On June 11, the day before the vote, reformist candidate Mir Hussein Musavi issued an open letter to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei complaining of "interference" by the Revolutionary Guard and Basij militia in the presidential election.
In his letter, Musavi wrote that "we have received some evidence" of such interference.
On June 12, the leadership of the Revolutionary Guard responded to the letter with a strongly worded statement, without directly mentioning Musavi by name.
It says that the Revolutionary Guard and the Basij are at the supreme leader's command and will sacrifice their lives to defend the aims of the Islamic revolution and they are ready to respond to any insult to the values of the revolution.
The statement strongly rejects Musavi's accusations of interference in the presidential vote, and demands Musavi produce material evidence of his claim or officially apologize to the Iranian people and the Revolutionary Guard and Basij.
It adds that the Revolutionary Guard will maintain its legal rights to take him to court.
-- Mazyar Mokfi
In his letter, Musavi wrote that "we have received some evidence" of such interference.
On June 12, the leadership of the Revolutionary Guard responded to the letter with a strongly worded statement, without directly mentioning Musavi by name.
It says that the Revolutionary Guard and the Basij are at the supreme leader's command and will sacrifice their lives to defend the aims of the Islamic revolution and they are ready to respond to any insult to the values of the revolution.
The statement strongly rejects Musavi's accusations of interference in the presidential vote, and demands Musavi produce material evidence of his claim or officially apologize to the Iranian people and the Revolutionary Guard and Basij.
It adds that the Revolutionary Guard will maintain its legal rights to take him to court.
-- Mazyar Mokfi