Ahmadinejad gov't says riots over election orchestrated by enemies

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TEHRAN, June 18 (Xinhua) -- The government of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a Thursday statement that "the enemies of the nation" are fomenting post-election riots across the country, the local Press TV reported.

"Our enemies and their media have hired some opportunists and mischievous elements and have misused the simple-mindedness of some people to cause unrest," the statement was quoted as saying.

It also accused the Western foreign media of "spreading lies and rumors" to create doubts over the health of Friday's presidential election, according to the report.

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad defended his re-election in the country's "most glorious" presidential election on Sunday, but his major challenger Mir-Hossein Mousavi demanded the election result to be annulled.

In an address to thousands of his supporters in Tehran's Vali-e-Asr Square to celebrate his victory on Sunday, Ahmadinejad said " Iran's election is a real and free election" and that the "great people" of Iran chose the one whose policies they trust much.

On Saturday afternoon, Iran's Interior Minister Sadeq Mahsouli announced that the incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won 62.63 percent of the total votes during Friday's vote, while former Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi got 33.75 percent in Iran's presidential competition.

After the official declaration, Mousavi protested in a statement the "obvious" violations in Iran's presidential election.

Accordingly, a series of protest rallies were organized by the rival candidates, though urged to be held peaceful, in some instances ended in violence and the death of at least seven Iranians.