

There was no word of any opposition supporters on the streets yesterday, despite talk of demonstrations on reformist websites.

In Iran's bloodiest unrest since the aftermath of the disputed June 12 presidential election, eight people were killed on Sunday and at least 20 pro-reform figures, including three senior advisers to Mousavi, were arrested.

United Nations Human Rights chief Navi Pillay called on the Tehran government yesterday to curb excess use of force by its security services and expressed shock over violence. The United States and its European allies have condemned Iran over Sunday's clashes.

Fars said Mousavi's nephew, who was killed in Sunday's bloodshed, was buried yesterday at Tehran's Behesht-e Zahra cemetery.

Concern over unrest in Iran helped to push oil prices briefly above $79 a barrel to fresh five-week highs on Tuesday and they held near that level yesterday.

Iran's police chief said "there was no more room for tolerance over participants in illegal rallies".

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