CNN,June 29, 2009 – More than two weeks into turmoil, Iran’s leaders turned up the heat Friday as a high-ranking cleric warned protesters that they would be punished ’firmly’ and shown no mercy.
’Rioters and those who mastermind the unrest must know the Iranian nation will not give in to pressure and accept the nullification of the election results,’ said Ayatollah Ahmed Khatami during Friday prayers in Tehran, according to Iran’s state-run Press TV.
’I ask the Judiciary to firmly deal with these people and set an example for everyone,’ Khatami said.
Khatami also blamed demonstrators for the death of Neda Agha-Soltan, the young woman who emerged as a powerful symbol of opposition after her death a week ago was captured on a cell phone video. Khatami said the foreign media had used Neda for propaganda purposes.