Reformist ex-president Mohammad Khatami defended opposition protesters and accused Iran's leadership of "lying" to the people, his website reported on Tuesday. Khatami, a key figure in the opposition camp which has infuriated hard-liners with its street protests, also slammed those in power who "commit violence with complete immunity" against demonstrators.

"Many lies have been told these days and many promises have been made but people see those in charge of their affairs have not done much," Khatami said. "So people realise that many of the protesters are not ill-intentioned and their protest is reasonable," he said in comments carried by his Baran Organisation's website. Khatami, who was meeting with a group of released post-vote detainees, condemned a new wave of arrests of government critics launched after bloody protests during Shia mourning rituals of Ashura on December 27.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2010