Ayatollah Khamenei calls questioning Iran election “the biggest crime”

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said that questioning the results of the controversial Iranian presidential election in June presidential was “the biggest crime.” Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters in Iran, did not go so far as to order the arrest of opposition leaders, but his words signaled the regime could take stronger action if the criticism of the ballot continues. "The day after the election, some people, without logic or reason, called the glorious election a lie," Iranian television quoted Khamenei as saying.

Although the street protests died down months ago, leading opposition figures have refused to silence their protests. Khamenei said he sent private messages to those who continue to question the election telling them they may not be able to control the future direction of events – an implied threat of additional government action if they fail to cease their activities.

Meanwhile, Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Miliband urged Iran to overturn a four-year prison sentence given to a local employee of the British embassy in Tehran. Hossein Rassam, 44, was arrested in June at the time of massive street protests over the disputed presidential election. The Iranian, who worked as the embassy's chief political analyst, was accused of spying and inciting unrest. In a statement, Miliband called the reported sentence "wholly unjustified".