TEHRAN - Former Iranin president Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani has denied that there was any power struggle in the country following the crisis triggered by alleged fraud in the June 12 presidential election, ISNA news agency reported.

The election scene was a competition within the system and should not be considered by some as a power struggle or crack in the system,” Rafsanjani was quoted by ISNA as saying in his first reaction to the post-election turmoil Saturday.

Rafsanjani, who backed opposition leader Mir-Hossein Moussavi in the presidential election, was accused by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, both before and after the election, of corruption.

Due to the open support of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for Ahmadinejad, there had been press reports and speculation that the influential Rafsanjani might start a power struggle against both the president and the leadership.

These kind of interpretations are de facto an insult against the Iranian people … We have to maintain the long-term interests of the establishment,” Rafsanjani said.

The former president and current head of the Experts Assembly - an influential clergy body - however made the reconciliatory remarks in a meeting with families of officials who were arrested and detained since the outbreak of the protests against President Ahmadinejads re-election.

Besides the arrests of hundreds of dissidents, journalists and protesters, a number of former officials have also been detained by Iranian security, including cabinet members of former president Mohammad Khatami as well former parliament deputies.

Visiting the families of the detainees was a clear sign of Rafsanjani’s sympathy and support for the opposition. The cleric has also refrained so far from acknowledging the re-election of Ahmadinejad whose internal and external policies Rafsanjani strongly opposes.

Unfortunately after the elections, some problems were caused for some people which left a bitter taste and I don’t think that anybody is happy about the status quo,” Rafsanjani said, referring to the deaths of at least 20 protesters and eight pro-Ahmadinejad militia in addition to the arrest and imprisonment of hundreds of critics.

The moderate cleric however said he hoped that the crisis would be settled and the prisoners freed through wisdom and goodwill.