Iran's Khamenei comes down of the side of Ahmadinejad (News Feature)

By Farshid Motahari Jun 19, 2009, 13:00 GMT

Tehran - Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made quite clear Friday that his choice lies with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

'My political stance is closer to the president,' he said in a much-anticipated Friday prayers address in Tehran in which, as expected, he gave the 52-year-old his backing.

The man whose word is final in the Islamic state also insisted that there had been no cheating in the election a week earlier that saw Ahmadinejad swept back to power by a landslide majority.

'That sort of thing does not exist in our system,' Khamenei said of alleged fraud, 'especially when the talk is of 10 million (allegedly fraudulent) votes.'

Ahmadinejad's opponents including Mir-Hussein Moussavi could register protests and be present when the votes were examined, 'and also recount some ballot boxes - but everything via legal channels,' Khamenei said.

However, observers have been quick to point out that the 'legal channels' are the interior ministry and the Guardian Council, both of which are close to Ahmadinejad.

Khamenei, speaking at Fridaty prayers at Tehran University with Ahmadinejad in the front row of the thousands attending, also insisted that 'street demonstrations must be stopped - the system will not allow itself to be intimidated by such initiatives.'

The demonstrations, he said, were illegal, and would only help Iran's enemies. 'If they do not stop, then the leaders (of the protests) will bear responsibility for the consequences, and next time I will speak more clearly to the people.'

Meanwhile, another mass demonstration is planned for Saturday, with both Moussavi and also former president Mohammed Khatami having said they intend being present.

Permission has been applied for at the interior ministry, but is widely expected to be refused. However, such refusal did not stop hundreds of thousands turning out onto the streets last Monday.

If permission were granted, that number would swell even further. In any event, those out on the streets would have to reckon with a forceful police presence.

Khamenei meanwhile categorically rejected Western interpretations of events in Iran as evidence of a power struggle. 'That is absurd, because all four (presidential election) candidates are unquestionably a part of the system,' he said.

That, he said, included Moussavi. 'For eight years he was my prime minister, at a time when the country was at war (with Iraq),' Khamenei said - a reference to the time when Moussavi was premier under Khamenei, who was then state president when Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini was still alive and supreme leader.

Khamenei also referred to former president Ali-Akbar Rafsanjani - whom Ahmadinejad has accused of corruption - and spoke out partly in his favour.

He and Rafsanjani, he said, had trodden a common path since 1957, and Rafsanjani had also dedicated his life to the system, even though the two had 'varying political standpoints and differences'.

But Khamenei made plain that he backed Amhmadinejad in the differences over internal and foreign policy which Rafsanjani and Ahmadinejad had.

In reaction to Khamenei's address, one observer who declined to be named said that the supreme leader was clearly right in his view that the demonstrations could quickly turn into protests against the whole system, even if neither Moussavi nor Khatami want this.

During the recent demonstrations, Moussavi has consistently stated the protesters want only their legitimate electoral rights, and will not accept fraudulent results.

They further insist that a review of the results by bodies close to Ahmadinejad is unacceptable, and that last Friday's election should be annulled and a new election called.

Khamenei for his part insisted Friday that he would not accept this 'because this would break all the electoral criteria and undermine their legitimacy for the coming years.'

The country's political course would be decided at the ballot box and not on the streets, he said. Besides, the continuing demonstrations were proving a burden on the everyday lives and work of everyone, winners and losers.