Former Iranian President Ali Akbar Rafsanjani has called for the release of people jailed after protesting at the result of the recent election.

前伊朗总统Ali Akbar Rafsanjani要求释放最近因反抗选举结果而逮捕的人。

Police fired tear gas to break up protesters outside the university

In his first Friday sermon（布道，说教） since the vote, he also said large numbers of Iranians still doubted its result.

Outside, police fired tear gas at thousands of opposition¹ supporters who were chanting（念咒） slogans（标语，口号） in support of defeated candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi.

Chanting also broke out among some of the tens of thousands of people inside.

Thousands of opposition supporters rallied（集会） in streets near the university - the first public opposition demonstration² for more than a week.

Many were wearing green bands on their heads or wrists to indicate support for Mr Mousavi, and some could be heard chanting "death to the dictator（独裁者）" and "Allahu Akbar" [God is great].

"Police fired teargas and beat supporters of Mousavi in Keshavarz Boulevard," said one witness quoted by Reuters.

Witnesses said a number of people were arrested, including a prominent（杰出的，显著的） women's rights activist³, Shadi Sadr.

Friday's rally followed warnings from a minister against turning the occasion into a "stage for undesirable⁴ scenes".

Mr Mousavi, who attended the Friday prayers at which Mr Rafsanjani spoke⁵, has demanded a re-run of the vote and described the new government as illegitimate（不法的）.

Another defeated opposition candidate, Mehdi Karoubi, also attended the prayers, according to the website of his party, Etemad Melli.

The site quoted his son as saying that Mr Karoubi had been jostled（推撞） and insulted as he arrived at the university, causing his turban to fall off.

The reports could not be immediately confirmed.

Foreign media organisations including the BBC are subject to severe restrictions⁶.

'Crisis'

Mr Rafsanjani is a key power-broker in Iranian politics and has been a backer of Mr Mousavi.

During his sermon, broadcast live on state radio, he said something had to be done to allay⁷ people's doubts about the recent election result.

"In the current situation it is not necessary for us to have a number of people in prisons... we should allow them to return to their families," Mr Rafsanjani said.

"We are all members of a family. I hope with this sermon we can pass through this period of hardships that can be called a crisis."

Mr Rafsanjani also appealed for an open debate on radio and TV about the disputed（争议） 12 June election and called for media restrictions to be eased.

"It is not necessary to pressure media. We should allow them to work freely within the law," he said.

The hall was reportedly packed with opposition supporters who shouted "freedom, freedom" during the sermon. Many had green prayer mats.

The former president's comments came very close to a direct challenge to Supreme⁸ Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, says the BBC's Tehran correspondent Jon Leyne, who was ordered out of Iran last month.

It was the first time in two months that Mr Rafsanjani had led weekly prayers at Tehran University.

Although he did not voice his opinion during the unrest that followed the election, members of his family - including his daughter Faezeh - openly supported Mr Mousavi.