Iran supreme leader: Questioning elections a crime
AP
30-Oct-2009

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's supreme leader said Wednesday that questioning the results of Iran's June presidential election is a crime, his strongest warning yet to opposition leaders who continue to insist the vote was rigged.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters in Iran, did not go so far as to order the arrest of those leaders, as called for by hard-liners, but his words signaled the government could take stronger action if the criticism continues.

"The day after the election, some people, without logic or reason, called the glorious election a lie," state TV quoted Khamenei as saying.

He said questioning the election was "the biggest crime."

Opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi has said President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stole the June 12 election from him through massive vote fraud. Hundreds of thousands of protesters poured into the streets in the days after the vote, prompting the government to stage a violent crackdown.

Although the street protests died down months ago, Mousavi and other leading opposition figures, including fellow presidential candidate Mahdi Karroubi and former President Mohammad Khatami, have refused to silence their protests.

Khamenei said he sent private messages to those who continue to question the election telling them they may not be able to control the future direction of events — an implied threat of additional government action if they fa... >>>

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