Khamenei speaks out on elections

TEHRAN, Oct. 29 (UPI) -- Questioning the outcome of the June presidential elections in Iran constitutes a major crime, the supreme leader said in Tehran.

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said opponents to the June victory for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made several claims that were unjustified, the Fars News Agency reports.

"The day after the election, some called that huge election a lie without providing any reason and argument," he said. "Is this a minor crime?"

He went on to say the election itself and the huge turnout at the polls were the major points for Iran, noting all other issues were minor concerns.

Despite a requirement for a hand count of all votes, Ahmadinejad declared victory in the June election contest within hours of the closing of the polls. His main challenger, former Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mousavi, led charges claiming the election results were rigged.

The fallout from the disputed election challenged the clerical regime in Tehran in ways not seen in decades.

The supreme leader's comments come as exiled opposition groups report student protesters chanting anti-clerical slogans in the streets of Tehran. Family members of detained dissidents have also protested what some consider show trials of opposition supporters.