Clashes At Funeral Of Iranian Cleric

Iranian reformist supporters have clashed with police following the funeral of a dissident cleric. Earlier tens of thousands took part in a procession for Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Ali Montazeri in the holy city of Qom.

Clashes reportedly broke out but the scale of the confrontation is not clear. Ayatollah Montazeri, who was 87, had called President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election a fraud.

The reformist Jaras website said mourners were chanting slogans in support of the Grand Ayatollah and also of opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi.

Another site, Rahesabz.net, said some members of the hardline pro-government faction, Ansar Hezbollah, tried to stop chanting in the crowd, but left 'after clashing with some people'.

Many mourners were carrying green banners or wearing green - the colour of Iran's opposition. Opposition website Kaleme.org said that following the funeral, some mourners threw stones at police surrounding the grand Ayatollah's house and clashes with security forces followed.

In response, authorities have imposed strict new restrictions on the media, both foreign and domestic. Leading up to the funeral, buses carrying mourners were stopped and some passengers reportedly arrested.

Meanwhile, the BBC says fresh attempts have been made to jam its Persian television service to Iran. Persistent interference started on Sunday shortly after the channel began coverage of the grand ayatollah's death, the corporation said.

Mr Mousavi and fellow opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi had called for a huge turnout, and reports said they joined the procession from the Grand Ayatollah's home.

The Grand Ayatollah was one of Shia Islam's most respected figures. He was an architect of the 1979 Revolution that created Iran's Islamic state but later became a vocal critic of the government. He died of natural causes in Qom on Saturday night.

Last Sunday following news of the Grand Ayatollah's death, a large crowd quickly gathered outside his home in Qom to pay respects.

Sporadic gatherings were also reported in Tehran and other cities.

Foreign media have been restricted in Iran since the post-election protests and it is often difficult to verify reports. No foreign media has been allowed to attend the funeral.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei did offer his condolences on Sunday, praising Grand Ayatollah Montazeri as an outstanding jurist.

However, the supreme leader tempered this with criticism, saying he hoped God would forgive the grand ayatollah for failing his 'crucial test'.

This was a reference to Grand Ayatollah Montazeri's falling out with the leader of the revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

State news agency Irna did not use the ayatollah title in its early reports of Grand Ayatollah Montazeri's death and referred to him as the 'rioters' cleric'.

The White House praised the grand ayatollah, saying he had been 'known and internationally respected for his unwavering commitment to universal rights'.