Khamenei: Iran vote was ‘definitive victory’

Supreme leader defends Ahmadinejad’s win, says protests must end

TEHRAN, Iran – Iran’s supreme leader said Friday that there was “definitive victory” and no rigging in the disputed June 12 presidential election, offering no concession to protesters demanding the vote be canceled and held again.

In his first public address since demonstrators flooded the streets, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said protests should cease and the opposition must pursue its complaints within the confines of the cleric-led ruling system.

He said protesters would be “held responsible for chaos if they didn’t end” days of massive demonstrations. The unrest has posed the greatest challenge to the system since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that brought it to power.