Iran opposition leader to attend Friday prayers-daily
TEHRAN, July 14 (Reuters) - Iran's opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi will attend Friday prayers this week in his first official public appearance since last month's disputed presidential vote, a newspaper said on Tuesday.
The Etemad daily said the prayers at Tehran University will be led by former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a rival of re-elected hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and one of the four Tehran Friday prayer leaders.
Another former president and supporter of Mousavi, reformist Mohammad Khatami, will also attend, the newspaper said.
"Mousavi and Khatami will attend the prayers this week led by Rafsanjani. This will be their first public appearance in an official event after the (June 12) election," said the daily, citing Mousavi's Facebook page. It also said Mousavi had urged his supporters to attend the sermon.
The country's most powerful figure, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, upheld Ahmadinejad's landslide win in his Friday sermon one week after the vote. But Mousavi has denounced the vote as rigged, saying the next government is "illegitimate".
The presidential election sparked days of street protests by supporters of Mousavi and exposed deepening divisions within the Islamic Republic's leadership.
Mousavi has called on authorities to release hundreds of people, including leading reformists, journalists, activists and lawyers.
Rafsanjani will lead the prayers after two months of absence. Some of his relatives, including his daughter Faezeh, were arrested briefly for taking part in pro-Mousavi rallies.
State media say at least 20 people were killed as protesters clashed with riot police and members of the Basij militia. The authorities and Mousavi blame each other for the bloodshed. Hardliners have called for Mousavi to be put on trial.
Iran has accused Britain and the United States, which have criticised a crackdown on opposition protests, of interfering in its internal affairs. London and Washington reject the charge. (Writing by Zahra Hosseinian, Editing by Dominic Evans)
