VOA News - Khamenei Says Protests Over Iran Vote Must End

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Khamenei Says Protests Over Iran Vote Must End

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

Iran's top leader has demanded a stop to protests over the disputed presidential election.

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Ayatollah Ali Khamenei spoke at Tehran University to a huge crowd for Friday prayers. It was his first speech since last Friday's election. "The result of the election comes from the ballot box," he said, "not from the street."

The supreme leader warned that if the unrest continues, protest leaders will be held responsible for any violence. At least seven protesters were killed Monday during clashes with pro-government militia.

Ayatollah Khamenei said the Islamic Republic would not cheat or betray the vote of the people. He said President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won by eleven million votes. With that big a difference, he said, how could ...

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