Iran defiance: Senior cleric says country in crisis

IN apparent defiance of Iran’s supreme leader, a powerful cleric has declared the country in crisis after a disputed election, as tens of thousands of protesters used Friday prayers to stage the biggest show of dissent for weeks.

Clashes erupted in Tehran between police and supporters of opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi, who still contests results that showed hardline President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad was re-elected by a wide margin.

“Police fired tear gas and beat supporters of Mousavi in Keshavarz Boulevard,” a witness said, adding that protesters were carrying hundreds of green banners and chanting “Ahmadinejad, resign, resign’.”