Former Iran President Calls for Election Protester's Release

Former Iranian President Ali Akbar Rafsanjani has called for the release of people who protested against the result of the recent election.

In his first Friday sermon since the vote, he also said large numbers of Iranians still doubted its result.

Iranian police have fired tear gas to disperse opposition supporters gathered at prayers at Tehran University, the BBC reported.

There were chants of support for Mir Hossein Mousavi, who was reported to have attended the prayers. Mousavi was a defeated candidate in the 12 June vote.

There were reports that large numbers of his supporters rallied in the streets of Tehran after the prayers.

This followed warnings from a minister against turning the occasion into a "stage for undesirable scenes".

Rafsanjani is a key power broker in Iranian politics and has been a backer of Mousavi.

During his sermon, which was broadcast live on state radio, he said something had to be done to allay people's doubts about the recent election result. "In the current situation it is not necessary for us to have a number of people in prisons... we should allow them to return to their families," he was quoted as saying.

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