Thousands call for death for Iranian opposition chiefs

Tens of thousands of Iran regime loyalists poured on to the streets of Tehran Friday, demanding that opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi be hanged for "rebellion".

Reuters/Raheb Homavandi

"Death to Mousavi! Death to Karroubi. Mousavi, Karroubi should be hanged."
worshippers chanted as they emerged from Friday prayers at Tehran University.

They joined crowds of suppoters of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad marching towards Enghelab Square (Revolution Square).

In his Friday prayer sermon, hardline cleric and head of the powerful Guardians Council, Ayatollah Ahmad Janati, demanded total isolation of Mousavi and Karroubi as worshippers chanted "American servants, shame on you.".

Janati said the judiciary must "cut access (of Mousavi and Karroubi) with the people completely, the doors of their homes must be shut ... so that they can't receive and give messages, their phones ... internet must be cut and they be imprisoned in their homes".

In their final declaration the organisers of what was billed as a "hatred" rally demanded "harshest punishment to the heads of sedition" and labelled them as "corrupt on earth", a crime punishable by death under the country’s penal code.

The two are under de facto house arrest but have managed to issue statements which have freshly fuelled unrest in Tehran. On Monday their supporters clashed with security forces, leaving two dead.