Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/irans-ruling-cleric-calls-for-end-to-protests Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Transcript Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Friday defended the "absolute victory" of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in last week's disputed presidential election, and warned opposition supporters against further rallies. ITN's Channel 4 news correspondent Lindsey Hilsum reports. Read the Full Transcript Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors. JIM LEHRER: Iran's supreme leader issued a stern warning today against any more mass protests. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei denied last week's presidential election was rigged, and he told demonstrators in the streets to stop or face the consequences.We begin our lead story coverage with a report from Lindsey Hilsum of Independent Television News. LINDSEY HILSUM: The streets around the university mosque were packed. Iranians had been told not just to watch on television, but to turn out in person, the idea being to make it look like the revolution 30 years ago.They filled the massive mosque, and shouted the ritual slogan, "Death to America." In the throng, President Ahmadinejad. Conspicuously absent amongst the politicians and dignitaries, Mir Hossein Mousavi, the leader of the opposition and his powerful backer, Hashemi Rafsanjani.The supreme leader was clear and unequivocal: No more street protests will be tolerated. AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI, Iran Supreme Leader (through translator): I'm asking everyone to end this method. This is not a correct way. If they won't put an end to this method, they will be responsible for its aftermath and crisis. If politicians want to trample the law beneath their feet, they're responsible for the blood and the violence and the havoc. LINDSEY HILSUM: He said it was natural for Iranians to believe in different candidates, that the election was fair, and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose views happen to accord with his own, was the legitimate president.The crowd responded with roars of approval and cries of, "Our vote is written in blood, and we gave it to the leader." AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI (through translator): The law in our country does not allow vote-rigging. This is something anyone involved in our elections would verify. When the difference is 100,000 or 500,000 or even 1 million votes, you may say they cheated, but how could you manipulate 11 million votes? LINDSEY HILSUM: He blamed foreign powers for the upheaval, especially Britain, which was the "most evil" of Western governments. AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI (through translator): The most treacherous government is Britain. They're drowning in corruption. You've heard about the scandal of its parliament; the whole world knows. LINDSEY HILSUM: The British government today summoned the Iranian ambassador to complain about Mr. Khamenei's remarks, and the prime minister gave the strongest statement yet about the election.GORDON BROWN, Prime Minister of Britain: We are with others, including the whole of the European Union, unanimously today in condemning the use of violence, in condemning media suppression, and in condemning attempts, of course, to make sure that there are people who are political prisoners who are not free to express their views in Iran. LINDSEY HILSUM: The protestors who turned out in such great numbers yesterday and on the previous days have been warned: Any more scenes like this will not be tolerated.Ayatollah Khamenei said the ballot box, not the street protests, would decide the presidency. If Mr. Mousavi and his backers refuse to call off tomorrow's demonstration, it will now be regarded not as a challenge to the election result, but to the supreme leader.