Mousavi urges supporters to continue protests

Tehran: Unfazed by the government coming down strongly on the opposition, Iranian opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi urged his supporters to continue their protests against the election of Mohmoud Ahmadinejad which he called a fraud. He also made an indirect appeal to the security forces to show restraint towards opposition domonstrators. His appeal directly to the security forces might further graven the situation, observers here feel.

Meanwhile, helicoptors hovered over Tehran and gun fire was heard in the North of the city, where the reformist former prime minister commands large support.
Mousavi made a veiled appeal to the security forces to show restraint in handling demonstrations -- a move likely to be viewed with deep suspicion by a conservative leadership that has vowed to use force wherever necessary to quell opposition.Mousavi said on his website that protesting against lies and fraud was the right of the people. He however appealed his supporters to show restraint in their protests. He said he was expecting the armed forces also would avoide irreversible damage.

Mousavi said the mass arrest of his supporters "will create a rift between society and the country's armed forces".

The election of Ahmadinejad to power on June 12 sparked off protests in the country. However, authorities have branded these protests as acts of terror and the protests as terrorists. Tehran’s police commander Aziaullah Razabzedeh warned police would confront all gatherings and unrest with all its strength, said the official IRNA News Agency.