Iran's Mousavi Says New Government ‘Illegitimate’

Reuters Created: Jul 1, 2009 Last Updated: Jul 1, 2009

Alireza Beheshti (2nd-L), a close aide of defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi and son of late prominent cleric Ayatollah Mohammad Beheshti, speaks to opposition supporters outside Ghoba mosque in Tehran on June 28, 2009. (AFP/Getty Images)

Iran Election Protests
TEHRAN—Defeated Iranian presidential candidate Mirhossein Mousavi on Wednesday said he considered the new government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad "illegitimate", in a statement posted on his website.

Mousavi also called on the authorities to release detained "children of the revolution", in reference to scores of leading reformists arrested since the disputed June 12 poll, and said he could not compromise regarding people's rights.

He called for a lifting of a ban on some moderate newspapers and websites.