Iranian lawmakers urge execution of opposition leaders

Tens of thousands of people turned out for a opposition rally held on Monday in solidarity with Egypt's popular revolt that toppled President Hosni Mubarak after nearly 30 years in power.

The demonstration represented the first major show of strength from Iran's beleaguered opposition in over a year.

At an open session of parliament on Tuesday, pro-government legislators reacted by demanding that opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mahdi Karroubi and former reformist President Mohammad Khatami be held responsible for the protests.

"Death to Mousavi, Karroubi and Khatami,” they chanted. "We believe the people have lost their patience and demand capital punishment" for the opposition leaders, 221 lawmakers said in a statement.

Hardliners have long sought to put senior opposition figures on trial, but the calls for the death penalty signalled an escalation in their demands.

Iran has already tried scores of opposition figures and activists on charges of fomenting the mass protests following the country's disputed 2009 presidential elections that saw Mahmoud Ahmadinejad win a second term. More than 80 of people were sentenced to prison terms ranging from six months to 15 years.

The opposition says scores were killed in the massive crackdown on those protests, while the government says only around 30 people died.

Following Monday's opposition demonstrations, the first since December 2009, authorities vowed to move quickly to stifle the opposition before its gains momentum.

"The judiciary will quickly and resolutely deal with major elements and those who violated public order and peace," the spokesman for Iran's judiciary and state prosecutor, Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi, told the official IRNA news agency.

The US has voiced support for the demonstrators as secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has said that the protesters "deserve to have the same rights that they saw being played out in Egypt and are part of their own birthright." However Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Ramin Mehmanparast rejected Clinton's remarks, accusing the US of "meddling" in Iranian affairs.

Iranian officials also confirmed that one person was killed in the protests on Tuesday. Ssecurity chief for Iran's Culture Ministry Gholam Ali Zarei has said that Sane Jaleh, a 26-year-old student at Tehran's University of Art, was killed. He said Jaleh was a government supporter.

Acting police commander General Ahmad Reza Radan also said that one person injured in the clashes remains in critical condition. He also confirmed that several people were arrested, but did not specify how many.

Radan claimed that members of the armed opposition group MEK, or Mujahedeen Khalq, opened fire at police and protesters, IRNA said. He did not provide any evidence to back up his claim.

He also accused the US, Britain and Israel of stoking the protests — a common allegation from officials in Tehran following any unrest in Iran.