Iran opposition asks to commemorate unrest victims

Protesters take part in a rally against the Iranian regime and to demand the release of all political prisoners, as part of a ''Global day of action'' event in Stockholm July 25, 2009.

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Opposition leaders in Iran want to organize a ceremony to commemorate pro-reformers killed since the disputed presidential election, a news agency reported on Sunday.

Moderate defeated candidates Mirhossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi said no speech would be given during the gathering, the semi-official ILNA news agency reported.

"We want a permit to be issued for the memorial ceremony to commemorate the 40th day passing of our beloved ones," they said in a letter addressed to the Interior Ministry, which is in charge of issuing permits for gatherings.

Shi'ite Muslims commemorate the death of loved ones on three different occasions, including the 40th day since their death.

No date was mentioned in the letter. The opposition leaders want to hold the ceremony at Tehran's "Grand Mosala," a prayer location where tens of thousands can gather, the letter said.

"There will be no speeches during the ceremony and we will ask mourners to pay their respects in silence," it said.

The June 12 presidential vote has plunged Iran into its biggest internal crisis since the 1979 Islamic revolution and has exposed deepening divisions in its ruling elite.

Leading moderates say the election was rigged in favor of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. They have called for immediate release of post-election detainees. The authorities say most of those held have been freed.

Human rights groups have reported several protesters' deaths. Iranian official media have said at least 20 people died in violence after the poll.

Repeated requests by Mousavi, who has said he would not allow his killed supporters' "blood to be trampled," to hold rallies have been refused by the authorities.

The son of an adviser to defeated conservative candidate Mohsen Rezaie was reported dead in Tehran's notorious Evin prison after being detained in post-election unrest, a reformist website said Saturday. His mourning ceremony Sunday was canceled by his family to avoid any unrest, ILNA reported.

Iran's top authority Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei endorsed the president's election victory soon after the vote.

Mousavi and the authorities blame each other for the bloodshed. Karoubi and Mousavi have denounced the new government as "illegitimate."

(Writing by Parisa Hafezi, Editing by Robert Woodward)