Iran elections fair, protests not acceptable, says Khamenei

September 20th, 2009 TEHRAN - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Sunday rejected the West's charge that his country wants to develop nuclear bombs, saying Tehran is "fundamentally" opposed to such weapons. "Accusing the Islamic Republic of seeking nuclear arms is a blatant lie.

August 28th, 2009 TEHRAN - In what is being seen as an attempt to reduce enmity with the West ahead of an IAEA report on further measures in respect of the country's nuclear programme, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has rejected the idea that foreign powers were involved in country's post-election violence. "I do not accuse leaders of the recent events of being stooges of aliens, including the US and Britain since it was not proved for me.

August 3rd, 2009 LONDON - Iran is awaiting orders from its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to produce its first nuclear bomb, Western intelligence sources have told The Times. According to sources, Iran completed its research program to create weaponised uranium in the summer of 2003, and now claims that once it receives orders from Khamenei, it could feasibly make a bomb within a year of it.

July 20th, 2009 Iran's top leader reportedly warns politiciansTEHRAN, Iran — State radio says Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has told politicians to be careful in their stances on the country's postelection unrest, saying that disturbing security is "the biggest vice." Khamenei's comments appear aimed at warning opposition politicians against making any moves that would encourage further protests like the ones that shook the country following the disputed presidential election on June 12. Khamenei also says foreign enemies supported the unrest by broadcasting "procedures for rioting" through their media, according to Monday's state media report.

July 16th, 2009 Media monitor: 7 photographers detained in IranPARIS — Media monitor Reporters Without Borders says seven photographers and a cameraman have been detained in Iran, most of them over the past week. The Paris-based group listed five Iranian photographers seized Saturday, nearly a month after the June 12 presidential elections that prompted a wave of opposition protests.

July 7th, 2009 TEHRAN - Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi has vowed to continue his campaign against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's illegitimate government, but "in the framework of the law." "When a government doesn't take shape within the framework of the law, it has no legitimacy in the eyes of the people. This weakens the government and encourages the government to resort to violence against the people," The Star Online quoted Mousavi, as saying.

June 24th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The Obama Administration sent a letter to Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling for an improvement in relations, prior to the June 12 disputed presidential elections, which were followed by massive people protests. Ayatollah Khamenei confirmed the letter toward the end of a lengthy sermon on Friday, in which he accused the United States of fomenting protests in his country in the aftermath of the disputed June 12 presidential election.

June 20th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama said he was concerned by Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's speech Friday that called for an end to protests over Iran's disputed election and suggested a government crackdown could be coming. "I'm very concerned based on some of the tenor and tone of the statements that have been made," Obama said in an interview with CBS News.

June 20th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The United States supports Iranians to seek "peaceful" justice, President Barack Obama said Friday, addressing to the rioting in Iran's post-elections. "We stand behind those who are seeking justice in a peaceful way," Obama said in an interview with CBS News.

June 19th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US lawmakers expressed support for the Iranian people's right to free speech and peaceful protest in resolutions adopted Friday. The moves come as tens of thousands of people in Iran have taken to the streets in demonstrations against last week's election results.

June 19th, 2009 Key points from Khamenei addressKey points from the Friday prayers address by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: Dismisses charges of voting rigging in the June 12 presidential election and sides with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who official results showed was the landslide winner. This effectively closes the door on chances for a recount or new election.

June 19th, 2009 Supreme leader: Iran vote was "definitive victory"TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's supreme leader said Friday that there was "definitive victory" and no rigging in disputed presidential elections, offering no concession to protesters demanding the vote be canceled and held again. In his first public address since demonstrators flooded the streets, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said protests should cease and the opposition must pursue its complaints within the confines of the cleric-led ruling system.

June 19th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei today said that the recent presidential elections showed off the country's religious democracy for the world to see, shrugging an unprecedented challenge to the country's ruling clerics by opposition supporters, who claim the June 12 presidential election was rigged. He said on Friday that there was "definitive victory" and no rigging in the disputed presidential elections, offering no concession to protesters demanding the vote be canceled and held again.

June 19th, 2009 TEHRAN - Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Friday threw his weight behind re-elected President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and called for an end to protests challenging the results of the June 12 polls. In his first public remarks since last week's presidential election, the cleric insisted that no cheating had taken place and issued a stern warning to protestors that illegal initiatives were not acceptable.

June 18th, 2009 TEHRAN - Protests in favour of opposition leader Mir-Hossein Moussavi and against alleged electoral fraud were scheduled to continue Thursday in Tehran for the sixth consecutive day. The pro-Moussavi network coordinating the demonstrations said that protestors would first gather in front of the UN office and then move to a square in downtown Tehran.