PRO-GOVERNMENT militiamen attacked the home of an Iranian opposition leader with homemade bombs and beat one of his bodyguards unconscious, an opposition website reported, in an apparent attempt to keep him from attending a key rally yesterday.

Iran warned Israel today of retaliation against its nuclear facility if the Jewish state attacked Iranian nuclear sites.

Iranian opposition leaders were today warned they could face trial if they do not denounce the anti-government protests sweeping the country.

Iranian security forces stormed a series of opposition offices today, rounding up at least seven prominent anti-government activists in a new crackdown against the country’s reformist movement, opposition websites and activists reported.

Tens of thousands of mourners turned the funeral of Iran’s leading dissident cleric into an anti-government protest today.

Iranian authorities have slowed internet connections to a crawl or choked them off completely before expected student protests tomorrow to deny the opposition a vital means of communication.

Hard-liners have attacked senior pro-reform leaders in the streets of Tehran as tens of thousands marched in competing mass demonstrations organised by opposition and government supporters.

Thousands of Iranian anti-government protesters clashed with hard-liners on the streets of Tehran today as marches turned into running battles.

IRANIAN President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is calling for the prosecution of Iran’s opposition leaders over the post-election turmoil.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today called for the leaders of the opposition to be prosecuted over Iran's post-election turmoil, stepping up pressure against the pro-reform movement that says he won the election by fraud.

Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is calling for the prosecution of Iran’s opposition leaders over the post-election turmoil.

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s right to rule received an unprecedented challenge from a group of former reformist politicians today.

Hundreds of protesters were beaten back by police today as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was sworn in for a second term as Iran’s president.

Iran’s supreme leader today formally endorsed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s second term as president in a step leading up to his inauguration in parliament.

IRAN has announced that the first trials of post-election protesters will begin this weekend, as anger grew even among some government supporters over abuse of those detained in the more than six-week-old crackdown.

IRAN’S opposition leader has requested permission from authorities to hold a memorial service for victims of the post-election unrest, a top aide said.

Iran’s opposition leader has requested permission from authorities to hold a memorial service for victims of the post-election unrest, a top aide said today.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sought to disperse the doubt surrounding his re-election in his first major television address since the result, but even as he spoke, opponents went to their rooftops shouting "death to the dictator".

Iran dismissed the idea of downgrading diplomatic relations with Britain today despite soaring tensions between the two countries after Iranian authorities detained local British Embassy employees for allegedly stirring up post-election unrest.

Iran’s opposition leader has insisted that the bitterly contested presidential election be nullified, rejecting the latest offer of a partial recount and signalling he is not dropping his political challenge despite mounting pressures by Iran’s ruling clergy.

Iran continued its crackdown on protesters arresting 70 university professors after they met embattled opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, but he vowed to persevere with his election challenge today.

Iran’s supreme leader crushed the fading hopes of election demonstrators today with a declaration that the government would not yield to them.

Iran moved a step closer to a final election victory declaration for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today when a leading critic of the voting announced he was withdrawing his objections "for the good of the country".

IRAN expelled two British diplomats yesterday after bitterly accusing Britain of meddling and spying. The government also dealt a fresh blow to the opposition by making clear it will not hold a new vote despite charges of fraud.

Iran’s hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad came under pressure today from a rival who promised to reverse his extremist policies.

IRANIAN reformists urged their dejected supporters to rally behind pragmatic cleric Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani to prevent hard-line challenger Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from winning a presidential run-off.

Iran will hold the first runoff presidential election in its history between political veteran Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani and Tehran’s hard-line mayor, election officials said today.

MORE than a third of the Iranian parliament resigned yesterday and the speaker delivered a stinging rebuke to the hard-line Guardian Council for its disqualification of hundreds of liberal candidates in upcoming elections.