Iran MPs rage against opposition after deadly protest

Tehran, Feb 15 (AFP) Lawmakers today demandedopposition leaders they say are backed by Iran''s arch-foes behanged following violent anti-government protests in Tehranwhich left one person killed.

The MPs singled out Mir Hossein Mousavi and MehdiKarroubi, who had called for protests in Tehran on Monday insupport of Arab uprisings that quickly turned intoanti-government demonstrations and ended in clashes withpolice.

Mohammad Khatami, former reformist president, also cameunder fire from the nation''s conservatives following his openbacking of the opposition movement since disputed June 2009presidential elections.

"Mousavi and Karroubi should be executed! Death toMousavi, Karroubi and Khatami!" the lawmakers shouted in thehouse, state news agency IRNA reported.

They said the United States, Britain and Israel hadorchestrated Monday''s protests using the opposition leaders,who, according to parliament speaker Ali Larijani were being"misled" by Iran''s arch-foes.

"The parliament condemns the Zionists, American,anti-revolutionary and anti-national action of the misledseditionists," a visibly angry Larijani told the parliament.

"How did the gentlemen (Mousavi and Karroubi) ... fallinto the orchestrated trap of America?" he asked.

"Should they not have been cautious given the support,pleasure and joy of America and Israel as well as monarchistsand Monafeghin?" Larijani added, referring to the outlawedPeople''s Mujahedeen of Iran (PMOI).

He also urged that a committee to be formed to probe and"confront" the opposition movement.

Ahmad Reza Radan, deputy police chief of Iran, too saidthe US, Britain and Israel had directed Monday''s "illegal"gatherings.

Despite a strict ban on the rally, heavy security forcedeployment and the placing of Mousavi and Karroubi under defacto house arrest, thousands of opposition supporters took tostreets of the capital yesterday.

The demonstrations sparked violent clashes in which riotpolice fired tear gas and paintballs at demonstrators,witnesses and websites said.

Radan today confirmed an earlier news agency report thata protester had died in the clashes.

"One person was martyred by Monafeghin in the shooting atyesterday''s events," Radan was quoted as saying by Fars newsagency.

"In the events yesterday, some rioters were arrested andunfortunately Monafeghin elements fired shots at people andsecurity forces. In these shootings nine security forcemembers and some others were injured," he said, adding thatone of the wounded security members was critical. (AFP)