Iran 'will not yield' over poll 
 
Ayatollah Khamenei had ordered protesters to stop their rallies
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said the nation "will not yield to pressure" over a disputed presidential election.

Several people have been killed in days of street protests since the 12 June poll returned Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the presidency.

Violence erupted after protesters claimed the elections were rigged.

Iran has also said it is "reviewing" whether to downgrade relations with the UK, as diplomatic tensions increase.

The UK has moved to expel two Iranian diplomats in response to Tehran's decision to order two UK diplomats to leave Iran, following allegations UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown called "absolutely without foundation".

The British prime minister's spokesman said Downing Street was monitoring the situation.

"Iran's decision to try to turn what are clearly internal matters for Iran into a conflict with the UK and others is deeply regrettable and without foundation," he said.

Streets quiet

Iranian riot police and militiamen appear to have put a halt to protests in the capital, in which officials say 17 people have killed.

 IRAN UNREST

12 June Presidential election saw incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad re-elected with 63% of vote
Main challenger Mir Hossein Mousavi called for result to be annulled on grounds of electoral fraud
Street protests saw at least 17 people killed and foreign media restricted
 
It was quiet in central Tehran on Wednesday, although there are reports that a further rally is planned for later.

There have also been calls for a day or more of mourning from Thursday.

The ayatollah, whose earlier command to stop protesting went unheeded, said: "I had insisted and will insist on implementing the law on the election issue.

He added: "Neither the establishment nor the nation will yield to pressure at any cost."

He had earlier agreed to extend by five days the amount of time allowed to examine complaints of electoral fraud.

However, the Guardian Council, Iran's electoral body, said there was "no major fraud or breach in the election".

The main challenger to President Ahmadinejad, Mir Hossein Mousavi, had alleged that the election was rigged.

His wife, in comments believed to be authentic and published on his website, called for the release of protesters who have been arrested.

"I regret that a large number of people among the political elite and others have been arrested, and I ask for their release," Zahra Rahnavard said.

Severe reporting restrictions placed on the BBC and other foreign media in Iran mean reports from the country cannot be verified independently.

Amid the restrictions, Western media outlets reported that 25 journalists and other staff at a newspaper owned by Mr Mousavi had been arrested.

AFP quoted one of the Kalemeh Sabz's editors saying that five women staff members had been released. The paper, launched in the run-up to the election, has already been shut down by authorities.

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