Iranian cleric slams Ahmadinejad "fabrications"

By Dominic Evans and Fredrik Dahl

TEHRAN (Reuters) - One of Iran's most senior politicians accused President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Tuesday of lying in a televised presidential election debate and called on the country's supreme leader to intervene.

In an unprecedented public attack, former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said tens of millions of Iranians had witnessed "mis-statements and fabrications" in the debate last week, when Ahmadinejad accused Rafsanjani of corruption.

Ahmadinejad also said in the debate Rafsanjani was part of a political alliance supporting the main challenger, Mirhossein Mousavi, and seeking to prevent his re-election on Friday.

"I am expecting you to resolve this position in order to extinguish the fire, whose smoke can be seen in the atmosphere, and to foil dangerous plots," Rafsanjani said in a letter to Khamenei, published by the semi-official Mehr news agency.

The election campaign has been marked by fierce public debate between Ahmadinejad and his moderate opponents, and nightly demonstrations by rival supporters on Tehran's streets. Rafsanjani's intervention is likely to raise tensions further.

"Even if I continue to tolerate this situation, there is no doubt that some people, parties and factions will not tolerate this situation," Rafsanjani said, hinting that supporters of Ahmadinejad's rivals could take matters into their own hands.

The ISNA news agency reported late on Tuesday that a pro-Mousavi newspaper, Yas-e Noo, had been closed down. It gave no details.

CLERICS Criticize PRESIDENT

Fourteen high-ranking clerics from the holy Shi'ite city of Qom echoed Rafsanjani's remarks, expressing "deep concern and regret" that Iran's image had been harmed in the debate.

"Accusing those who were not present at that debate and could not defend themselves is against our religion," they said in a statement also published by Mehr.

Ahmadinejad faces three rival candidates, who have accused him of lying about the state of Iran's economy, while he says his moderate challengers have used their positions to enrich themselves.

Speaking in the northern town of Sarri on Tuesday, Ahmadinejad said that for months his opponents had waged "a planned psychological war against the revolution. They are lying and accusing the servant of this nation."

The most liberal of Ahmadinejad's opponents, Mehdi Karoubi, said on Tuesday he would defy growing calls to stand aside and unify moderate voters behind Mousavi.

Mousavi's supporters say Karoubi can win the backing of no more than 3 million of the 46 million eligible voters, and have put pressure on the former parliamentary speaker to pull out.

"I will never withdraw," he told a news conference. "I believe the larger the number of candidates, the better."